Power reasons to bypass Clutch Safety Switch
 

I searched and I couldn’t find exactly what I want to see, so here I am.

Basically my mechanic said that the Clutch Safety Switch (CSS) actually wastes a lot of power, and it is good to by pass it, although he didn’t go into any detail about how to effectively by pass the CSS. I read that people do such things as tape the button down. This doesn’t seem to be answer to conserve energy. Does anyone know the most energy efficient way of bypassing the CSS?

Thanks and God Bless

well if the wires have to be crossed then jus tie them together, or if they have to be seporate then just leave them seporate. This is if there is 2 wires going to the switch. I have never looked at it. I was thinking of doing this to install a auto start in my car.

I fail to see how the clutch safety switch could waste power. I would assume that its open when the clutch isnt engaged, thereby using no power at all. Even if it sends varied voltage levels, it couldn't pull much current at all. Maybe Hailers or Icemark will chime in to verify.

i bypassed mine because, well, it broke.

mind if I ask what clutch safety switch is/does ?

+1


I may have been in my head, but it sounds like the starter turns faster with the switch bypassed. Technically,it would let a little more current flow to the solenoid, possibly making a better connection for the starter circuit, but i doubt it makes much of a difference.

All it does is tell the ECU that the starter is not to be juiced.

I'd leave it alone unless it's broken, you're installing a remote start, or it just bugs you (which is why mine is disabled. :D)

Mine was getting weak.
The starter solenoid would sometimes not get enough current through its contacts to spin the starter.
I pulled the plug to the switch, and inserted a brass jumper clip in the harness socket.

Other reasons to bypass the clutch interlock:
You can start the car without having to climb in.
If you stall & can’t restart, you can select 1st & crank the motor to get out of the way.

The reason my mechanic told me to bypass the CSS in the first place is because I had a very weak battery. And I wasn't getting enough power to the starter. He said there was a reasonable amount of power wasted on the CSS and it was best to remove it (also to get a new battery :) ), and the thing is just annoying but maybe that's just me. At any rate the best way to bypass it is just to take out the switch and connect the wires, correct?

I bypassed my Clutch Interlock Switch........because it broke. The interlock switch is one of two switches on the clutch pedal. It's the upper one. It carries the start signal to the starter solenoid from the ignition switch.

Being a switch, I can see how the contacts can become corroded over fifteen years and make the circuit less than satisfactory. And by the way, I LIKE it out of the picture so I can start the damn car by just reaching inside and turning the key to ON. Having to press the pedal each time is bull. I don't consider this a saftey issue in any way shape or form. Others do.

The other switch on the lower part of the pedal is for the cruise control and an input to the ECU that the clutch is in/out.

I just jumpered the two wires that go to the switch to complete the circuit. I did it at the plug about a half foot from the plug if I remember ritght. Saftey switch my royal arse. It was unsafe to be around me if I had to start the car numerous times while working on the car. That's what I think about it in mild terms.

Is it different between the S4s and S5s? My starter cut-off was the lower one, the upper one took car of cruise control.

I think he's referring to the position of the switches.

The "upper" switch, by mounting, is contacted when the clutch is fully pressed.
The "lower" switch, by mounting, is released as soon as the clutch is partially pressed.

And I have to say, my Subaru has no clutch safety, and I *LOVE* it. I park in neutral with the defrost blower on full, so I reach in, start it, go back inside, come out 5 minutes later and drive off with my window nicely defrosted and my car warmed up.

-=Russ=-

There is no reason to bypass the switch unless the switch has failed or the contacts are worn out.

You will not gain any additional power by not having it. This was proven by early 86 models that didn't have it in the first place.

If you are concerned that there is some voltage loss through it because it has aged and the contacts are dirty, then you can check it very simply with a multi meter.

Unplug the switch, put your meter + lead on one wire going to the switch and your meter's neg lead on the other wire and check resistance.

There should be less than .5 ohms of resistance with the switch pressed in. Of course there should be no continuity with the switch out. More than .5 ohms of resistance and the switch should be replaced as it will fail soon anyway.

But bypassing it, well you are not getting any more power if the switch is functioning normal anyway.

Just to add to what Icemark said, it's a safety switch for a reason.

Starter can only be engaged with clutch in...sooo if you start it with the car in gear, and you still have the warm up cycle connected, she'll rev to 3000 and take off on you. If you have it disconnected, that is.

Just leave it connected, and clean up the connections.

James

Early 86/87 might not have the interlock switch. Just FYI.

You can't clean up the contacts in the interlock switch. They're internal to the switch.

And as for location.......I know not of S5. The S4 interlock switch is the very, very upper one. It's shown in the FSM I think in the Transmission/Clutch section.

I stick with my assesment of the *saftey switch*.

My switch was bad when I bought the car, after a week of having to reach up under the dash to press the switch while turning the key I yanked it out. All it takes is a inch of wire and two connectors in each end of the plug. I did it this way in case I ever need to put one back in for some reason.

FIRST THINGS FIRST, FIND A NEW MACHINIC. THEN TRY THR FAQ. Never go back to that jackass again IMO.

hey hey hey.. There is no need for bring down my mechanic. I believe he is very good with rx7's. If he is wrong well no one can be right all the time. The guy is a big rotor head he owns a Mazda shop in the bay area where he almost exclusively works on rx7's and rotory engines. As for the FAQ maybe that was my fault but I didn't see anything on this subject in there.

Once again thanks for all your help guys.