Neutral Switch behavior

TekPmp · Post by **TekPmp** » May 6th, 2005, 7:26 pm

Hey all,

I installed a remote starter in my manual 94 RS about a year ago

Although I never leave the car in gear when parked, I still get worried that i might do so subconsciously.

Now heres the questions: I heard about our cars having a neutral switch. Is there a way to wire this switch up to my remote starter to disable it when in gear? Does any wire on the switch meter a certain voltage when in neutral or in gear? What is the neutral switches purpose?

Thanks in advance! -Joe

reaper of souls · Post by **reaper of souls** » May 6th, 2005, 7:45 pm

i'm pretty sur that the neutral switch is on your shifter linkage some were or on the base holding your shifter not totaly sure i drive auto now when you got it installed if you got a shop to do it for you they most likly hooked it up i belive it's there just to show a ground signal like the hand brake

ryanlindenberg · Post by **ryanlindenberg** » May 6th, 2005, 7:52 pm

the neutral switch is in the tranny. i don't know which one you would need to tap into, but the wires run up the front side of the tranny. close to the clutch line.

Ateana · Post by **Ateana** » May 6th, 2005, 8:33 pm

look for 2 wires coming out of your tranny that have a big black connector on it.. mine wasnt hooked up so yours may not be.. but yeah theres three plugs with wires on your tranny front = reverselight. top = speedo. and underneith facing the passenger side of your car is the neutral switch.

TekPmp · Post by **TekPmp** » May 8th, 2005, 10:31 am

Thanks for the help guys!

Does anyone know what purpose the neutral switch serves though?

atlantamx3 · Post by **atlantamx3** » May 8th, 2005, 11:35 am

TekPmp wrote: Does anyone know what purpose the neutral switch serves though?

It is my understanding that the Neutral switch is supposed to prevent you from starting the car while the car is in gear.

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » May 8th, 2005, 12:09 pm

atlantamx3 wrote:
TekPmp wrote: Does anyone know what purpose the neutral switch serves though?
It is my understanding that the Neutral switch is supposed to prevent you from starting the car while the car is in gear.

not true.... all manual mx3's will start in first, and it dosnet matter, you just gotta keep your foot on the brake

i would like to know the real purpose of it though

jaydog5678 · Post by **jaydog5678** » May 8th, 2005, 12:46 pm

So that you must push the clutch pedal in to start the car. You complete a curcuit(sp) when doing so. Notice that you can not start the engine when you do not push the clutch in. That's what the switch is for.

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » May 8th, 2005, 1:05 pm

jaydog5678 wrote:So that you must push the clutch pedal in to start the car. You complete a curcuit(sp) when doing so. Notice that you can not start the engine when you do not push the clutch in. That's what the switch is for.

but there is 2 switches on the clutch pedal.... one is the starter interlock that uses heavier wire in series with the starter... the neutral safety is wired from the ecu to the clutch to the wires coming out of the tranny

im pretty sure if i unplug the neutral safety on the clutch pedal, car still wont start unless the clutch is pressed in... am i wrong ? Grants are you out there ?

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » May 8th, 2005, 1:33 pm

The Nuetral Switch will allow you to start your car with the clutch pedal Out as long as the car is Not in gear. The Clutch switch will allow you to start your car in any gear as long as the clutch pedal is depressed. Not 100% sure it works this way on the MX-3.. but that is a typical setup.

Tunes67

Typhoonk · Post by **Typhoonk** » May 8th, 2005, 4:33 pm

Hmmmmm. I thought it had something to do with engine cutting out. So If you aren't moving and are in a gear- and lift your foot of the clutch the car will cut out and stall faster - so as not to cause to much damage.......

that's my theory anyway.........

mitmaks · Post by **mitmaks** » May 8th, 2005, 4:49 pm

it wouldnt start if your car is in gear even if you use remote starter

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » May 8th, 2005, 11:12 pm

So If you aren't moving and are in a gear- and lift your foot of the clutch the car will cut out and stall faster

If you arent moving and are in gear and you let the clutch pedal up and dont apply gas at the same time.. the car will die.. any manual trans car will.. unless you have the idle set way high. The trans needs the power from the engine to get the car rolling.. has nothing to do with the nuetral safety switch or the clutch pedal switch.. both switches would be for starting the car only. In a automatic trans car.. the nuetral safety switch prevents you from starting the car in gear.. this is because there is no clutch action to keep the transmission disengaged from the engine. Thats why there is the switch on the clutch pedal.. it tells the ECU that even though the transmission is in gear.. its still disengaged from the engine. Unless of course you arent in gear.. in which case its a redundant signal since the nuetral safety switch is telling the ECU the same thing.

Tunes67

Grants · Post by **Grants** » May 8th, 2005, 11:37 pm

There are 3 switches in total:
- starter interlock switch which is in series with the starter motor and prevents the starter motor engaging unless the clutch is pressed

- clutch switch and neutral switch. These 2 are in parallel with each other and if the gar is in neutral OR the clutch is pressed it sends a ground polarity to the ECU. These will NOT prevent the starter motor from engaging.

This is from jschrauwen:

Clutch being depressed as an indication to the ecu that gear selection is eminent and therefore will generate a higher idle by about 200rpm to compliment. This works in concert with neutral switch.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » May 8th, 2005, 11:43 pm

LOL Figures there would be a 3rd switch in there

Tunes67