I went to start my FD today and it turned over and just died. I let the clutch out and felt something hit my foot. See the image for what did.

I can't figure out what the hell this thing is... I don't think its part of the kill switch, but I tried to ground it and the clutch against the back plate and couldn't get the car to start. Had good power... everything, just no turn...

So... what the hell is this? Am I missing something incredibly simple?

Thanks for the help.

 

Might be part of the switch that detects the clutch engagement. It's up under the dash, and when the clutch is fully engaged (i.e. no foot on the pedal) the arm of the pedal should rest on a switch, opening the circuit (i think).

 

Yea I figured that might be it, but I can't see where it goes.... plus when you start getting that high up, it would have hit my shin instead of my foot. I felt it hit my foot....

Any guesses?

 

I thought the clutch swith was on the floor behind the pedal. When the clutch is fully depressed (foot completely on pedal, pedal on floor) it pushed a switch which grounds and tells the ECU it is engaged. In this method, the car would not start unless the clutch was fully depressed.

SanJo, your method, with the switch under the dash, would mean that if there was any pressure on the clutch, the car would start. Try it on your car, the clutch needs to be on the floor.

Now, whether or not that is part of it, I have no idea, never looked.

my $.02

 

As far as I know, the clutch switch actually mounts above the clutch pedal in the front - it looks like a small box (square shaped).

The things in your pic almost look like some chewed up bushings from one of the pedal assemblies...

Good luck...
GEB.

 

It looks like the seal that goes over the inside of the brake cylinder. The brake pushes a rod into cylinder. There should be a seal around it. Check under your dash.

 

Hrm, I'll check those things, but why would this prevent the car from starting?

 

If it's the brake seal, it wont make any difference in starting the car. It is not the clutch switch. The clutch switch doesn't look anything like that.

 

Maybe you should put it together, like it used to be, and take another pic. A closer pic.

 

Is there anyway you can get a shot of your pedal assy's to show us? I know it's a pain the **** to get up under there, however, if I could see it, I could go and compare it to mine.

The other guy is right though, it certainly does not appear to be part of your clutch switch. Do the pedals feel like they're binding/catching at all?

GEB.

 

Yea thats kind of what I indicated in my first post, I don't think its part of the clutch kill switch either, because that box and arm looks fine.

The only thing that made me think of that was because I put the clutch in, started my car, it turned over once, felt something hit my foot, the engine died and it wouldn't start again. That can't be a coincidence.

GEB - I'll try and get a shot of my clutch assy later today. For now, here is another of the rubber thing half way put together as best as I can tell.... no idea where the metal piece goes. Sorry for the blur, my camera isn't that great this close and I gotta go to work. I can take a better one when I get home if needs be. The thing looks like a button with a rubber seal circle, and a rounder rubber center. Again no idea where the metal peice fits into it.

 

^bump^
I'm curious as of what this mystery part is. Parts.com yields no results!

 

Well, I found a "neutral safety switch" on parts.com ($28), yet I cannot locate any photographs of it! Foiled again...

 

If you could find a part number on it, that would make it easy to track down.

 

No part numbers on it....

I'm thinking I might have figured out what the metal piece is... a magnet. I'll have to wait till I get home to test that.

So the question is, is this part of my clutch at all? Could it be a part of the alarm system? If so, that would explain why the car won't start....

What can I do about it?

 

Guys, that is a rubber plug that fits in the pedal arm and presses on the switch plunger. There is also a rubber plug that presses on the brake light switch. They all get dried and crack up and fall out. I have never been able to find the part, I had to improvise. Remember the clutch has 2 switches on it the clutch switch that goes to the ECM for idle control and the clutch start switch. You have a bad rubber in the clutch start switch.

 

Ahh yes, the interlock starter switch that tells the battery to provide power to the starter! But what does this piece have to do with that process? Does it ground anything or just push on something?

I see where it is on the diagram, but can't see where it would go in the car...

Yellowbird - what did you ghetto rig it with, can you provide me with more information?

 

Ok I figured it out with yellowbirds help. Thanks yellow bird!

What I wasn't even looking at the was the plate that juts out the side of the clutch arm way up top. This plate has a hole in it. This hole is filled with the remains of the rubber grommet you see above. This grommet pushes down on a switch. No grommet, and the switch just passes through the hole and I miss something incredibly simple that keeps my car from starting! Truly humbling.

Anyway, some electrical tape and a bottle cap later and its working fine... now I just need to track down that part or a sub.