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I have an older RV that people sometimes try to steal (it's usually meth heads wanting to live on it; I've taken to leaving a plaque on the dash saying that if
by spiritplumber 6y ago
I have an older RV that people sometimes try to steal (it's usually meth heads wanting to live on it; I've taken to leaving a plaque on the dash saying that if they want a hot meal instead, just knock on my door).
The alarm is aftermarket, and silent. All it does is make the fuel pump go in reverse. (The fuel pump is also aftermarket)
It's been hilarious a couple times.
- monkeynotes 6y agoWhy not just have the alarm cut the power to the ignition or something less damaging than reversing the fuel pump?
- andy_ppp 6y agoI guess because the car would appear to be non-functional rather than deliberately disabled, i.e. the engine would choke and splutter but would not take you far.
- dotancohen 6y agoAlso, in some jurisdictions the car is not considered "stolen" until it has physically moved. If the engine can move the vehicle just a centimeter before stalling under the load, then the vehicle is stolen for legal purposes and that has effects on reporting to the police, insurance for broken windows or valuables missing, and even crime statistics if the OP is thinking long term. It also might enable the OP to file a complaint with his HOA, who may be responsible for ensuring that the parking lot is better protected.
- JadeNB 6y ago> Also, in some jurisdictions the car is not considered "stolen" until it has physically moved. Leading to the hilarious situation that a thief who couldn't get my car moving was charged, not with theft, but criminal trespass.
- kyleblarson 6y agoWhy not just live in a place where you don't have to assume that meth heads are going to try to steal your possessions?
- everyone 6y ago"Let them eat cake"
- adrianmonk 6y agoMaybe they take the RV on the road and the routes to various destinations are not entirely through safe areas.
- arbitrage 6y agoAnyone ever take you up on the offer of a hot meal?
- spiritplumber 6y agoYeah. One time it was an older lady with her daughter. They stayed with me 3 days until they managed to sort something out with social services. I think they're in San Diego now. They had a dog along who crapped in my living room, and they ended up cleaning my house top to bottom as an apology. Just because someone's homeless it doesn't mean they're on drugs or stuff like that!
- jacquesm 6y agoWhat a sad story.
- patcon 6y agoNot that both can't be true, but was surprised at your words. I read it as a subtly sweet story. Surprising in both generosity and gratitude, hinting at still being in touch, sincerity. (But yes, agree that poverty itself is sad.) btw you're a beautiful person, spiritplumber (been without home in the past too)
- jacquesm 6y agoObviously, the person helping is super nice and the people that are in that position are super nice as well. But what saddens me is that an older lady and her daughter are homeless, that should not happen in a functioning society.
- spiritplumber 6y agoI'm not rich. I can't fix the whole thing.
- cratermoon 6y ago
- turtlegrids 6y ago> The alarm is aftermarket, and silent. All it does is make the fuel pump go in reverse. Would you mind disclosing what brand/model this alarm is? This would be great for a couple of “issues” I’ve been having. If you aren’t comfortable saying publicly, could you send me a message with the info? And Amazon/Aliexpress/eBay link?
- seany 6y agoIf it's a DC pump the alarm probably just turns on a relay that swaps the input polarity of the motor.
- spiritplumber 6y agoYep. It comes with a relay and I wired it to another DPDT relay. It's supposed to go on the carn horn terminal instead. I love how older vehicles have really simple wiring.
- waynesonfire 6y agolol, right, sucks when they don't start.
- bagels 6y agoSeems like a really complicated kill switch.
- fingerlocks 6y agoExactly. Every fuel pump has a ground that you can put a switch on to kill it. No need to run it in reverse.
- coryrc 6y agoExcept old engines with mechanical fuel pumps like the GGP has
- 6y ago
- kevin_thibedeau 6y agoThat can end up pulling air through the fuel pump. That isn't safe or healthy for the pump.
- hathawsh 6y agoThis is the first time I've heard of intentionally running a fuel pump backwards and I wonder whether you're right. The fuel pump in modern vehicles is normally submerged in the fuel tank. My guess is that air drawn in by the pump would just make harmless bubbles; the pump would still be fully lubricated. Does anyone know for sure?
- dkdk8283 6y agoFuel pumps on EFI motors have a supply and return. Return is significantly smaller in diameter and will probably allow the engine to barely run at all. It would probably start and shut off giving the thief the impression the car is junk instead of being disabled.
- spiritplumber 6y agoOh, this thing was made in 1975. The motor is a mopar 440.
- technothrasher 6y agoNot all EFI systems use a return line. Some use a PWM controlled pump, rather than a pressure relief valve, to keep the fuel rail pressure constant and so forego the return line.
- throwaway0a5e 6y agoYou're forgetting the part where the fuel pump is a vane pump and will pump in reverse just very poorly (assuming directional rotor, which most have).
- throwaway189262 6y agoIt's likely old and carbeurated. Running pump in reverse may serve to empty the carbs fuel "bowl". Some cars can run a good while off the bowl. Enough to get a mile maybe.
- ineedasername 6y agoWhat happens when the fuel pump goes in reverse? Also, anyone ever take you up on the hot meal?
- dijit 6y agocar doesn't get any fuel, can't go anywhere. (doesn't prevent valuables inside the car from getting nicked though)
- spiritplumber 6y agoIt prevents the fuel pump in the engine from working (I had to add an electric fuel pump because the original one isn't doing very well). Yes on the hot meal. I've been homeless and it stinks.
- ineedasername 6y agoIt amazes me that, in wealthy countries, there are significant homelessness problems due to economic displacement. I consider it an existence-proof of the idea that a free market cannot solve all problems. I think homelessness due to other causes-- mental health for example-- are more complex but similarly demonstrate fundamental flaws in the framework of society. Only once was I able to give a homeless person a meal... I'd just bought my lunch, driving a few blocks away I saw someone with as sign asking for $$ for food... I go cashless, so I stopped and ran my lunch over to them. It was Chipotle, so I hope I didn't do any lasting damage. As for giving money to homeless on the street... I don't know. I don't know if it's the right thing to do, if it will be used for food/shelter etc. or something more self-destructive. I've stopped caring about that possibility. I've decided I can't not do something that might help someone simply because it also might not help. I also figure addicts have to eat too, and absent enough money to do both, they might decide not to eat.
- loyukfai 6y agoA free market has no morals, it's up to the participants to instill some.
- exabrial 6y agoGod put a camera on this like 11' bridge
- mrfusion 6y agoI never understood why we need a fuel pump and a fuel injector .. and a valve that opens to let fuel in the cylinder.
- bagels 6y agoFuel isn't going to move if you don't have a pressure differential. Exhaust will go back in to the gas tank without a valve (injector). Need to control the amount of fuel on each combustion cycle. That's why.
- culopatin 6y agoTank is in the back. The injector only works properly at elevated fuel pressure otherwise it would just drip out. Like a shower head with no pressure, it would just dribble out. Valve lets in a mixture of air and fuel, not just fuel, and allows compression to happen. If that wasn’t the case you’d have to have a mixture injector that closes during compression and explosion. Without it, the explosion would expand in the intake runner instead of pushing down the piston.
- mrfusion 6y agoThanks. So does the injector get fuel on the back of the valve when it sprays?
- culopatin 6y agoUnless it’s direct injection, yes. It sits there for a little bit mixing up with the air. Also the hot valve vaporizes the fuel a bit more. In direct injected engines, the injector shoots on the piston.
- ehnto 6y agoThat's amazing. I have had my car stolen, no thanks to the alarm, and later recovered, thanks to the immobolizer kicking back in. Immobilizers are all I use now.
- aksss 6y agoHaha I quickly read that as hot metal, as in bullets. Well, hot meal is better for sure. :D