Manual trans cars that can be started without the clutch pedal pushed in

[himemsys]

We recently picked up a non-running fixer upper. It's an '85 Sentra with a 5 speed manual. The engine cranks without the clutch pedal pushed in. I tested the clutch switch above the pedal with a multimeter and it works normally. I bought an 85 Sentra owners manual from ebay and according to the manual, this is normal:

With a manual transaxle, it is a good practice to depress the clutch pedal to reduce drag from the transaxle gears, while starting.

and

With manual transaxle model, do not attempt to start the engine in any gear position except "Neutral". If any gear is engaged without depressing the clutch, the vehicle will lurch forward or backward.

So if this is normal behavior, what is the purpose of the clutch switch? Obviously, I'm wrong in my assumption that it prevents the engine from starting if the pedal is not pushed in.

 

[Greasymechtech]

The clutch eye dee ten tee switch on newer vehicles is the 'dumbing down' of everything to the majority

Gas gauge malfunctioned, was at red light and out of gas, limped out of the intersection and into the gas station on Diehard power alone.
Can't do that anymore. Manual transmissions are now for the minority.

 

[vwmaniaman]

It is there to stop the motor from over reving when cruise is on and you push in the clutch. It disengages the cruise control. My 87 VW Cabriolet has the same thing.

 

[Fabulous50s]

The clutch switch you tested may be just to disengage cruise control.

Personally I like to not push in the clutch when cold starting. The throw-out bearing pushing on the pressure plate fingers puts a significant amount of load forward on the crankshaft. That is all on the thrust bearing which doesn't have any oil to it without the engine running.

 

[himemsys]

It is there to stop the motor from over reving when cruise is on and you push in the clutch. It disengages the cruise control. My 87 VW Cabriolet has the same thing.

That makes sense, but I don't think this car has cruise control. I will double-check.

 

[BobsArmory]

I had a early 80's Jeep wrangler that you could start the engine while in gear. Great for climbing over rocks in low 1st gear. Don't know where your tire was half way over a rock? Just turn off the engine get out and take a look then get back in and crank the engine without touching the clutch to continue crawling over the rock. In the late 80's I had a Toyota 4x4 pickup that I think you could do the same thing,

 

[brages]

Oddly, on my old Ranger (1997), you can't start it without depressing the clutch, but clutching DOES NOT kill the cruise control!

 

[Pablo]

My 2019 MT Tacoma has a switch, just to the left of the steering column, on the dash. Pretty cool actually. Normal is clutch pedal must be depressed. Flip the switch and will start in gear, engaged.

 

[himemsys]

Well, I can't find any mention of cruise control in the owner's manual.

 

[Chris142]

That switch is the first thing I defeat when I buy a car. My jeep has a fuse I can add just for this purpose. I simply twisted the wires together on my f250.

 

[eljefino]

Is the switch at the top of the pedal's travel or the bottom?

Switch up top, like a brake light switch, is there for the cruise control. Could also be a crude feedback to the ECM that idle speed control is now desired.

Switch on the carpet is for starter lockout.

Think about it-- one you want to start working as soon as possible, the other you want to ensure things are completely locked out.

I rewired my saturn for the reasons fabulous50s mentioned.

 

[atikovi]

That makes sense, but I don't think this car has cruise control. I will double-check.

They probably put than in on all cars at the factory. Easier than hand picking the ones that don't get it.

 

[atikovi]

The clutch switch you tested may be just to disengage cruise control.

Personally I like to not push in the clutch when cold starting. The throw-out bearing pushing on the pressure plate fingers puts a significant amount of load forward on the crankshaft. That is all on the thrust bearing which doesn't have any oil to it without the engine running.

Unless the engine has been sitting for years, it has oil on it from the last time it ran. That's not going wear off in a few seconds of cranking.

 

[supton]

That switch is the first thing I defeat when I buy a car. My jeep has a fuse I can add just for this purpose. I simply twisted the wires together on my f250.

I recall doing that on my first and/or second cars too, back as a teenager and “knew it all” (neither were vehicles I was going to rockcrawl with or be in a position where this was actually of use).

I “fixed” the seatbelt chime in my current car in a similar manner.

 

[atikovi]

That switch is the first thing I defeat when I buy a car.

So when the car is in for inspection or maybe a recall and the 18 year old lot driver drives it into a wall, who gets the blame? Not to mention not being able to use remote start that so many here couldn't live without.

 

[supton]

So when the car is in for inspection or maybe a recall and the 18 year old lot driver drives it into a wall, who gets the blame? Not to mention not being able to use remote start that so many here couldn't live without.

Wild guess but those of us defeating clutch interlock seem to be in a different Venn circle than those insisting they need remote start.

It kinda bugs me but I accept it for what it is: my kids were taught in driver’s ed to press on the brake to start. To me, it’s like, it’s in park it ain’t going nowhere but even I recognize the value in having these numbskulls just do this. Assuming everyone else is being trained that… is there really an issue with the 18yr old driver here?

Oddly enough, I found myself going to clutch my car to start it the other day. Must be early dementia, I haven’t had a manual trans car in over a year, and I didn’t drive it that much… weird moment for me.

 

[Chris142]

So when the car is in for inspection or maybe a recall and the 18 year old lot driver drives it into a wall, who gets the blame? Not to mention not being able to use remote start that so many here couldn't live without.

We don't have any off that. Especially remote start lol. I always park with the trans in neutral and the parking brake set. Ain't no way to drive through my parking brake.

Do 20+ year old cars even get recalls? As I said the jeep has a place to put a fuse to defeat the clutch start thing. It's in the owners manual.

Remote start with $5 gas? No thanks. How would you add a remote start to an 87 ford that requires glow plugs to start?

 

[repairman54]

Personally I like to not push in the clutch when cold starting. The throw-out bearing pushing on the pressure plate fingers puts a significant amount of load forward on the crankshaft. That is all on the thrust bearing which doesn't have any oil to it without the engine running.

Glue like oil in the trans puts a big load on the starter and battery in low temps, I push the clutch in to reduce those loads in any temperature.
Thrust loads on the crank are minor from clutch application on its already oiled surfaces when using BITOG approved oils.

 

[CharlieJ]

My 1984 Rx-7 can be started without the clutch pedal pushed in, however, pressing the clutch does disengage cruise control when you are using it.

 

[andyd]

The Rat my '94 Ranger got the PITA clutch switch jumped when I replaced everything from the rear main seal to the pedal arm. I learned to drive on a manual trans. Pushing in the clutch was imprinted on my brain. I have started it in 2nd gear with the clutch out just to see what would happen.