I'm old enough to remember when trucks (or cars) didn't have safety interlock switches. I remember back in the early 1970s, a little girl (9 or 10 years old) was playing in daddy's truck, turned the key, and it started up in gear. She ran over her little sister. It crushed her head.

I have had trucks that had the clutch interlock switch jumped. I know how it is done. I would never recommend it of tell anybody how to do it. Most folks would do fine with-out it.....some don't.

BTW, I have always replaced the switch on my trucks that had the switch jumped. It is fine when you need to get home, but it is cheap insurance. And these switches are cheap...I think the last one I bought was $14 at O'Reiley's.

You really have allot of nerve. Coming on here (or any Forum) as a first time poster with an attitude like that is not a good idea. Personally, I don't care much for anything you had to say. I don't think anybody will care what you have to say. Your post makes you look like a fool.

I'll be the second to NOT welcome you to the forum. I hope nobody notices we live in the same state.

The only GOOD reason to bypass that switch is to get you home.

 

Thanks for the warm welcome! I love making new friends!

I guess you're all right, I don't work hard enough, though. All I did in the last few days was move a couple grain bins on my farm... so I must be a lazy piece. I do know how to clean my boots before I get in a 6000 pound vehicle with a 7.5 liter engine. The clutch interlock won't save you from a pedal slipping off once the engine is fired up!

Here's a make-believe story for you all: fireman needs to get in the truck and move it, but my intelock switch and grommet have failed multiple times because.. frame is slightly bent or who knows what... so he goes to start it and... it doesn't start. Truck won't move and now a school full of children burns down to the ground. See, in my hypothetical more children die, I must be right.

I use my truck on my farm, believe me I know how to work on it and what the systems are. I'm sorry I offended your little truck forum, and I'm sorry that I have at times worn a tie. I'm also sorry that so many of you think you're right, again, when you don't know who I am or why I jumpered my truck interlock switch after wrestling with it off and on for 3 years. I even fabricated a new grommet out of metal to make sure that it wouldn't have trouble, and even that eventually failed.

I'm SHOCKED that so few other members here have had the same trouble with their interlock switch that I have. I was pretty sure that Ford's engineering had failed again and again, but obviously there's more to it. Perhaps my chassis is warped or something (it's a rebuilt title, who knows what keeps failing for sure)

I grew up driving tractors and an old Model A, and I assure you, you have no business telling me what to do with my clutch interlock switch. When that girl ran over her sister... it was not the fault of a missing safety switch. It was an irresponsible parent that left children unsupervised and a vehicle with the key still in. WTF indeed.

 

Not a good idea? Can you read the address bar? It says "how-to-bypass-the-clutch-interlock-safety-switch". How is the answer "don't"!?

Maybe if it's such a bad idea to post, you should call the police on me. Oh no, please don't let the truck forum come after me. Oooh.

 

This is a puzzler worthy of Click and Clack, I think. I've been thinking about it since I read it yesterday and I thought I'd share my thoughts.

I've got a 1997 F350 with a V8 460, yes this truck belongs in the '87-'96 forum, it was still the old body style for the 350s through '97. My fuel injection system seems to have a mind of it's own sometimes. When my foot is on the gas pedal, the engine seems to listen to me... but when I'm off the gas pedal, there are all kinds of quirks that I attribute to the computer. Except for my truck and a 93 twin turbo RX7, most of my vehicles are deisels so I've become accustomed to a nice stable idle unless I'm in my truck.

For instance, when I take my foot off the gas pedal at speed, the truck will barely slow at all for 2-4 seconds, then later decides to cut most of the fuel and I suddenly get more effective engine braking. I call it character.

Depending on the use and age of the parts in your truck, I would guess that this switch isn't effecting your idle, but I have been wrong before. (just look at the flames I got on this thread already for being 'wrong'!) I would look for other answers like:

Is it possible this change in idle coincides with the air conditioner cycling on or off? Is it possible that the clutch is wearing out or the pedal position is actually beginning to disengage? With the clutch fully depressed and the truck in neutral, does the engine idle 100% smoothly, or will it occasionally rise and fall? What about when you leave it in neutral and leave the clutch all the way out... do you hear any sounds you don't hear with the clutch in? There could be a throw-out bearing (or equivalent type of clutch or tranny bearing) that creates a subtle resistance. Perhaps when the pedal is all the way out, it is too far out... and it creates resistance that dissapears when you begin to push your pedal down. At idle the amount of fuel going into the engine is very small, and the computer might overadjust thinking that the engine is being properly loaded when really it just got a few pounds of extra gears and bearings to fight against. Perhaps this belongs in a thread by itself.... (not to mention this thread should be re-labled "how to get flamed for wanting to jumper your clutch interlock).

FYI everyone, I found that jumper to bypass my clutch interlock in the first Ford Explorer in the junk yard. I wonder how many other Ford vehicles have this same jumper. I suggest you *temporarily* disable your clutch interlock with one of these $1 junkyard jumpers. It would rule out the switch being connected to the computer. Easy and cheap!

My final guess is that the engine, when running properly, will still have rpms rise and fall slightly, and that there is most likely a spectacular coincidence between your foot resting on the clutch and the engine idle change. Most gasser F-series I've been in exibit these tendancies. If your clutch pedal is anywhere near as heavy as mine, you would have to be an enormous man for a resting leg to accidentally disengage the clutch!

 

hard to believe posters are fighting about this.

 

Sorry I didn't read it all but I believe it was mentioned in here some where.You can fix it or they do make a bypass switch for it that if you unplug your plugin there is a little plastic peace that you can get that plugs into that plugin,and its made to bypass the safety if its not working properly.I have mine in.

 

Is there any way to delete this thread and start over again? I'm worried that between my comments and Big 6 and that other guy, that new people to this forum will really be turned off by this bickering. (I know I am!!!) My problem was not that their answers were uninformed or wrong, but that they were off-topic. The topic was "how-to", and so many of the answers are long stories with the message "don't". Well, grammatically, "don't" is the answer to the question "should I jumper my switch", which was never asked. It should be a separate thread on the philosophy behind the interlock switch... a topic I was trying to avoid since I couldn't care less what posters want me to do to my truck. I'm not modifying their truck, so I don't understand why they feel that have any say in what I'm doing here.

 

Ok sorry.Please dont take no offense to this reply.Should you idk its up to you.Dose it hurt it ? No.I have had my over ride peace in for years now.As far as people answering you,you will find that people will give there opinion and many answers to your questions.

 

Oops! I'm sorry Crash1, I wasn't at all offended by you! I am as surprised to be part of the arguments, and embarrassed that I was unable to avoid responding to some of the people who said specifically that they wanted to be the first to "NOT welcome" me to the forum. I only agree with you, friend.

 

Oh ok sorry lol

 

Yeah, well, you know, Quicklook--some people get a little concerned about matters of public safety.

Of course, others may miss the rather "nuanced" nature of this debate--1966Tbird being a prime example of this. Overriding a safety device like a clutch interlock is NOT the same as someone ripping off EFI and pollution equipment and poisoning the air for everyone, as the increased pollution won't outright KILL anyone, at least not immediately. To attempt to equate overriding a clutch interlock with switching from EFI to a carb (as 1966Tbird did) is to attempt to create a FALSE EQUIVALENCY between "apples and oranges" but, again, that is "too nuanced" for some.

From someone as perceptive as you, however, Quicklook2, I must say I did expect better....

What, exactly, is "hard to believe" about someone getting excited about a non-interlock-equipped truck CRUSHING a little girl's head, as is described, below?

Seems pretty clear to me--you override your clutch interlock, you render your vehicle MORE HAZARDOUS to those around you.

What, specifically, is so inaccessible about that concept? (See red text, below).

Big Six

 

drmikegallant,

I see shame is another personality trait you find in short supply?

C'mon, Dude--you jumped in, in your VERY FIRST POST, chastising and insulting those that were trying to help you--the very people YOU ASKED to help you.

You did that--we all saw it--apparently, that's really who you ARE.

Fine-that was your decision.

But don't start whining about your (LAME) decision, after the fact--it's EMBARRASSING!

And now you're allegedly worried about what "new people" coming to this forum will think and you've been here, what, not even twenty-four hours, yourself?

Pah-lease....

As was explained to you by another, "new people" to a forum don't act like you chose to. Period.

You showed us who you were--now deal with it--we have to....

No offense, but are you really this dense?

What you do to YOUR TRUCK can affect OTHERS, like if your truck walks over some pedestrian, because you defeated a SAFETY DEVICE, like a clutch interlock switch.

It's really quite simple. So, saying you "don't understand" it does not confuse any of us. Nice try with the "innocent act," though.

And another thing:

Perhaps people "...feel that they have any say in what [you're] doing here" BECAUSE YOU ASKED THEM FOR THEIR HELP. And because what you're doing AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF INNOCENT THIRD PARTIES.

Again, I cannot believe you cannot grasp this simple concept. If you're smart enough to move your own grain bins, you can master this stuff.

And if you really cannot understand this "public safety concept," as you claim, then you are in need of more "specialized help" than can be found on this automotive forum--or on any automotive forum, for that matter.

Big Six

 

We are talking about the early seventies. Only the newer cars had lapbelts (and NOBODY used them), none had airbags, there were no clutch interlock switches. A kid could climb all over the car and a cop would not take a second glance. Accidents happened and until the Auto industry decided people didn't have to die needlessly we didn't know any better. Now we do.

Also, we had less spoiled little brats out stealing stuff, so you could leave your keys in the ignition, and your doors unlocked (a nasty habit I can not kick, and I have thousands of dollars of radio equipment in mine).

Back then, every one of us kids knew that if we got out of line we would get beat, and when we turned 18 it would be time to get a job. If you wanted a car when you turned 16 you'd better get a job before then. I had my first job washing dishes at a catering service after hours when I was 10. 3 paper routes when I was 12. NOBODY was gonna send your worthless hide off to college. If that was what you wanted then you did what you had to do to get there, good grades, sports or working your tail off would get you there.

I worked for a farmer here in Illinois when I was 16. Learned about throwing hay, pulling fence, and back then, we actually carried 5 gallon buckets to the hogs to feed them, no hog houses and automatic feeders that I know of back then. And farm-work was dangerous. Any misstep with the tractor or any other equipment would kill or maim you.

That was a different time. In today's times mommy and daddy buys you everything and nobody is learning anything. You can take risks with other people lives because "I want too". Nobody accepts responsibility for themselves.

That is just the way of the world. I am sure that folks who were raised in the 50's will say I had it easy, and I am sure I did.

I am also sure you will find something nasty to say when you reply to this, but that is the way it was.

 

i resent the rant here against me that has nothing to do with what i said.

i did not say who was right or wrong, just that i could not believe how this thread was going.

now i understand the situation a little more.

 

Big6. Do you propose that I put a clutch interlock switch on my dad's 1932 Model A? How about my '75 Mercedes Benz 240D with 498,028 miles on the original engine (has not run over any little girls while starting yet). Should I stay up nights worrying about nearly 30 farm vehicles without switches? How about my old motorcycles? Perhaps we should install more pedals in boats, so I don't accidentally run over baby fish?

I'm not sorry for my first post. I am not an inferior being because I have not posted on this forum as many times as you or others. I can't believe I posted asking for people to avoid this kind of dialogue, and it's exactly what I got. I don't know which one of your buttons I pushed, but if it really was something to do with the clutch interlock, then maybe you should listen to some of the people who are telling you to chill, because this is now full blown out of control ranting and raving you're exibiting. If I opened up some old wound where you personally lost your daughter when you started a vehicle in gear that was missing a jumpered clutch interlock switch, only then might I owe you a half-hearted apology.

Pease read this next bit carefully. You can't control other people, and you have no business trying to. You can persuade people, and that may come with the price of failure from time to time. If you were ever trying for persuasion, you lost the battle immediately with your aggressive rhetoric. I still own the truck, and now more than ever I believe that you have no business telling me what to do with it. I don't know you, I've never met you, I never addressed you specifically. You speak with such aggression that I can't imagine that any advice you're giving has come from your brain... it has come from your cold, black heart. Have you ever taken advice from someone who has made it clear that they hate you?

I didn't ask you WHAT to do, I asked a forum of people HOW to do. This is really a grammatical misinterpretation on your part, and it need not cause you alarm. I choose to refrain as much as possible from the CAPS and bold, italicized red text because it is an eyesore and it implies that you can't communicate without screaming- even when you are writing. Louder is not better, unless maybe it is your truck's exhaust. In the end, these posts are an eyesore. (not to mention my brain is hemmoraging just thinking about arguing over such a mundane topic) I've posted on countless forums for years, and never encountered such viciousness or contempt except when on forums filled with kids who really didn't understand that the Internet is full of real people. Do try to remember that we're real people here on the Internet. Do you speak to people this way in person? Has it worked before?

It's simple enough- if you disagree with my decision to jumper my switch, you can say so, no problem. It's off-topic, but at least it isn't harrassment. The personal attacks, and the "I want to be the first NOT to welcome you to the forums" is not appropriate here or anywhere, and I think maybe you should have learned that by the time you were old enough to tie your shoes.