80's Alarm installers - should be shot!

[the]

Well, maybe not shot. But sheesh, 80's excess certainly extended to the alarm and stereo business!

One of the first things I do when I get a "new" 80s 911 is remove all traces of the long-non-functioning alarm system.

It's fun and amazing to work through it, and to observe their thinking and workmanship.

Very satisfying to remove all the crap, and funny to see the countless Rube-Goldbergesque relays, sensors, fuses, detectors, sirens (including in the interior), hidden backup battery (even though the main control unit was in the trunk and could be disconnected in 2 seconds) and miles of wiring. Also, the obligatory blue scotchlock connectors. Lots of blue connectors.

Also satisfying to actually get the car to start again, as they usually have run the ignition switch through the system to disable the ignition.

This was a particularly intricate one, with all sorts of motion sensors, what looks like glass breakage sensors, multiple horns (including in the interior). I'm sure this crap cost a fortune in 1988.

Another bit of 80s Americana lost. To the trash!

[Mitch Leland]

Well said...

I had an old 400I Ferrari and ever so often it wouldn't start because of the alarm system. It was so embedded into the electrics of the car it was a real problem until it was finally removed at some expense.

The worse anti theft set up I had on a collector car by the P.O. was a switch on the floor that had to be depressed to start the car, but if the car door opened after the car was started (assuming a hijacker had taken the car) the car would only run for another 20-30 seconds before quitting. I was always opening the door then driving off with the engine quitting soon after. A real PITA.

[70SWT]

Yep...for a while there, I was buying every 944 for sale in a multi-state area. It seemed like every one came with at least the residual evidence of some cobbled-together past alarm system. More often than not, there was some current electrical problem due to improvised engineering...

[ChkbookMechanic]

Reading about these is one reason I would never want an aftermarket alarm system in my car. You never know who or what exactly was wiring things together, of course, if you're trying to steal a car these DIY alarms would obviously cause people some problems with their "engineering."

[janz]

Worse yet were the aftermarket stereo installs. Actually my origonal factory alarm is still working perfect, don't use it much because I don't leave my car where I would need to alarm it. Mine had a Sony radio installed that when you turned on the headlights it shut off the radio, chased that for a month.

[Jandrews]

Hey the...

Is there a recommended, structured approach for tackling an effort like this? I have a hairball alarm in my car and I have avoided it simply to avoid getting into a situation where the car would not start/run. Maybe this is just a jump in and trace every wire type of thing, as every situation is likely very "custom", but I was wondering where you might recommend to start.

Thanks,

JA

[speednme1]

Not all aftermarket alarms are bad. Even manufacturer's or dealers alarm can be a PITA. Unfortunately some of us have to use an alarm. While it won't deter a thief who may really want your car the average amateur thief would prefer to move on to another car without a security system. The system on my 89 Targa offers me many flexibilities using the remote only(including permanently turning off the alarm)...

[TheGanzman]

Here's a poser for those of you who seem to be familiar with these alarms: One of the 911's I'm considering is an '88 Coupe with a Porsche factory-installed alarm system (On the Certificate of Authenticity). The car is dead stock, 40K miles, w/service history from Day One. Factory alarm still works fine, but I have two unanswered questions:

- When the alarm goes off, the horn (only) sounds - I was under the impression that front and rear parking lamps were also supposed to flash - Oui ou Non?

- There is a small red indicator light with "Clifford" emblazoned around it just above the A/C controls in the center console. It does nothing when arming the alarm system - in the opinion of the group, is this part of the factory system, or some vestige of an ancillary system from long ago?

As always, thanks in advance for your consideration!

[azasadny]

I had an old Hofco alarm in my 911 that caused me all sorts of problems until it was exorcised (removed) from the car. There must have been 15lbs of components and wires, what a mess!!

[seafood10]

I agree, I have an 84 that won't start right now and after swapping out DME's I am now 99% sure it is the Clifford that is causing the problem, but those crack heads ran wires every which way and I don't know where to start. Maybe I should go find a crack head and ask for his advice, who knows, maybe they all think alike?

[ToddM]

I had a very similar abortion I took out of my last SC. I am sure I have the same thing going on in my current SC but havent got to it yet!

[scarceller]

Just saw this thread, this week I had my 84 Carrera stall for no reason at all. I figured Fuel or Spark so first thing I did was jumper the fuel pump fuse and nothing! pump did not run. Long story short it was a 80s Cliford alarm system issue, turns out they had another relay they ran the power through so that the alarm could cut the pump and the relay and controller had failed!

Removed the relay and all is well now.

But what where they thinking when they installed this alarm? The Carrera already has a Fuel Pump relay that could easily have been integrated into the alarm, I supose they decide to simply add yet another because they had no idea how the stock relay worked.

Anyway I just finished ripping this old alarm out this week.

[Zeke]

I'd gladly pay to have the alarm removed, but would I still have the keyless locks? I'm used to them and like them. Another question, I have a Clifford, can I assume that it is installed on "top" of the factory unit? It's the '88 you see in my sig.

Oh, and one other thing, it's got a rocker switch on the dash which the PO said was a reset but he didn't know the sequence. I suppose I never will either?

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by milt

I'd gladly pay to have the alarm removed, but would I still have the keyless locks? I'm used to them and like them. Another question, I have a Clifford, can I assume that it is installed on "top" of the factory unit? It's the '88 you see in my sig.

Oh, and one other thing, it's got a rocker switch on the dash which the PO said was a reset but he didn't know the sequence. I suppose I never will either?

The keyless locks are most likely part of the aftermarket alarm system, you will lose this feature if you completely remove the alarm. But you should be able to un-wire (disable) all the rest of the stuff and simply leave the keyless feature.

As for how it was wired, on top of factory alarm or seprate? who knows every installer was diffrent. I did many alarm installs back in the 80s and my choice was to replace the stock with the aftermarket if possible.

Keep in mind that most 80s alarms had fuel pump cut off, so you should be looking for this. Then the factory alarm cuts the power at the DME relay, it turns the DME relay off so that the entire DME is disabled as well as the fuel pump. So anything you rip out could easily render the car unable to start so be sure you know what to expect if you decide to remove the old system.

As for the fuel pump cutout many installers would have likely tapped right at the Fuel Pump fuse in the front trunk. Simply find the FP fuse and look at what's wired to it, do the wires look like stock wires? or do they look like someone tapped into them?

[janz]

On the factory stock alarms only the horn sounds (separate horn for the alarm) and the fuel relay is cut off. No lights front or rear flashing. Engine will turn over but will not start.

[4flyboy]

Originally Posted by seafood10

I agree, I have an 84 that won't start right now and after swapping out DME's I am now 99% sure it is the Clifford that is causing the problem, but those crack heads ran wires every which way and I don't know where to start. Maybe I should go find a crack head and ask for his advice, who knows, maybe they all think alike?

Seafood,


Crackhead is one word.............................what'd want to piss off the crackheads?

Scott

[seafood10]

Huh, guess i have been offending them all these years without even realizing it....Next you're going to tell me that Al coholic is one word too...

[Zeke]

I have flashing lights. The main harness from the fuse panel to the dash has been opened up and rebound with the same tape. Not a bad looking install at all. I just worry about an old system and that dashboard rocker switch that I don't understand. I was told that if the alarm went off thru a real breach, that the system could be disarmed (sounding horn going off) in case the key fob was not nearby or the battery in it went dead. I have no idea how to do that. The PO said to rock it up 2wice, down once and up again, or something along that idea. I touched it once and the red pilot light came on. I thought oh sh**, now what? I rocked it again and the light went off. Never touched the damn thing again in the 2 years I've had the car.

I once knew Al Coholic.

[seafood10]

I am going to put the CLifford air compressor and the 2 horns from the Carrera in my truck and wire it to the stock horn, it is A LOT louder and will hopefully get those idiots in front of me to hang up and drive.

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by TheGanzman

Here's a poser for those of you who seem to be familiar with these alarms: One of the 911's I'm considering is an '88 Coupe with a Porsche factory-installed alarm system (On the Certificate of Authenticity). The car is dead stock, 40K miles, w/service history from Day One. Factory alarm still works fine, but I have two unanswered questions:

- When the alarm goes off, the horn (only) sounds - I was under the impression that front and rear parking lamps were also supposed to flash - Oui ou Non?

- There is a small red indicator light with "Clifford" emblazoned around it just above the A/C controls in the center console. It does nothing when arming the alarm system - in the opinion of the group, is this part of the factory system, or some vestige of an ancillary system from long ago?

As always, thanks in advance for your consideration!

First, on the stock alarm only the horn sounds, no lights.

The red led with 'Clifford' on it is from a aftermarket Clifford alarm they all came with this LED. Be sure it's just a left over from an old install and the Clifford alarm is NOT still in the car.