No-start condition related to clutch pedal...??

CaifanSC

SCCoA Member
I've had a sporadic no start condition on my 94 for a while. While thinking it was a number of things, i noticed that the car would start if I pumped on the clutch pedal. I was pretty sure it was my neutral/clutch safety switch, but I replaced that (and while I was at it the plastic blushing/clip thing holding the pedal to the rod for the master cylinder) and I'm still having this problem. Is there anything else that could go wrong down there?
 
I can't remember if there is an adjustment for that switch or not, but if so, maybe it's out of adjustment. Another long shot is a wiring or connector problem at the switch. It's possible that one terminal is pushed back in the connector housing, causing an intermittant contact with the switch. That's about all I can think of right off the top.

JD
 
When you depress the clutch and turn the key, what exactly do you get? Do you hear the click of the starter? Do you get no sound and it seems as if there is no power but all your dash lights are lit??

Need more info...

Ira
 
I was thinking that same thing, perhaps the switch has some sort of adjustment?

Ira, when i push the clutch and turn the key all lights are on and I hear the starter click...so its not the starter. Plus its a brand new one that I had on my 89 with no probs so thats why I also ruled it out. Say i push on the clutch, turn the key and nothing....if I keep the key on the ON position and keep pumping on the clutch the car would eventually start. Any clues?
 
Try shorting the switch, and see if it starts

It sounds like an intermitant condition.
Could be

1-switch not mechanically adjusted
2-bad switch
3-bad connector
4-wiring problem

By any chance have you put thicker floor mats in your car.
(believe it or not I have seen this cause a problem in situation
when the switch was just on the edge of adjustment)
 
no thicker mats, same ones i've had in the car since I bought it years ago. I'm not clear when you say switch not mechanically adjusted...so is there an adjustment to be made with the switch?
 
I was thinking that same thing, perhaps the switch has some sort of adjustment?

Ira, when i push the clutch and turn the key all lights are on and I hear the starter click...so its not the starter. Plus its a brand new one that I had on my 89 with no probs so thats why I also ruled it out. Say i push on the clutch, turn the key and nothing....if I keep the key on the ON position and keep pumping on the clutch the car would eventually start. Any clues?

No, no clue yet. See, I have the same problem now, but almost never on a cold start. But almost always when the engine is hot and I shut it off, I sometimes have to wait about 1/2 hour before she will catch again. Very strange. Not the starter, it's new, and if I hear the starter click I would think it's not the switch on the clutch either becuase it does have to make contact for the starter to click (I would think).

Driving me crazy too.

Ira
 
You should be able to trouble shoot that by monitoring the wires for the clutch switch. My gut is telling me something with the Ignition switch might be going on here. It has the run and start positions. All the other b.s. you do to get it running could be unrelated.

The ignition switch is moved by a rod in the ignition. Something could be loose there.
 
You should be able to trouble shoot that by monitoring the wires for the clutch switch. My gut is telling me something with the Ignition switch might be going on here. It has the run and start positions. All the other b.s. you do to get it running could be unrelated.

The ignition switch is moved by a rod in the ignition. Something could be loose there.

That was my first thought too, the ignition switch. But what maybe throwing me off is the fact that I only have the problem after running the car for a while. Seems as if the metal is heating up and expanding, and loosing up a connection somewhere, and tightening up again when the metal cools.

I don't know, maybe I'm just over thinking it.

btw - Luis, sorry. I didn't mean to hijack the thread. It seems as if we are both having the same, or a very similar problem here, so I wanted to jump in here too.

Ira
 
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I've had a sporadic no start condition on my 94 for a while. While thinking it was a number of things, I noticed that the car would start if I pumped on the clutch pedal. I was pretty sure it was my neutral/clutch safety switch, but I replaced that (and while I was at it the plastic blushing/clip thing holding the pedal to the rod for the master cylinder) and I'm still having this problem. Is there anything else that could go wrong down there?

Luis, I have rethought this entire topic and after doing a little more looking I have decided to replace the starter. Again. I cannot see how it can be anything else. If you are pumping the clutch pedal, well, that switch either works or it doesn't. And any other wiring issues although they could very well be intermittent, would probably not show the clear pattern that you and I are seeing. If it's a short somewhere, at some point it is just going to stop working. But it hasn't.

So I am pulling the starter again. I will let you know......

Ira
 
Ira, no problem. Keep me posted. I was thinking of checking the wiring for the neutral switch, if I find something I'll also post.
 
Using a DVOM...

Unplug the connector from the switch and connect a DVOM. Select Ohm and press and release the clutch. You should see open when released, but no resistance when depressed. You should be able to pump the pedal and see it switch every time.

That will tell you if the switch is the cause, or to look somewhere else.
 
Ira, no problem. Keep me posted. I was thinking of checking the wiring for the neutral switch, if I find something I'll also post.

Well, on Friday we replaced the starter (again) and double checked all the ground connections. Went the entie weekend without a problem. Cold start, hot start, didn't matter. I guess maybe the first replacement starter was no good or we had a bad ground somewhere.

Like I said, it didn't make sense that it would be the clutch switch. I still think that the switch would either work or not, not just sometimes. Hope this helps a little.

Oh, and there was, of course, the usual trade off. Fix something, break something else. Odometer stopped working yesterday :eek:

Ira
 
Sounds like i'll be replacing that starter too! I supposedly bought the 'new' not a reman unit, but who knows. Its still an autozone unit. I also noticed the hot vs cold start thing on friday. Yay...freaking thing left me stranded right before heading to the office. Worst thing is i was having lunch with a friend and she had to walk back to campus b/c my stupid car wouldnt start. :p . She'll get over it im sure.

Sux about your speedo, its that freaking gear that breaks inside.
 
Holy thread resusitation batman!

Ira, wondering if you ever got this settled? Given the year I think this was on my old 94 5speed. I sold the car several years ago but...guess what...I think this is the same issue that's currently going on in my 94 Teal car. Just starting to look into it but I stumbled upon this post.

I have a newly replaced Motorcraft starter from Rock auto so I think it's safe to take that out of the equation. I'm not home to reference any of my diagrams so I'll start checking into what other components, if any, are in the system so I can check. So far from my reading it looks like ignition switch & clutch pedal position sensors are in the list of things to check.

Thanks!
 
Replying to this thread with the solution.

After doing the brake line repairs on the 94 I was eager to get it started...only to have this issue come up again. Talk about frustrating.

In any case, tested the Clutch Pedal Position sensor and it was fine...last thing was the ignition switch. Fortunately, I had already ordered it...so swapped it out and VOILA! Problem fixed.

Pix of the culprit

 
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