First question, I am replacing the gasket on a '84 Jeep cj7, I bought a new Fel-Pro cork gasket, and am wondering if RTV gasket sealant, or anything else, is recommended for cork gaskets.
Second question, I'm looking into installing a kill-switch in my '90 k1500. It has an alarm/club, but am looking for more security. We had a car stolen from our driveway recently, the thief managed to open the door, remove the "Club", broke off the turn signal lever and started the car in a matter of seconds, it seems. Anyways, any tips or hints on installing a kill switch?
Personally, I wouldn't bother. The guy who took your other car obviously knew what he was doing. A kill switch might not slow him down as much as you're hoping.
Car alarms are ignored pretty much everywhere I've lived.. given, if one of my cars were so equipped and it went off at 3am, I might be compelled to investigate.
The steering wheel clubs are only as strong as the steering wheel itself. I've seen a handful of theft recoveries with a small piece of the steering wheel cut out to allow removal of the club.
If the person really knows how to steal a car and has decided yours is coming home with him, there's not a whole lot you can do to stop him.
I've been known to remove things like fuel injection or fuel pump fuses/relays when parking for extended periods of time in an airport parking lot. Someone attempting to steal the car wouldn't hang around long enough to troubleshoot a potential EFI problem. They'd think the car was broken and leave, instead of finding a security system challenge to overcome.
The older Corvettes (I know 68-82, maybe other years) have a pretty bad vulnerability - the battery. Alarms are often disabled by simply driving a metal rod through the body in the area just behind the driver's door. The body is fiberglass, and the battery is stored in a plastic battery box directly behind the driver's seat. The spike penetrates the battery and the acid leaks out, rendering the alarm useless. The thief then hooks the car and drives away.
Most of the Corvette parts housen (Ecklers, Mid America, etc.) sell a metal shield for the battery to prevent this type of attack.
Back to your truck: Have you thought about a removable steering wheel? Nothing says "you ain't goin' anywhere" like the stump of a steering column.
Do you think your thief is stupid enough to come back for more? If it's a neighborhood kid strung out on drugs, the answer is probably yes. If it was a professional - someone who needed that particular year, make and model, chances are they'll never be back.
Also, think twice about confronting someone in the middle of the night. I don't know of any state where you can legally use deadly force to protect your property... so chances are the criminal is (a) going to live because you're not going to drop him and (b) if caught by police, be right back out on the street and (c) will remember all of the W's - who, what, where, why .. and will come back. Please don't get the impression I'm anti-gun - I've been a concealed weapons license holder for the past 10 years and carry daily.
Thanks for replying...interesting. You know while I was stewing over the Buick being stolen (it was recovered a few days later fortunately in good condition), I was thinking along the lines of other security measures. You mentioned removable steering wheel, hehe actually I was thinking removable gear shifter (truck is a 5 spd).
The reporting officer mentioned that on that particular night, there were a total of five Buick/Oldsmobiles that had been reported stolen. This particular a-hole managed to get into the car without breaking a window, and I didn't see any markings from a Slim-jim on the window or seal (my first guess that's how he got in). I had numerous people tell me that there are such things as 'skeleton keys' that are supposedly dealer/or master locksmith exclusive. If that's the situation and theres a key out there then I fear the chances are high it'll get stolen again. I had a relative who had their '89 98 Oldsmobile stolen twice within a six month period with no lock damage.
It doesn't need a skeleton key in old cars, there are often over a hundred thousand cars made per model run, and often only a few dozen key patterns. He could just be trying a key until he finds a car it works on. in modern electronic locks the ignition reads a microchip buried in the key and if it doesn't match whats loaded in the igniton memory it won't start.
Theres a lot more electronic codes available than there are key cuttings, it's even possible to get an unique one for every car.
There are master key sets that you are talking of. They have about 300 keys on a ring that would go around your head. He either: A) "raked" the locks (low-class but effective way) B) Skillfully and individually picked each pin in the lock
No damage to the steering column? It is my recollection that this year had a special 'bar' inside the ignition lock that had to be disabled. This was done by drilling a small hole to press on this bar. I know it's in some GM lock, can't remember what years.
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