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1/4 and 1/8 Mile Racing Talk about track times, launch techniques, strategies, etc. Check out the "Timeslips" subforum for posted times.No discussion of street racing will be tolerated.

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Old 10-13-2003, 09:26 PM   #1
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Drop Resistor Switch Setup?

Can someone please tell me what I need to do, and how I need to do it? I'm familiar with the drop resistor "mod," but loathe getting under my hood with a screwdriver to unplug the damned thing. I want set up a simple on off switch so that when I have the switch turned off, the drop resistor is connected, and when i have the switch on, it is disconnected.

Can someone tell me what I need to get, and how I set this up? And "set up an on/off switch from a microwave by mounting it next to the drop resistor" doesn't help me. (Details please!) Please don't forget include how to install the switch in the cockpit somewhere.

I know this is a lot to ask, but I'm getting desperate and can't find it online--in another drop resistor thread someone had a link to a site that demonstrates how to do it, but the pictures don't work, rendering it completely useless.
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Old 10-15-2003, 06:22 PM   #2
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Old 10-15-2003, 06:37 PM   #3
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1. Cut either wire going to the drop resistor leave enough wire on either end to bare it so you can splice into it.

2. Attach 2 wires, one to each end of the wire you just cut, solder, or just wrap the wire around and tape.

3. Run these two wires to a switch, SPST (single pole single throw) a switch with 2 terminals on it that make and break when the switch is activated.

4. Mount the switch anywhere you want, bottom of the steering colum, dash, in one of the spare plastic plugs used for dash lights, cruise control etc.
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Old 10-15-2003, 07:15 PM   #4
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Heh, I just did the mod today and came into this thread to post the instructions but apparently you beat me to it Jime. I mounted the switch next to the dask light dimmer incase anyone cares.
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Old 10-15-2003, 07:21 PM   #5
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HOW?!?!?!

Thanks for the help, but I'm frustrated like no other.

I just had an hour long, viscious battle with an old microwave and stereo, and came up dry. What the hell am I looking for, exactly?! Can I use the wires that are in the microwave??? HELP ME BEFORE I BREAK OUT THE BAT
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Old 10-15-2003, 07:25 PM   #6
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Sorry, I just went out and bought a SPST switch and wired it to that, so I don't know about breaking apart the old appliances. I wouldn't reuse the old wires from the microwave personally.
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Old 10-15-2003, 07:29 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Turismo
HOW?!?!?!

Thanks for the help, but I'm frustrated like no other.

I just had an hour long, viscious battle with an old microwave and stereo, and came up dry. What the hell am I looking for, exactly?! Can I use the wires that are in the microwave??? HELP ME BEFORE I BREAK OUT THE BAT
Here are the instructions I posted in another thread. I am not sure you are going to find what you need by ripping apart a microwave I just gave those as an example, go to an appliance repair shop and buy one if you don't see one in the microwave etc that looks like the one I have posted below. Just make sure its normally closed (NC). If you don't understand what I just said get someone else to do it for you.

Ok, here is what I have been using. Zumble gave me the idea of just doing it WOT vs the manual switch I had been using. Originally we were using a WOT N/O (normally open) switch and then running through a relay to reverse to N/C (normally closed).

Its much simpler this way no relay is required. N/C switches are the opposite of the ones used for a nitrous WOT switch where you make a circuit, here we want to break the circuit on WOT.

All that is required is to run the two wires back from the switch and cut into either wire at the drop resistor and connect to each end.

For normal operation the switch is N/C (normally closed) so that the circuit is complete through the drop resisitor and trans acts as normal. When you hit WOT the circuit opens and effectively disconnects the resistor.

I used a small steel bracket I had and bolted to a manifold bolt just below the PCV valve.

These switches can be obtained at appliance supply stores, they are use in microwaves, dishwashers etc.

The can be purchased in 3 different configurations.

1. A regular N/O (normally open)
2. N/C (normally closed)
3. Combination N/O and N/C (there are 3 connectors vs 2 on the others so it can be used either way.

Mine just happens to be the combination one and I got it because it was given to me by a electric door technician.




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Old 10-15-2003, 08:06 PM   #8
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I think I may have found what I'm looking for... Pic coming up--someone tell me how to post it plz?
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Old 10-15-2003, 08:22 PM   #9
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Nevermind, just go to these links--I have two pictures of the switch. Is this what I need? Am I close? Should I give up now?

http://www.angelfire.com/crazy2/recon/switch.JPG

and

http://www.angelfire.com/crazy2/recon/Switch2.JPG

If this is the right switch, can I use the wires you see on there? What kind should I use? (I'm assuming you can get it at the hardware store). how do I get it from my engine bay to my dash? Thanks in advance
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Old 10-15-2003, 08:33 PM   #10
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Old 10-15-2003, 08:47 PM   #11
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Thanks Quicksilver

I did a crappy photo shoot, so for reference it says NC, NO, and COM, and its currently plugged into NO (green wire) and the pink wire is plugged into one of the two COM sockets.
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Old 10-16-2003, 05:46 AM   #12
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Alright I'm pretty sure that's what I need, I just need some instructions on how to run the wires to a switch in my dash...also, what kind of switch/button should I buy...or can I find it in my microwave?
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Old 10-16-2003, 04:52 PM   #13
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Old 10-16-2003, 05:01 PM   #14
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1. Connect to com and NC.
2. Run those two wire to the drop resistor.
3. Cut either drop resistor wire and connect the two wires from the microswitch.
4. Insulate your connection and you are done.
5. Switch has to be mounted on throttle body like the pics I posted so that when the throttle is wide open it activates the microswitch.

You do not need to have a switch inside the car this is the switch and when connected to you throttle body so that when the throttle is at WOT it will activate the switch and disconnect the drop resistor.
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Old 10-16-2003, 05:14 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jime
1. Connect to com and NC.
2. Run those two wire to the drop resistor.
3. Cut either drop resistor wire and connect the two wires from the microswitch.
4. Insulate your connection and you are done.
5. Switch has to be mounted on throttle body like the pics I posted so that when the throttle is wide open it activates the microswitch.

You do not need to have a switch inside the car this is the switch and when connected to you throttle body so that when the throttle is at WOT it will activate the switch and disconnect the drop resistor.
Well see that's the thing--I want a switch in my dash, not a WOT one. If the dash switch is too much trouble than I'll set up the WOT. Do you know how to do the manual dash switch? Also, the switch you see in the pictures above, I could not disconnect the plug from NO, so, lucky me, I checked the torn apart microwave and found the exact switch I need. Link to pic to follow...
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Old 10-16-2003, 05:21 PM   #16
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Here's the link to the correct switch, in case it's needed later.

http://www.angelfire.com/crazy2/recon/ncswitch.JPG
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Old 10-21-2003, 01:14 PM   #17
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So many choices in the world of Micro Switches... please pardon my ignorance: Any chance you know the required Amp rating for the switch or an amp rating you are sure will be okay? Thanks in advance!

-Aaron
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Old 10-22-2003, 08:16 AM   #18
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I tried this and it broke my tranny, I unpluged tha damn thing when my car was still on, and then all of a sudden Tranny go BOOM
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Old 11-04-2003, 10:18 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ni_Nos_Maxima
I tried this and it broke my tranny, I unpluged tha damn thing when my car was still on, and then all of a sudden Tranny go BOOM
Sorry for bringing this back from the dead, but I was going to wire a switch to my dash and was searching for answers when I came across this post. Has anyone else killed their tranny from this? Should I be worried? Should you only open or close the switch at a certain time? Like when the car is off? And one more question, I have 16 guage copper wire. Will that work, and is it safe? Just being cautious b/c of that post. Thanks.
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Old 11-04-2003, 04:54 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bremner44
Sorry for bringing this back from the dead, but I was going to wire a switch to my dash and was searching for answers when I came across this post. Has anyone else killed their tranny from this? Should I be worried? Should you only open or close the switch at a certain time? Like when the car is off? And one more question, I have 16 guage copper wire. Will that work, and is it safe? Just being cautious b/c of that post. Thanks.

His tranny didn't break from this little mod. He had to have done something else, or already had a tranny problem and fragged it by driving it hard. It actually helps save wear and tear on the tranny despite being slightly harsher feeling...it works pretty darn well, I think.

EDIT...You'll probably need to try something else other than the TB at WOT opening this switch on your car (since we don't have the TB cable/linkage/bracket).
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Old 11-04-2003, 05:22 PM   #21
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Thanks...I'm going to run an on/off switch (20 amp 12 volt) inside of my car, not a WOT switch. Do you know if it matters what guage wire I use? I have 16 guage and I figure it should work but I'm not an expert.
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Old 11-04-2003, 09:31 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bremner44
Thanks...I'm going to run an on/off switch (20 amp 12 volt) inside of my car, not a WOT switch. Do you know if it matters what guage wire I use? I have 16 guage and I figure it should work but I'm not an expert.

That wire should be plenty big enough...
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