Newbee Question......On my 78 L-48, something is draining my battery when it sits for a few days. I did a search on 'dead battery' here (great forum), and learned to check battery drain with an amp meter off the pos bat cable. I think I have it isolated it to the StealStopper alarm system. So I removed the two inline fuses that appear (not 100% sure, so many wires) to be wired into the StealStopper control module, and the battery drain goes down below 100ma, which is acceptable. However, now my car wont start. It acts like it is locked out by the alarm system. All idiot lights light up, still have 12+ volts at the battery, but wont even click the starter. And I still have the red light on the StealStopper keypad, which I guess means I still have power in the alarm system from somewhere. But it now wont accept my code.

Anyone ever had this problem? It is an older StealStopper system, no remote, just the keypad on the console. By the looks of the code card, its pretty worn, it may have been installed back in the 80's or 90's.

Is there any way I can remove this system from my car? Without re-wiring the starting system. Or at least disable it but still be able to start the car. The car is completely stock, and I really don't need it anyway (I don't think). It is only driven on weekends and is kept in a locked garage.

Just to make sure I am on the right track, does a stock 78 have the two plastic encased inline fuses behind the kick panel next to the hood opener? If they are not for the SS, what do they go to?

 

you can remove the SS, simply deinstall all the stuff connected to it. It sounds like there is a starter interupt relay in there, you will need to locate it and bypass it to get your car to start. Did you try reconnecting the fuses and then turning off the alarm?

 

Thanks for the input, six. I did put the fuses back in the SS, heard some relays click in the module, and checked battery voltage for a couple days. Bat voltage was back to normal, 12.3 to 12.5. Just got back from out of town for a few days and the ole girl started right up.

Maybe I reset something in the module when I disconnected the power, I dunno, but I will see how long it works. That's the bad thing with electrical problems......sometimes they come and go. But at least on the C3's, a guy CAN work on em'.

 

when I got my '78 over the winter there was an old keypad controlled Code-Alarm security system installed. It was the first thing to go and I use to work as a factory rep for Code-Alarm years ago!
I see no need to have aftermarket alarms on a car as they will NOT prevent it from being stolen so they are useless.

my advice is to just remove the system. Any keypad contolled system is also old enough that it's "security" features are going to be bare-bones basic and really end up causing you more hassles as you are experiencing than any benefits to keeping the system.

chances are you have two wires for the ignition cut-out - usually the two thickest wires coming out from the alarm module, wires for power, & ground, wires to a shock sensor unit, a lead to tie into the door pinswitch circuit, wires leading to the keypad control unit, and wires leading thru the firewall for an underhood siren. This is basic and most likely all you will find.
Easiest way to remove it if you want is to trace each wire individually from the main alarm module to where it's tied into the car's wiring harness under the dash and uninstall it however it's connected. In the case of the ignition circuit the main lead from the ignition switch to the starter would have been cut and the two ends connected to the two thick leads out of the alarm module - easy to find by tracing the wires from the module. just cut out the alarms leads and reconnect the main ignition wire in the harness.
Other curcuits may be connected the same way or simply tied in with a "T" fitting or crimped together.
You will see what needs to be done when you are looking at it.
It's not that bad except for the cramped space working under the dash of a C3

 

No Kiddin......

Thanks for the info, barry, I think I will remove the system this fall when it gets a little cooler. My main concern was getting the starter circuit back together since it had to be cut somewhere and routed to the control module.

I think you are right, this old keypad system is more hassle than its worth. I had the AC worked on a while back and my mechanic complained that the siren kept going off every time he opened the door and forgot to enter the code. Said the other guys in the shop were yelling at him constantly.

Then every once in awhile I would get in the car and have to reset the code for some unknown reason, because the starter would be locked out. Like I said......when it gets cooler..... its coming out.