Clutch/starter safety switch [E4TZ-11A152-B] - NOS

[1986F150Six]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1984-86-Ford-F-150-F-250-F-350-Bronco-Clutch-Safety-Switch-E4TZ-11A152-B/143928524052?epid=23037558897&hash=item2182cefd14:g:jbgAAOSw~b5gDvdc

[1986F150Six]

SOLD!

[Gary Lewis]

That was QUICK!

[salans7]

I thought about it, but decided if the one I have is bad or ever fails, I'll just bypass it. I always pull my truck out of gear before starting it and nobody else drives them so it won't be a big deal.

[Rembrant]

I've been meaning to ask about clutch safety switches. My 1980 F150 project truck was originally a T-18 4spd. Would it have had a clutch switch when it was new? I seem to recall that the earlier Bullnoses didn't have these switches? Anybody?

Now that I have the 5spd swapped in, I guess I could wire in a safety switch, but that would be way way down my priority list considering the amount of work I have left to do to even get the thing on the road.

[kramttocs]

My 80 doesn't. Nor does it have the holes in the pedal assembly/bracket for it. I'll check my 80 evtm to see if it shows it for a manual.

[kramttocs]

Took a look at the 81 evtm in the Doc and doesn't look like it has the circuit for it.

[Gary Lewis]

Our page on Documentation/Year-To-Year Differences says this on the Electrical tab.  I included the NSS as it seems relevant.  Kind of scary, huh?

Neutral Start Switch: The automatic transmission neutral safety switch, which prevents the engine from cranking in all but Park and Neutral, first debuted in 1983.  (Source: 1983 EVTM)

Clutch lockout switch, (E4TZ 11A152-B) which prevents the engine from cranking with the clutch engaged, first appeared in 1984.  (Source: 1984 EVTM & MPC )

[salans7]

FWIW, my 1986 wiring harness was used in an AOD truck, but it had the clutch safety switch connector taped to the harness with a jumper plug plugged into the connector. My 1990 harness had a completely different style plug and safety switch, so I assume the bullnose style of switch only lasted for 3 years before it changed in 1987.

[Gary Lewis]

Would you believe that the first one was used 3 years, the second one only 1 year, and then the third one used for many years?

That's in the pickups and Broncos.  Apparently the engineers on the vans were smarter?  

I've added that to the page at Documentation/Electrical/Switches.

[FuzzFace2]

Both of my 81's did not have the clutch switch and if so I would have most likely jumped it out as part of the rebuild.

When I was learning to drive I was told on ANY stick car or truck push the clutch to the floor before turning the key.

On my work truck we leave them out of gear, air brakes set, and even knowing it is out of gear I still push the clutch in before starting it when I am sitting inside the truck.
Dave ----

[salans7]

I learned the hard way that the switch is different between a 1990 F250, and a 2003 Ford Ranger. They look VERY similar, but there are differences in the way the ends are shaped. I ran into this when I broke the retaining clip on mine in the Ranger, and tried to use the one from the 1990 F250 parts truck. I ended up just having to utilize the jumper plug from my F350's wiring harness and run without a safety switch because I couldn't get the switches to stay on the pushrod.

[Gary Lewis]

I've liked the idea of a clutch switch ever since someone got in Dad's truck and started it in 1st a couple of feet from the garage door.  He got it shut down before hitting the door, but it scared me.  (It wasn't me.)  So now anything with a manual tranny will have a clutch switch.

As for the differences, I don't have a clue.  Just that the part numbers changed, so something is different.  

[salans7]

I looked up the 1987 switch, and it looks very similar to the 84-86 version.

But then again, Ford does like to change things every few years and maybe since the pedal assembly has a slightly different shape in 1987, that's why it had to change. The clutch master cylinder on 80-96 F-Series trucks mounts to the firewall, but in 1995 Ford switched the clutch master cylinders on Rangers to mount through the pedal assembly below the brake booster, hence why there's probably a difference between the safety switches.