Clutch safety switch ?

[SGR]

Hey guys,
I am working on my wiring and have a question. With a manual transmission, I do not see anything in the assembly manual for a clutch safety switch. (There is also no provision for mounting one on my pedal set.). While it would be fairly easy to mount a switch to the pedal set, what circuit would I wire it into?

The manual show a circuit for an automatic transmission neutral safety switch (wires #121 & 126 on the transmission harness). Would these be the appropriate wires to use for a clutch safety switch?

Also, would a brake light switch be acceptable to use for the clutch safety switch? Like the one shown in the link...I ask because I have an extra one of these switches already.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/aww-500097

Thanks.

[baker]

SGR,
I "googled' Clutch Safety Switch and up popped a link with photos on a T5 .. I would look there and see if it is any help..

[Wisconsin_Snake]

SGR, I used wires #121 & 126 on the transmission harness. It interrupts the starter circuit.
On mine, it's not for a clutch safety switch but for the switch that ensures that the transmission is in neutral.

I guess that in may scenario if I cranked the engine over without having the clutched pushed in, it would turn over the clutch/gear box BUT at least the car would not be in gear.

P.S. how do you like that original CR wiring harness???
I am running a fuel injected engine with it's own harness and had a fun old time trying to determine what to move from the engine portion of the wiring harness.

The way it is wired the harness for the steering column, it baffles me to what they were thinking.

[SGR]

The chassis wiring harnesses seem pretty good, but the engine wiring harness could have been a little easier to work with. I am also running EFI, so I dissected the engine harness and mated it with the EFI and electronic ignition harnesses. That is still a work in progress though...

The biggest thing that bugs me about the wiring is the diagrams in the manual are just about useless for actually tracing circuits. They are fine for describing the individual harnesses, but not for installing or modifying them.

Wisconsin Snake, did you have to install a relay in order to use the transmission neutral safety switch? The NSS on a T5 is not designed to handle the amperage required for the starter circuit.

Thanks.

[Gaz64]

You need a switch that operates (closes contact) when clutch pedal is close to floor, unlike a brake pedal function which operates after small pedal travel.

So you need to look at the top of the pedal near the fulcrum to determine which part of the pedal you could mount the switch nearby to, to perform the function as desired.

[Ron61]

I used a neutral safety switch on my T-5 and it worked great. If the transmission wasn't in neutral, nothing would happen if you turned the key.

Ron

[Wisconsin_Snake]

SGR, I wired it directly as stated in the manual...
Looking at the manual and trying to trace what is happening with the wires, it does appear that wires #121 & 126 are installed after the relay on the harness for the starter.

I take it that Classic Roadsters at the time were not thinking about manual transmissions when creating the harness. Who knows.

I am guessing that the reverse lights will have the same issue and will need a relay.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Snake

I am guessing that the reverse lights will have the same issue and will need a relay.

My clutch safety switch is a pressure activated switch (presumably a brake light switch) mounted on the line where it goes to the throwout bearing.

As to backup lights, I had to fabricate a bracket to mount a microswitch (B&M Replacement Micro Switch for B&M Automatic Shifters » B&M) to the 5th gear / reverse shift arm on my Richmond 5 Speed Street transmission as the tranny has no internal reverse switch provision. The switch drives a couple of LED strip 'driving' lights - not enough current draw to require a relay.

[Wisconsin_Snake]

Good idea on using LEDs for the reverse lights... I have a TKO3550 which has a built in switch for reverse lights, but I was figuring that the current draw would be too much when running directly to the lights.