[Z06] Neutral Safety Switch
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Neutral Safety Switch
Has anyone disabled their clutch safety switch? I wouldn't mind disabling mine if it's an easy mod on these cars.
I know on my old Corvettes depressing the clutch to start the motor ruins the crankshaft thrust bearing over time. The reason is because when you press on the clutch pedal you are pushing on the crankshaft which is in turn pressing on the crankshaft thrust bearing. When you do this to start the car in the morning all of that pressure is going on a thrust bearing with little or no oil on it, so over time it ruins the thrust bearing.
I'm not sure if the LS1 has this same problem but I would guess that it does. Can anyone shed a little more light on this subject? I've searched for past threads about disabling the neutral safety switch on this forum but didn't find anything relating to C5s.
[Modified by Donovan 572, 9:52 AM 4/28/2004]
I know on my old Corvettes depressing the clutch to start the motor ruins the crankshaft thrust bearing over time. The reason is because when you press on the clutch pedal you are pushing on the crankshaft which is in turn pressing on the crankshaft thrust bearing. When you do this to start the car in the morning all of that pressure is going on a thrust bearing with little or no oil on it, so over time it ruins the thrust bearing.
I'm not sure if the LS1 has this same problem but I would guess that it does. Can anyone shed a little more light on this subject? I've searched for past threads about disabling the neutral safety switch on this forum but didn't find anything relating to C5s.
[Modified by Donovan 572, 9:52 AM 4/28/2004]
Team Owner
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch (Donovan 572)
There are some real high mileage C5s out there and I've never heard about premature wear. I would think the safety of the clutch starter switch far outweighs a little extra life of a cheap bearing that is going to wear out anyway.
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch (CPT Z06)
While the crankshaft thrust bearing may seem like a cheap part, in most cases it requires removal and dissasembly of your motor to change it (not cheap). I've taken apart several big block Corvette motors that have had this bearing trashed because of the clutch safety switch. The safety switch is only there for idiots that don't have enough sense to put a manual trans car in neutral before starting it. Chances are that if a person doesn't have enough sense to put the car in neutral before starting it, that same person doesn't have enough sense to put it in neutral before letting the clutch out AFTER starting it. :lol: I've always disabled it on my past Corvettes and have never had a problem.
[Modified by Donovan 572, 10:10 AM 4/28/2004]
[Modified by Donovan 572, 10:10 AM 4/28/2004]
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Wilmington NC
Re: Neutral Safety Switch (Donovan 572)
The safety switch is only there for idiots that don't have enough sense to put a manual trans car in neutral before starting it.
I've never encountered it on cars in Europe where manual transmission is predominant, and still today I believe cars sold in Europe don't have this option. Not long ago I read about a guy in Sweden that had a brand new top-of-the-line BMW equipped with DVD, playstation, navigator; the whole nine yards. He parked it at the edge of a pier. Some of his friends who wanted to demonstrate something cranked it up (with the gears in first) and it went down the deep end... :D
An interesting side note is that Chevy recommends us to park with the gears in reverse. Generally, it seems like people in Europe learn that the recommended way is to park with gears in first. (Which BTW is what Ford manuals recommend).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Longview Texas
Re: Neutral Safety Switch (Donovan 572)
"I've always disabled it on my past Corvettes and have never had a problem."
What is the best way to disable the circuit besides mechanically forcing the switch to stay in the closed position?
Does it hurt anything for that circuit to stay activated all the time?
:confused:
What is the best way to disable the circuit besides mechanically forcing the switch to stay in the closed position?
Does it hurt anything for that circuit to stay activated all the time?
:confused:
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Re: Neutral Safety Switch (TEXHAWK0)
What is the best way to disable the circuit besides mechanically forcing the switch to stay in the closed position?
Does it hurt anything for that circuit to stay activated all the time?
:confused:
Does it hurt anything for that circuit to stay activated all the time?
:confused:
On the old Corvettes the clutch switch just completed the circuit from the starter switch (when you turn the key). When you crank the motor with the starter is the only time there was current flowing in that circuit. I would guess that's pretty much still the way it works.
