Piranha

[badredwedge]

Anyone know anything about Piranha alarm thing, got one on my car but it does not work. It has a key switch on the top does this turn it on ?? I have no instuction, anyone got any ?? are they on the interweb thing somewhere ?? Help, PLEASE :confused:

[york33]

Not got one, but there was one on my parents old car, many years ago. The key thing in it was to turn it off when it went in for servicing (or if it was &*%& and didn't work properly ) It had a remote control, but don't think it was very sophisticated.

Depends which model you've got I guess!

cheers
Dave

[pwd95]

Rip it all out and put a new one in?

[badredwedge]

pwd95 said:

Rip it all out and put a new one in?

Is that it Wyn
No in depth technical banter. No at length disquisition, just rip it out. It looks to be wired up to half the car and I wanted to give it a chance

but if thats what needs to be done

What you got on yours and dare I ask how much they cost ???

[york33]

Old dodgy ones are more trouble than they're worth, liable to immobilise you at very inconvenient times if the wind is blowing the wrong direction!

Have you got the key, transponders, etc? Tried turning it and see what happens? If it's still knackered then rip it out carefully or you'll have hours of fun trying to make your car start again

£120 for a basic Cat2 immobiliser, installed, for an Cat1 alarm+immoniliser £250 up to whatever you have to spend..........

All much of a muchness if Thatcham improved IMHO, just various different arming/disarming methods, if you go for immobiliser there's quite neat install which give you a dangly thing to hang off your key ring that disarms when it's dangled somewhere close to the sensor. Sorry if I got too technical there

cheers
Dave

[pwd95]

york33 said:

If you go for immobiliser there's quite neat install which give you a dangly thing to hang off your key ring that disarms when it's dangled somewhere close to the sensor. Sorry if I got too technical there cheers Dave

That's what I've got on mine. A proximity jobbie m'lud.
As far as ripping stuff out, I'm applying the same principle as I do with computers, don't spend hours and hours trying to get rid of this virus and that virus. Might take you days and still not work. Just re-format and re-install everything fresh.

[tallbloke]

Try this:

www.humminbird.com/images/PDF/Pira

Have you asked the guy you bought the car off how reliably it was working? My Clifford Eagle did some pretty odd things from time to time before I finally ripped it out.

[rev-erend]

If the last owner did not show you it working - changes are it no longer works.

Like others have said - rip it out and install another.

My alarm failed and I just paid a mobile alarm fitter to rip it out and install another..

They are not always insisted on for classic insurance policies but do give peace of mind with the theaving scrotes around..

[badredwedge]

Thanks, Looks like I better get yellow pages and me wire cutters out then

[wedg1e]

I was involved with car alarms at the turn of the 90s, used to come across a few Piranhas but I doubt the meagre notes I still have would be of any use to you.
Not sure how old your system is but if it's anything like a decade, it's probably past its sell-by date.

One of the common scenarios we used to encounter was the owner who had just bought a used car from Joe Bloggs & Co., only to find that the alarm didn't work/ played silly bu99ers. Turned out that Bloggs' monkey mechanic/ valet had jet-washed or steam-cleaned the engine bay, which filled the alarm with moisture, that shorted out the circuit boards. Strip it down, quick blast with the hairdryer and fanny is your mother's sister

Usually a keyswitch was fitted to the main unit to reinstate the immobiliser circuit and turn off the alarm power, so if your car starts the chances are the thing is permanently off; odds of finding a key to turn it back on: slim.

[badredwedge]

tallbloke said:

Try this: www.humminbird.com/images/PDF/Pira Have you asked the guy you bought the car off how reliably it was working? My Clifford Eagle did some pretty odd things from time to time before I finally ripped it out.

Thanks Rog the last owner said he never turned it on. I think the rip it out route will be the best and if ever I give up Wedgering and take up deep sea fishing I know just the thing

[grahamw48]

Ah well - something to get your teeth into this weekend.

[redwedge5]

Do you really want to mess with the electrics of a wedge which is behaving itself and going really well! It could end up in tears Might be best to leave well alone

[mikeb]

Only trouble is when you do drop the footwell cover and see all the mess of wires everyplace, you start taking out the alarm and then end up tidying up all of the electrics that are in the way as well!

Took me three weekends to tidy everything up properly.

Make sure you got plenty of good quality insulating tape as well for all of the other wires you will find just hanging in space!

Good luck.

MikeB

[badredwedge]

well it took me 8 hours but I have removed the @*&%$ thing. first took the box thing to bits to have a little look removed key switch and turned it on OH DEAR could not turn it off even with all wires removed it was still screaming !! anyway removed all its bits and bobs and now feel much better that nothing unknown is wired to the car, Just need to find a good auto sparky to fit me another but who and what sort I dont want some monkey pulling my dash to bits :

[FrenchTVR]

When I bought my Wedge, it was a pre-requisite of the insurance that I had to get a Thatcham approved alarm or immobiliser fitted. I actually bought mine from Halfrauds and it was fitted by an independent sub-contracted company at my home. The guy made a very good job of it and also advised me on a lot of the wiring I needed ot pull out from the old system.
I am currently contemplating upgrading to a Clifford 650 as I would like central locking, remote boot access etc as well.

regards,

Mick

[wedg1e]

Remote boot access is useful, but you need a permanent feed into the boot.

My car has a fixed aerial and anyway I never listen to the sh!te that passes for radio entertainment... so I used the blue wire that normally feeds the electric aerial, rewired it to 12v permanent.
No probs with my Clifford in 5 years.