Neutral safety switch

[cougman67]

I have a 1979 Pace Car with a T5 transmission. The conversion was done years ago and I installed a new one as an upgrade (see Pace Car build). I don’t have a neutral safety switch working now and would like to know how to wire it in. I didn’t see much online and hope someone here has a good idea. I did replace the pedal brackets and suspect the wiring might be located there. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Patrick

[ZephyrEFI]

I'm a bit curious myself what they were even used for on the T-5. My T-5 came with one, but the wire harness on my car is 1990 automatic. I had it wired the same circuit it would be on an AOD (so you had to put the shifter in neutral to start it), but ended up changing it so that circuit goes to the clutch pedal switch instead. Ended up putting a threaded plug in place of the NSS.

[wraithracing]

The NSS for the later model T5 equipped cars is located on the pedal assembly box on the left hand side at the clutch pedal arm. The switch is a grey molded plastic with 4 possible electrical connectors IIRC. Again IIRC only 2 wires are connected to the switch. Essentially the switch has one wire that comes in with power and when the pedal is depressed it completes the circuit and the power flows out the other wire, again if my memory serves. I did the same conversion to my PC way back in 2007 or 2008, so its been a few years now.

From what I recall, the original 4 speed has the NSS in the transmission, so I had to pull locate those wires on the harness that goes thru the transmission tunnel plug and then splice into those back up to the new NSS on the pedal assembly. I also installed a Ron Francis Wireworks harness at the same time, so I did A LOT of rewiring. Unfortunately my PC blew up the 5.0 a few years ago and its parked in the back of my Fox stash, so I can't really get into it to get good pictures or verify my wiring at this time. Hope that helps a little. Good Luck!

[Haystack]

I did an auto to manual conversion. I used an sn-95 t-5 so it did not have the sensor in the top cover if the transmission. I tried to hook the nss wire from the existing aod to the clutch pedal and it worked opposite, wouldnt start with the pedal down and would with it up.

[ZephyrEFI]

I did an auto to manual conversion. I used an sn-95 t-5 so it did not have the sensor in the top cover if the transmission. I tried to hook the nss wire from the existing aod to the clutch pedal and it worked opposite, wouldnt start with the pedal down and would with it up.

my pedal box came with two switches on the clutch pedal. I must've guessed right which one to use. I ended up removing the other one.

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[Ray Dog]

Orginally posted by ZephyrEFI my pedal box came with two switches on the clutch pedal. I must've guessed right which one to use. I ended up removing the other one.

I bet the switch that is made at the top of pedal travel is the cruise control shut off when the clutch is depressed.
The other two wires that wraithracing mentioned,

[wraithracing]

The black plastic switch with the vacuum line going to it, is the deactivation switch for cruise control equipped vehicles. It is mounted on the brake pedal.

[cougman67]

Thanks everyone, I purchased a used pedal box and don’t remember a switch with it. I’ll look at it this week.

[ZephyrEFI]

The black plastic switch with the vacuum line going to it, is the deactivation switch for cruise control equipped vehicles. It is mounted on the brake pedal.

But there's nothing on the clutch for that? Why wouldn't it just keep revving then if you push the clutch in, but not the brake?

[at_the_junkyard]

I assume you want to hook this switch up to prevent the starter from engaging unless its in neutral ?

FWIW on my sons 80 cobra I rigged up my own clutch pedal switch for safety. I didnt want him to forget and put the car through the garage door LOL. I found the plug in the tunnel that connects the reverse light switch had wires that are series with the starter solenoid wire. When the car had the C4 it was wired to that switch in the transmission. My other cobra had a jumper wire in that connector to bypass this function since it was a manual before but the wires were there.

Perhaps the pace car has these same wires running to the tunnel already ? If so you could just wire your NSS to these possibly ?

[cougman67]

Thanks, I found the wires and ordered a switch. Now I have the fun of installation.

[cougman67]

It too a lot of work to install the switch. The bracket was missing the mounting stud. After a few hours I did manage to install it but was missing the plug. I tried to solder the wires on the switch and must have damaged the switch. Does anyone know where I can get a plug for the switch?

[ZephyrEFI]

It too a lot of work to install the switch. The bracket was missing the mounting stud. After a few hours I did manage to install it but was missing the plug. I tried to solder the wires on the switch and must have damaged the switch. Does anyone know where I can get a plug for the switch?

Are you talking about the NSS on the trans or the clutch pedal switch? On my clutch pedal switch I just crimped some normal spade connectors on the wires. Fit perfectly in the switch.

[cougman67]

I’m talking about the clutch switch. I’m trying to use the neutral safety switch as the wiring permissive instead of the clutch switch wiring. I can’t seem to find the clutch switch wires. The wiring diagram shows light green wires for the clutch switch and red wires for the neutral safety switch. See my wiring diagram pictures attached.

[ZephyrEFI]

The red/light blue is the one you want to tap into. I did at the transmission where the NSS used to be (I have an automatic harness), but you don't have to.

Now, this is for a 1988 Mustang, so may not be accurate, but regardless, here's what mine says.

The clutch switch from the start circuit should be a 2 terminal spade type switch that CLOSES when the clutch pedal is down


The clutch switch for the cruise system, i'm guessing is your 4 terminal switch, but will OPEN when the clutch pedal is down. So, that may not be what you want for this.


Can anyone verify this? I'm guessing this sort of thing didn't change much over time, but I'm not sure.

[cougman67]

Thanks, I am running through the red/light blue wires that go through the transmission tunnel. The clutch switch is supposed to open when it’s down but I likely damaged it trying to solder wires to the switch.

[ZephyrEFI]

If the switch is open when the clutch is down, the car won't start. But it will start when you don't want it to.

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[cougman67]

Yes I agree, I worded it wrong. The clutch switch is designed that way, it’s an open circuit and when it’s depressed it closes the circuit to allow it to start.