8 replies to this topic

[Andrew Stowell]

So my problems started when the rubber stop on the clutch broke, which caused the clutch pedal to have a bunch of free play when you let off it. I tried to adjust out as much of the play as I could without the stop.

 

Then I started to have weird problems. The car won't start sometimes, I think because the clutch switch isn't engaging all the way. Everything is fine, the car just doesn't crank. If I push harder on the clutch sometimes it will start.

 

The other thing is that the parking brake light on the dash won't light up when the parking brake is on, but it will flicker and light up when the clutch is fully depressed. I'm not 100% sure it used to light up with the parking brake on, because that's something so normal I wouldn't notice.

 

Anyway, I got a new rubber stop and with that installed the clutch seems to be adjusted correctly and the car starts. I took apart the parking brake lever trying to figure out if a bad ground or something on that switch might be making the dash light act weird.

 

The attached picture is what the bottom of the parking brake lever looks like. There seems to be at least part of a switch, but no wires whatsoever. I have no idea what it is suppose to look like or where the wires would be.

 

I'm not sure what else to look at for the parking brake light coming on. I confirmed that it only comes on when the car is running and the clutch is all the way in and it is flickering. The parking brake lever doesn't matter. Also, even though the car starts in my garage, I'm still worried it won't start this weekend when I need it to.

Attached Files

•  parking brake.jpg   50.1KB   1 downloads

[Johnny D]

You can bypass the clutch interlock so you don't have to push the clutch in to get it to start.

http://blog.miatarac...tch-switch.html

 

I can't help you on the parking brake, I don't have one, don't want one, and took mine out as soon as I got mine.

But good luck with that, the parking light sounds pretty serious.

J~

[mvzante]

What do you need a parking brake light for?

[Yosh]

You can bypass the clutch interlock so you don't have to push the clutch in to get it to start.

http://blog.miatarac...tch-switch.html

 

I can't help you on the parking brake, I don't have one, don't want one, and took mine out as soon as I got mine.

But good luck with that, the parking light sounds pretty serious.

J~

 

FYI,  the switch he references is the wrong one.  The switch he labels "clutch switch aka starter interlock" is actually the switch that tells the ecu you've depressed the clutch, and is not the actual interlock switch.  The interlock switch is further down and has two nuts holding to a bracket and is made mostly of plastic.

 

That said, the plug he references is the correct one and using a spade-spade pigtail will defeat the clutch switch.

[Andrew Stowell]

What do you need a parking brake light for?

I don't, but I would like to figure out what sort of electrical short is making it come on with the clutch. I wouldn't mind fixing it entirely if it isn't too hard.

 

The bigger problem is having the car start consistently. Maybe just bypassing the clutch interlock switch is the best solution for that. Of course, if there is a short and I bypass the switch, I might be constantly draining the battery through the short, which wouldn't be good.

[Johnny D]

I don't, but I would like to figure out what sort of electrical short is making it come on with the clutch. I wouldn't mind fixing it entirely if it isn't too hard.

 

The bigger problem is having the car start consistently. Maybe just bypassing the clutch interlock switch is the best solution for that. Of course, if there is a short and I bypass the switch, I might be constantly draining the battery through the short, which wouldn't be good.

 

If you do the interlock bypass, make sure it's out of gear when starting.

J~

[Killian]

http://www.flyinmiat...number=08-80000

I bought this one several years ago. As already stated, make sure the car is out of gear. The good thing is that even if you forget, the Miata cranks slowly and takes a second to start.

[Andrew Stowell]

Well, last weekend I went to a hillclimb and found out the car still has a starting problem. It started fine in the garage about 10 times, started fine getting it on and off the trailer, but once the car was warmed up sitting in grid, it wouldn't restart. No click, doesn't spin the motor, just hear the fuel pump running. I bypassed the clutch switch as suggested, still won't start. The parking brake light is on whenever the car is now, flickering. So I know the clutch switch is bypassed (and wires are still crossed somewhere).

 

I'm guessing the starter motor or solenoid is bad, since it only fails to start with the car warm. I'm going to replace both and hope that fixes it. I don't really have a way to test it till I take the car out on track again and get it hot.

[RazerX]

I had a 90 and it did this much of time.  Sometines i had to turn key 9 or 10 times, with no sound being made and then it would magically start.  I went to winter rebuild routine and that dramatically minimized the issue for my car.

 

BTW can you do an interlock defeat on a 99 NB.  I have disconnected the plug from the (plunger) switch connected to the clutch.  I have tried 'jumping it' and leaving open.   neither works.