Can I add jack-tilt detection to the OEM key fob alarm-98 SC2

[jimmcdaniels]

Say, does anyone know if I can add a jacked-up tilt sensor to my OEM alarm on my stock 98 SC2?

I live on the westside and the meth heads are stealing Catalytic converters like crazy.

But on my 98 Saturn they'll have to jack it up first to get to the Cat.

I'm assuming my factory key fob alarm doesn't have a tilt sensor.
I'm wondering if it's possible to add one as a trigger for the alarm.

I know they sell tilt sensors separately for alarm systems.

Any info on this would be appreciated.


Thank you
Jim

[ultravioletnk]

Originally Posted by jimmcdaniels

Say, does anyone know if I can add a jacked-up tilt sensor to my OEM alarm on my stock 98 SC2?

I live on the westside and the meth heads are stealing Catalytic converters like crazy.

But on my 98 Saturn they'll have to jack it up first to get to the Cat.

I'm assuming my factory key fob alarm doesn't have a tilt sensor.
I'm wondering if it's possible to add one as a trigger for the alarm.

I know they sell tilt sensors separately for alarm systems.

Any info on this would be appreciated.


Thank you
Jim

short answer: yes, of course you can!

long answer: how good are you with electronics? with an arduino-compatible microcontroller and an accelerometer module it'd be quite achievable on a very small budget, but it's far from plug-and-play. ultimately there are a couple inputs you could trigger on the oem alarm to set it off, the real trick is how to determine when that should happen.

if you want to integrate an oem tilt sensor from another car, i'd get one from the jy and tie it into the door switch circuit. the oem alarm goes off if you open a door, so that's the simplest path to accomplish your goal. you may need a logic/voltage shift depending on what car you pull the sensor from.

[cgg17]

Your cat is worth maybe $60 (that is what I sold my 1995's cat for during the peak of the prices). Tape a note with it's value next to it, I am sure they will be lazy and not cut it out for a meager pay day.

[ultravioletnk]

Originally Posted by cgg17

Your cat is worth maybe $60 (that is what I sold my 1995's cat for during the peak of the prices). Tape a note with it's value next to it, I am sure they will be lazy and not cut it out for a meager pay day.

you'd think, but the kind of people who steal cats don't tend to see that as a concern. generally the demographic is people with a severe drug habit or other issue clouding their judgement, and the time spent jacking up a car (if even necessary, they go for trucks and suvs mostly due to the tall ride height) and cutting through the pipe is more than worth the payoff to them. unfortunately, the reality is that $60 for a few minutes' "work" is actually quite a high hourly pay rate. when somebody is desperate to buy more drugs or whatever they want the money for, it looks like a real appealing deal to them... which is why it's such a problem. one of my coworkers had the cats stolen off his truck and we never even saw any sign of a suspicious person.

personally, i just rely on the low ride height of my cars as a deterrent, i was parked right next to my coworker who had his cats stolen and janus was untouched... but there are areas where people are desperate and determined enough that they will bother to jack up a car to get the cat.