I have a 1980 Toyota Corona liftback sedan, which every so often won't
start. I'm pretty sure it's something to do with the neutral position
safety switch.

Rather than buy a new switch, I wonder if there is a way to bypass the
switch, but not permanently. If I could wire in a toggle switch, on
those rare occasions when I can't get it to start I could flip the
switch, and then start it. I don't really want to bypass the switch
permanently, because of possible danger if I try to start it when in
Drive.

Where would I make the connections? Under the hood somewhere, or are
the terminals near the gear shift (floor-mounted)?

Thanks.

Doug

de345 (AT) coolgoose (DOT) com (doug) wrote in message news:<762d5a56.0310031556.15fed684 (AT) posting (DOT) google.com>...
the neutral safety switch is on the side of the transmission where the
shift shaft goes in, not on the shifter. I don't remember the color
code for the starting circuit wires, but a little work with a test
light or ohmeter will track down the appropriate wires.

I had a 1980 Celica with a similar problem.
As a quick fix it was possible to bypass the switch at the point where
the loom from the switch joined another part of the wiring harness under
the hood, there was a male and a female connector on the main loom,
presumably manual transmission cars would have been wired this way.

I later took the switch off the car, it's on the side of the
transmission, and cleaned out all the old dried up grease, which was
preventing the contacts closing, and re-lubricated and re-assembled it,
(it was held together with screws and sealed with an 'O' ring.).
No problems after that.
If you try this watch out for the tiny springs behind the moving
contacts.

Another cause of your problem could be the contacts inside the starter
motor, but these can be changed if necessary without replacing the whole
thing.


In message <762d5a56.0310031556.15fed684 (AT) posting (DOT) google.com>, doug
<de345 (AT) coolgoose (DOT) com> writes
--
Neil J. Harris

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping I could access the switch easily,
but I've been looking into it today and indeed the switch is on the
side of the transmission and not easy to get at.

I'll see if I can figure out the wiring in the engine
compartment--does seem a bit complicated. Since the starting problem
happens infrequently, maybe I can run a jumper from the positive
terminal of the battery direct to the starter as a quick fix when I
can't get it to start.

Thanks again.

Doug

Can't find neutral safty switch?

Hi,
It's on the transmission where the shift rod enters the case. It's
retained by the nut on the shift rod and a single screw which permits
position adjustment.
On mine the grease inside had dried up and the contacts weren't making
proper contact.
Cleaning out the old grease and stretching the little springs fixed the
problem.
As a temporary measure there's some connectors where the loom from the
switch joins the main harness where you can disconnect (and bypass) the
switch and "plug the main harness back into itself" as one wire has a
male connector and the other has a female connector. Perhaps the main
harness is common to both manual and automatic models.

In message
<35c7c5558019b519de45a81663b296fe (AT) localhost (DOT) talkaboutautos.com>, GODZ1
<ddm304 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> writes
--
Neil J. Harris