In helping a friend get his car running, I see there are two switches
activated by the clutch pedal. The upper one is the starter/clutch
interlock switch. The lower one - what is that for?

There is apparently a plastic plug of some kind in a hole on the pedal lever
for each switch. Both plugs were gone. I put a bolt in the hole for the
starter switch, which solved the starting problem, but I find nothing in
the service manual about the other switch. Does anyone know about it?

As an aside, of course the starter switch hole was inaccessible without
taking the clutch pedal out!

Thanks,
R.

 

On Aug 19, 3:23 pm, "roger" <RAMAUN...@peoplepc.com> wrote:
> In helping a friend get his car running, I see there are two switches
> activated by the clutch pedal. The upper one is the starter/clutch
> interlock switch. The lower one - what is that for?

This is the cruise control clutch switch. If the cruise control is
running, and the driver for some reason pushes the clutch pedal, then
the cruise control de-activates.

> There is apparently a plastic plug of some kind in a hole on the pedal lever
> for each switch. Both plugs were gone. I put a bolt in the hole forthe
> starter switch, which solved the starting problem, but I find nothing in
> the service manual about the other switch. Does anyone know about it?

Those plastic/rubber plugs in the pedal lever arms for the brake and
clutch switches break all the time causing either the brake lights or
cruise control or both to not work right. I just replaced the
(cracked) plug in my brake pedal lever arm. You can buy an assortment
of "rubber bumpers" at many aftermarket auto parts stores, and one
from the assortment will likely fit, worst case with a little
whittling of the rubber plug part. The other day I found a set for
$2.29 at Autozone made by Dorman, labeled "rubber bumpers," part
#961-375. I put a thumb tack in the top of the one I put in my brake
pedal lever arm, thinking it might improve longevity.

> As an aside, of course the starter switch hole was inaccessible without
> taking the clutch pedal out!

Sounds right. I just replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders on
my 93 Civic, which means one has to mess a bit with adjusting the
clutch pedal. I skipped the step for adjusting the upper switch. But
it works fine ( = no start without clutch pedal pushed).

 

Dear Elle,

Thanks for solving that mystery. Looking in the Haynes manual we have, I
see the section on checking the cruise control mentions a brake switch,
which of course would be for an automatic transmission. It would have been
easy enough to label that switch on the clutch pedal diagram!

I'm not sure my friend ever uses the cruise control. He's an old school
european plus a bassist. In the early 70's, he just walked away from the
Czech symphony when they were on tour, eventually ending up in New Orleans,
and he retains a lot of his home-country ways.

Thanks again,
Roger.

 

On Aug 24, 8:48 pm, "roger" <RAMAUN...@peoplepc.com> wrote:
> Dear Elle,
>
> Thanks for solving that mystery. Looking in the Haynes manual we have, I
> see the section on checking the cruise control mentions a brake switch,
> which of course would be for an automatic transmission.

Post-o? Both automatic and manual transmissions have a brake switch
that, when the brake pedal is pushed, (1) turns on the brake lights
and (2) de-activates cruise control.

> It would have been
> easy enough to label that switch on the clutch pedal diagram!

Indeed. :-)

My Chilton's is good for a lot of work on my Honda, but for cruise
control troubleshooting it is worthless. Sounds like Haynes is just a
bit better for cruise control. Cruise control is one area where the
shop manual is invaluable.

> I'm not sure my friend ever uses the cruise control. He's an old school
> european plus a bassist. In the early 70's, he just walked away from the
> Czech symphony when they were on tour, eventually ending up in New Orleans,
> and he retains a lot of his home-country ways.

:-)