Neutral Safety Switch

Oldscarnut · Oct 21, 2024

For those of you who have moved your automatic shifter from the column to the floor, how do I wire the neutral safety switch? I have twice now had the ground wire on the firewall melt in two. I have no safety switch in the floor shift set-up so I rigged the rotating collar to always be in park and that seemed to work fine for weeks, miles and dozens of starts and stops. Should I just wire the switch open or what? Secondly and maybe related, My battery continues to die after days of sitting. Will the safety switch allow a draw even if the key is off? I am 12V Challenged!

Chuck

melloelky · Oct 22, 2024

its up to you,I think a lot of us opt to wire up the neutral switch when switching to a floor from the column shift due to regulations at our local dragstrip.if you're not looking to abide by a regulation of sorts like that because you're not participating then you don't have to do it unless you want to.you need to intersect the "s" wire (should be purple)at the starter solenoid for your new shifter start switch.

383_StealthRam · Oct 22, 2024

Did you remove the linkage from the (column shifted) steering column that goes down to the transmission control lever? The factory console shifter cars simply had a cable from the floor shifter to that same lever (on trans), and the linkage up to the steering column worked the "neutral safety" aka NSS switch at the base of the column.

I put NSS in quotes because it's really not that, but just reverse light, gear select switch (for CCC cars). The neutral safety is a mechanical function of the steering column that inhibits the turning of the key and ignition switch unless the shifter is in park or neutral.

If you don't have any of that column to trans linkage intact, you may just want to put the NSS directly on the console shifter, or on the trans itself. If it's an aftermarket Hurst, B&M, etc. shifter they should sell a NSS add on kit if it didn't come with it.

Oldscarnut · Oct 22, 2024

I did remove the manual linkage and replaced with a cable on the floor. I did not touch the switch in the column yet. The collar turned freely so I put it in the Park position and duct taped it to be immobile for now. The shifter I have is from an S-10 one for an OD so below Drive it has 3 more clicks. I haven't solved that yet so that the cable moves it to Park, so it starts in Reverse which is (P) on the shifter, Reverse is (N) and Neutral is (D) etc. There must be a way to adjust it but first I need to stop it melting ground straps. 🙂 I will get a battery DC switch for now. and try to intersect the purple wire with one off the switch of the floor shifter. This is not as much fun as it sounds for me,. It may be the end of my project.

Oldscarnut · Oct 22, 2024

melloelky said:
its up to you,I think a lot of us opt to wire up the neutral switch when switching to a floor from the column shift due to regulations at our local dragstrip.if you're not looking to abide by a regulation of sorts like that because you're not participating then you don't have to do it unless you want to.you need to intersect the "s" wire (should be purple)at the starter solenoid for your new shifter start switch.

Thank you! I thought it was too easy. I will got the quick route for now and find a mechanical switch to mount on the transmission. The best part is with my higher stall, until I goose the throttle it just sits there quietly when in P and reminds me gently that it is really in reverse

melloelky · Oct 22, 2024

Oldscarnut said:
For those of you who have moved your automatic shifter from the column to the floor, how do I wire the neutral safety switch? I have twice now had the ground wire on the firewall melt in two. I have no safety switch in the floor shift set-up so I rigged the rotating collar to always be in park and that seemed to work fine for weeks, miles and dozens of starts and stops. Should I just wire the switch open or what? Secondly and maybe related, My battery continues to die after days of sitting. Will the safety switch allow a draw even if the key is off? I am 12V Challenged!

Chuck

that is trigger by the key so In the off position it wouldn't be seeing current.

Rt Jam · Oct 23, 2024

Oldscarnut said:
Thank you! I thought it was too easy. I will got the quick route for now and find a mechanical switch to mount on the transmission. The best part is with my higher stall, until I goose the throttle it just sits there quietly when in P and reminds me gently that it is really in reverse

This tells me you need a safety switch. Steath ram describes it well. The OEM column, its not actually a switch.

If you do not feel like incorporating the linkage to move the column to mechanically prevent Start position.

Most after market shifters have switches that will turn on reverse lights and allow cranking in Park and Neutral.

64nailhead · Oct 24, 2024

Wire it into the the purple wire as melloelky described. It’s worth not running anyone or anything over when you start the car. If your shifter doesn’t have a switch built into, then make a mounting bracket for a momentary switch.

It’s not worth not having one - trust me.

melloelky · Oct 24, 2024

64nailhead said:
Wire it into the the purple wire as melloelky described. It’s worth not running anyone or anything over when you start the car. If your shifter doesn’t have a switch built into, then make a mounting bracket for a momentary switch.

It’s not worth not having one - trust me.

see,it's not all looks you know. once in a while I come up with useful information

Longroof79 · Oct 24, 2024

I think most aftermarket shifters come with a micro switch setup for neutral safety and reverse light functions.
My old Hurst shifter was setup that way using the purple wire from the column with the microswitch mounted inline.
I also locked the column cuff in the park position using a small piece of angle metal mounted to the firewall.
My setup worked fine until I ditched the aftermarket shifter for an OEM unit using the original linkage and collar setup.

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