Clutch switch question: how far should plunger stick out?
 

Should the plunger on the clutch switch stick out farther than this?

http://www.mcdonaldindustries.com/ja...tch_switch.jpg

I can pull it out a lot farther but this is it's "natural state" and it seems like it should be sticking out more but I'm not sure.

Do I need a new one?

thanks,
James

Someone has got to know this...

:(

Yes. It should stick out all the way when it is not fully compressed. You can but a new one, or fix that one. To fix it, carefully open the metal tabs so that the plastic slides out. Clean up everything on the inside of the switch. You will need a new spring. Find a common ball point pen, and remove the spring. It should fit nicely. Put it back together, and you are good to go.

I did what adam said and mine works good, no need to buy a new one. If you want to know how far just pull the white piece out with your fingers and thats about how far out it should be.

That's what I figured. Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate it. Now I don't have to buy one from Fritz. Sorry Fritz :)

I just went out and rebuilt the switch with a ball-point pen spring and it works great.

thanks,
James

congrats. for the rest of you, this part is cheap from Ray at Malloy Mazda. No need to buy this wearable part used. I just replaced mine rather than service it as specified above.

The switch is only $15 new. I just replaced the whole switch.

R.K.

I don't think the cost is really the issue. More like: It's Sunday, do I want to wait for a new part, or fix it now.

Fixing it this way basically makes it good as new. I already had my entire clutch ass'y apart anyways becuase I wanted to bead blast the surface rust off and paint the bracket. There's nothing to do inside that switch aside from cleaning the contacts, replacing the spring, and re-lubing the plunger. Fixing it with a ball-point pen spring may sound ghetto to some people but if you look in there you'll see that the OEM spring could've come from the same spring factory as the pen ones do; a pen spring is an almost identical match.

After reading this post I went out to check mine since my idle bounces when I push the clutch in and have the car in gear. Now it's all gone. Works perfectly to just replace the spring. :)