Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Late V8 (1954+)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-03-2021, 06:36 PM   #1
Ford coupe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Napanee ontario Canada
Posts: 395
Default neutral switch

can one wire up a way for a 55 to start only in park as the neutral switch is a pain beccause i have to jiggle it around every time i go to start the car// must be a better way
Ford coupe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2021, 07:36 PM   #2
Gene F
Senior Member
 
Gene F's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,917
Default Re: neutral switch

The only way is to bypass it entirely. I have heard of using the 1958 switch on it, but also heard you have to modify it to get it to work.

Besides, they charge a bunch more for the 1958 / 1959 switch, like it's some hocus-pokus.
Gene F is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 08-03-2021, 07:38 PM   #3
dmsfrr
Senior Member
 
dmsfrr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Abq, NM
Posts: 3,598
Default Re: neutral switch

The switch may need adjustment to work better in neutral?
It was designed to start in neutral to avoid passing thru reverse after Every startup, helping cut down on wear of those internal parts.

A conveniently located push button switch could be added to the car as a temporary replacement for your troublesome original NSS.
.

Last edited by dmsfrr; 08-03-2021 at 10:17 PM.
dmsfrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2021, 08:22 PM   #4
KULTULZ
Senior Member
 
KULTULZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: IN A 'GALAXIE' FAR FAR AWAY
Posts: 6,416
Exclamation Re: neutral switch

It is named a NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH for a reason.
__________________
*****

- DISCLAIMER -

The above posted information is in my opinion only (IMO) and may contain copy and paste material(s).

In addition, any above tech information is supplied in good faith. No responsibility implied or otherwise can be accepted for the way others use or interpret provided data.

Your experience(s), opinion(s) and mileage may vary.

DIAGNOSED CDO - (OCD In Correct Alphabetical Order)
KULTULZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 12:08 AM   #5
Daves55Sedan
Senior Member
 
Daves55Sedan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Granite City, Illinois
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: neutral switch

You can bypass the neutral safety switch altogether by opening the hood and disconnecting the two red wires from the switch at the base of the steering column. Then connect the two red wires together. The switch is only an "enable" switch. By connecting the two red wires together, you complete the circuit.
I would not recommend using a '58/58 or later NSS for a '55 Ford-O-Matic. The early Ford-O-Matics were designed with the NSS in mind so that you wouldn't need to shift from park-to-reverse-to-neutral-to drive. It was too much wear on internal parts and linkage components. Beginning in 1956, Fomoco started to introduce many more safety features on their cars. You have a parking brake, right? I always leave mine in neutral when I park and pull the parking brake on a level surface. If the car is parked on a downhill road, turn the front wheels into the curb, and do the opposite on an uphill road. That way, if the parking brake cable snaps, the car can't roll away.
Daves55Sedan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 04:37 AM   #6
KULTULZ
Senior Member
 
KULTULZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: IN A 'GALAXIE' FAR FAR AWAY
Posts: 6,416
Default Re: neutral switch

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Ah yes, disable the NSS. Come out one morning and start the car, while it is in gear because you left it that way or the linkage is worn/out of adjustment and it runs into the garage on fast idle.

Makes perfect sense to me.

There is no added wear as the START IN PARK was an added safety feature. Probably too many filing insurance claims for damaged garages and soiled seat covers.
KULTULZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 09:45 AM   #7
KULTULZ
Senior Member
 
KULTULZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: IN A 'GALAXIE' FAR FAR AWAY
Posts: 6,416
Default Re: neutral switch

- FYI -

If one wants PARK START in a 1955/57, look for B8AZ 7A247-A (SW-781).

The NEUTRAL START is B7AZ 7A247-A for the 1955/57 FORD.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg NSS - B7AZ 7A247-A.jpg (25.2 KB, 7 views)
File Type: jpg NSS - B8AZ 7A247-A (SW-781) _2.jpg (18.7 KB, 9 views)
__________________
*****

- DISCLAIMER -

The above posted information is in my opinion only (IMO) and may contain copy and paste material(s).

In addition, any above tech information is supplied in good faith. No responsibility implied or otherwise can be accepted for the way others use or interpret provided data.

Your experience(s), opinion(s) and mileage may vary.

DIAGNOSED CDO - (OCD In Correct Alphabetical Order)
KULTULZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 01:18 PM   #8
dmsfrr
Senior Member
 
dmsfrr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Abq, NM
Posts: 3,598
Default Re: neutral switch

Didn't the start-in-Park NSS come out about a year after Ford upgraded the Fordomatics from air-cooled to fluid cooled in mid '56? At the same time beefed them up for the stronger 312 engines. That might explain some of their reasoning behind the different style switches.
dmsfrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 06:47 PM   #9
Daves55Sedan
Senior Member
 
Daves55Sedan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Granite City, Illinois
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: neutral switch

Quote:
Originally Posted by KULTULZ View Post
Ah yes, disable the NSS.
By no means am I a big fan of bypassing any factory safety feature. But if you are in a store parking lot, 5 miles from home and you got nothing, you can pop the hood, unplug the two red wires from the switch and plug them together, and voila, you are on your way.
Daves55Sedan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 06:50 PM   #10
Daves55Sedan
Senior Member
 
Daves55Sedan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Granite City, Illinois
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: neutral switch

Quote:
Originally Posted by dmsfrr View Post
Didn't the start-in-Park NSS come out about a year after Ford upgraded the Fordomatics from air-cooled to fluid cooled in mid '56? At the same time beefed them up for the stronger 312 engines. That might explain some of their reasoning behind the different style switches.
I took one out of a '58 Fairlane 500 that was in a junkyard years ago and put it in my '55. It enabled start in either park or neutral.
Daves55Sedan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 07:07 PM   #11
KULTULZ
Senior Member
 
KULTULZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: IN A 'GALAXIE' FAR FAR AWAY
Posts: 6,416
Post Re: neutral switch

Quote:
Originally Posted by dmsfrr View Post

Didn't the start-in-Park NSS come out about a year after Ford upgraded the Fordomatics from air-cooled to fluid cooled in mid '56? At the same time beefed them up for the stronger 312 engines. That might explain some of their reasoning behind the different style switches.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan View Post

I took one out of a '58 Fairlane 500 that was in a junkyard years ago and put it in my '55. It enabled start in either park or neutral.
1958.

It was an OPERATOR CONVENIENCE I would think. FORD was still using the F/M in addition to the C/M for 1958. If the linkage was worn and/or out of adjustment it might start in gear with the older design.

... sheesh ...

Well, actually with either switch design. The switch has to be adjusted properly and all linkages operation correctly.

... wake-up son ...
__________________
*****

- DISCLAIMER -

The above posted information is in my opinion only (IMO) and may contain copy and paste material(s).

In addition, any above tech information is supplied in good faith. No responsibility implied or otherwise can be accepted for the way others use or interpret provided data.

Your experience(s), opinion(s) and mileage may vary.

DIAGNOSED CDO - (OCD In Correct Alphabetical Order)

Last edited by KULTULZ; 08-06-2021 at 07:11 PM. Reason: DUMB A$$
KULTULZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 08:55 PM   #12
paul2748
Senior Member
 
paul2748's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Midland Park, NJ
Posts: 3,965
Default Re: neutral switch

Don't disable the neutral safety switch. It's there for a reason. Lots of people have smashed their cars into their garage wall doing that. Never mind those who ran over other people or ran into other cars. Bad advice to do this.

As far as parking in neutral, why? That is what park is for. Wear and tear on a car that is not used everyday? Ford had to design it so park was used all the time.

Lots of people went to the 58 switch. Should be no problem


if the switch is not working correctly, adjust or replace it.



.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan View Post
You can bypass the neutral safety switch altogether by opening the hood and disconnecting the two red wires from the switch at the base of the steering column. Then connect the two red wires together. The switch is only an "enable" switch. By connecting the two red wires together, you complete the circuit.
I would not recommend using a '58/58 or later NSS for a '55 Ford-O-Matic. The early Ford-O-Matics were designed with the NSS in mind so that you wouldn't need to shift from park-to-reverse-to-neutral-to drive. It was too much wear on internal parts and linkage components. Beginning in 1956, Fomoco started to introduce many more safety features on their cars. You have a parking brake, right? I always leave mine in neutral when I park and pull the parking brake on a level surface. If the car is parked on a downhill road, turn the front wheels into the curb, and do the opposite on an uphill road. That way, if the parking brake cable snaps, the car can't roll away.
__________________
48 Ford Conv
56 Tbird
54 Ford Victoria
paul2748 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2021, 09:06 PM   #13
paul2748
Senior Member
 
paul2748's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Midland Park, NJ
Posts: 3,965
Default Re: neutral switch

Was this used with a FORDO? But abov
e you say don't use it


Quote:
Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan View Post
I took one out of a '58 Fairlane 500 that was in a junkyard years ago and put it in my '55. It enabled start in either park or neutral.
__________________
48 Ford Conv
56 Tbird
54 Ford Victoria
paul2748 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2021, 07:13 PM   #14
KULTULZ
Senior Member
 
KULTULZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: IN A 'GALAXIE' FAR FAR AWAY
Posts: 6,416
Post Re: neutral switch

If you have car that won't start say because of an IGN SW, NSS or other reason, you jump the starter solenoid. Just make sure the car is in PARK/NEUTRAL.
__________________
*****

- DISCLAIMER -

The above posted information is in my opinion only (IMO) and may contain copy and paste material(s).

In addition, any above tech information is supplied in good faith. No responsibility implied or otherwise can be accepted for the way others use or interpret provided data.

Your experience(s), opinion(s) and mileage may vary.

DIAGNOSED CDO - (OCD In Correct Alphabetical Order)
KULTULZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2021, 03:22 PM   #15
Crestliner2
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 18
Default Re: neutral switch

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan View Post
By no means am I a big fan of bypassing any factory safety feature. But if you are in a store parking lot, 5 miles from home and you got nothing, you can pop the hood, unplug the two red wires from the switch and plug them together, and voila, you are on your way.
so would you know if this would apply to a 1952 Crestline Vicky? My pin broke off the gear selection shaft and now it won't engage the NSS thanks
Crestliner2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2021, 07:40 PM   #16
Daves55Sedan
Senior Member
 
Daves55Sedan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Granite City, Illinois
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: neutral switch

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crestliner2 View Post
so would you know if this would apply to a 1952 Crestline Vicky? My pin broke off the gear selection shaft and now it won't engage the NSS thanks
The pre-1955 NSS's had ring-tongue terminals at the NSS start "enable" terminals. Trace those two wires up to the main wiring loom and locate the "bullet" connectors on those two red wires. Pull the wiring at both bullet connectors off and connect the two wires coming from the dashboard together with one of the rubber coated connectors. This completes the circuit.
BUT if you do this, the car will start in ANY gear. So make sure your gear select lever is in neutral before starting.
Repair or replace that lever that has the actuating pin at the base of the steering column, then reconnect your NSS wiring as it was originally and you are back in business.
Bypassing the NSS should only be done as an emergency fix to get you back home from the boondocks.
Daves55Sedan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2021, 08:14 PM   #17
5851a
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: NE Iowa
Posts: 1,661
Default Re: neutral switch

Disabling the p/n switch isn't that different than manual transmission. Need to think about what you are doing. Drove many a mile before you had to step on clutch to get it to crank. Only loss is no reverse lamps. It's never referred to as an emergency brake, It's called a parking brake. If you have to "jiggle" it may be time to check adjustments or selector. Consider it an anti theft device. Anyway the 58 switch does work in P and N, just let idle come to normal before pulling it into D.
5851a is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2021, 06:32 PM   #18
Daves55Sedan
Senior Member
 
Daves55Sedan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Granite City, Illinois
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: neutral switch

There are two main spots that can cause slack in the position of the gear select lever. Most common is the rubber bushing through the actuating lever of the gear select shaft at the base of the steering column. That rubber bushing also has a nylon insert inside it, but it rarely goes bad, however the rubber gets real soft and sloppy with age, likely being broken down by oil fumes thrown off by the crankcase vent tube.
The second most common trouble point is the gear select link that goes down to the trans. If you take out the cotter pin at the link where it connects to the hole in the lever at the trans and pull that rod out, you may see a vast amount of wear in the shaft, causing a lot of slop.
Either one of these can cause the gearshift lever to droop and miss the contact closure in the NSS.
BTW, if your NSS is a repro from china, it is no good right out of the box. They are made with substandard materials and lousy manufacturing methods. A new repro will only last a year at most before contacts burn out or literally fall off the contact arms.
Daves55Sedan is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:48 AM.