Guys, Have a 69 442 4 speed with gauges. In the process of rewiring dash (M&H harness)and noticed that i have a clutch safety switch that from my research tells me requires a separate pig tail - that i haven't purchased yet. Also the wiring harness has the purple 12 gauge wiring jumped as a loop.

three questions:
- Do i need the pig tail?
- How does the pig tail connect?
- what is the purpose of the looped purple wire?

See pics -- i've marked every wire and have the factory service manual but seem to have some unclear info on this part. ( probably will have a couple additional questions as well....so would appreciate hearing from someone that has completed this job on a 68-69 as it is a real pita!

Thanks,
John

 

Well, John, I really can't answer your questions, and wiring is NOT my forte!

But I can offer this; is it possible that the wiring loop is where somebody already disabled the clutch safety switch by bypassing it?? I really cannot remember anything about the wiring under there, as it was so long ago.....and I have CRS.....lol!

Many years ago, I had two 1970 442's, both with 4spd., and on one long three day weekend, my clutch pedal linkage broke off, and I had no way to start and drive the car; I bypassed the switch with a paper clip, so I could activate the starter.....and drove the entire weekend without a clutch, shifting easily by matching rpm's.....since that time, I never used a clutch safety switch, and found it to be another useless mandated safety option that was unnecessary......just turn the key, and start the car in neutral, or with clutch depressed.

 

On all my MT cars, the plug with two purple wires you show simply plugs into the clutch safety switch. There's enough length to reach without an additional pigtail. This is the same plug that would plug into the NSS on an automatic car. And yes, someone has installed a jumper across the plug in the photo.

 

If you want to use that feature, you can either buy or make the pigtail which basically converts your harness shaped - - plug to the switch's || orientation... or

remove the purple wires from the - - plug in the harness

find the proper || plug at say NAPA, or just use individual plastic housings that hold 1 wire each

Put your harness purple wires in the new plug[s]

Plug that onto the switch

Basically, for the starter S terminal to get volts, you need to connect the purples either with a jumper or with the Clutch Safety Switch.

 

The way the purple wire is looped is how it came from M&H. I noticed on the M& H site that you can purchase the jumper separately -- thats why i don't think i have the plug.

My original harness didn't have any jumper -- i must of been disconnected previously.

I will take another look at it-- but was also thinking that its possible that the switch doesn't even work which is why it was missing from my original harness...

Do i even need this thing?

 

Are you sure there is a neutral safety switch in 69? I don't think there was one in 68...... My harness had a jumper between the purple wires. The reverse lights are via the switch on the tranny, no neutral safety switch there. The 68 assembly manual shows NOTHING for a neutral safety switch for a manual tranny application. I know 69 was the first year for the reverse lock out. I'd look it up in the 69 Assembly Manual but I can no longer get free access to WAC's

 

I think 69 was first year. Look at the first picture i posted it shows the switch on the clutch

 

I think this is the part i dont have
https://www.opgi.com/cutlass/13490/

 

Is it important to you to have a clutch safety switch?

I and most people I knew used to disable those right away (if someone else hadn't already), because we found them annoying, along with key and seatbelt buzzers).

- Eric

 

Its not-- when i started this tread i was thinking i needed it to start the car. now i'm planning to skip it. Thanks!

 

It's a safety feature
You may opt to do with or without it as your needs dictate.

Remember that the carmakers have to sell to the general public, and some of them are not too bright, so they have to be protected from doing stupid stuff like starting the engine with the car in gear.

It's generally considered a good idea, and pretty much mandatory for Auto Trans cars.

How is the $20 harness better than just moving your existing wire ends into two individual single wire plastic housings available from used harnesses or NAPA and plugging that into your switch?
Besides the obvious benefit of lightening your wallet? The ONLY reason the mini harness is required is the configuration of your main harness differs from that of the switch. That was great when assembling the cars, to keep line workers from plugging the wrong thing into the other wrong thing. For those of us with an understanding of how the switch works and why it is there.... not necessary.

 

Thanks Guys-- this has ben helpful. For now im going to try and plug in the rest of the harness and test everything before bolting the dash in. Afterwards it would be fairly simple to connect the clutch switch but i don't think i will.

I have a couple other wires that my give me some trouble-- will post up any questions as i get them.

best, John