.Now with \"neutral switch\"

Some of you may remember I posted some info a few months ago on my remote start system after I installed some safety devices. At that time my system had these features:

1. Parking brake switch - would not allow remote start unless brake was FULLY on, and would shut down the engine if the brake was released after remote start.
2. Speed sensor circuit - would shut down engine if a speed sensor pulse was detected (about 8" of car movement).

Even though these two mods made me feel safe enough to use remote start (which I did all winter - it was great!), there was still a problem - if I screwed up and left the car in gear and used remote start it would try to crank the engine. While it wouldn't start in this condition (parking brake would jam the engine) it could mess up the starter or flywheel.

So I fixed that problem this weekend by installing a "neutral switch". This is something I wanted to do from the beginning but every idea I tried didn't work, and I tried a lot.

My first thoughts were to use a magnet attached to the shift lever to activate a magnetic reed switch, but any arrangement I tested did not have enough "resolution". If I got it to activate in neutral, it didn't always turn off if I moved it into gear. If I moved the magnet higher on the lever (to get more travel) it interferred with the shift boot, or vice-versa. If I made the bracket longer it would hit something if you moved the shifter around. Bummer.

Months later, I made a hall-effect sensor board (solid state magnetic detector) that was much more precise than a reed switch, but still had the issues with the magnet mounting bracket and interferrence from the shift boot. But this weekend I came up with a different way to mount the magnet that worked great with the hall-effect circuit. It worked so well I decided to go back and try the reed switch idea (simpler is better, right?) and here's the results.

Here's a photo of the bracket mounted to the shift lever. Angling it down the side keeps it out of the way of the shift boot. The angle puts the magnet close to the rotational arc of the shifter, which is to say as you move the shifter the magnet moves in a circle around the pivot point of the shift lever. This is what's different about this design than others I tried. Previously I tried to get the magnet to move in a straight line, but moving it in an arc is better because it amplifies the motion of the magnet, making it easier to get the ON-OFF action I needed.

Yes, it's a small magnet.


Here's the board with the reed switch. The diode is to suppress any spikes created by the starter relay, which could damage the reed switch. A slot in the board allows it to be adjusted front-to-back, and the single mounting hole in the aluminum bracket allows the whole thing to swivel, so adjusting it for best position was easy.



And here's how they look together. The magnet lines up with the bottom end of the reed (slightly green in this photo).



I have some videos of the switch in action (<1M each Windows Media files)

Video of magnet in motion Watch magnet moving in arc as shifter is moved left/right, then into gears.

Video of neutral switch test Watch the blue LED, it lights when brake is ON and shifter is in neutral.

Video of remote start shutdown Engine will shut down if shifter is moved.


Some notes:

1. I have posted this info for anyone who wants to do this for themselves. I am not going to be making these, the hand fabrication is too time-consuming. Plus, the parts are cheap, all it takes is some time and patience.

2. I drilled & tapped the shift lever to mount the magnet bracket - you may want to use a hose clamp or similar mounting method. There is something inside the shift tube and I don't know what it is (the drill bit hit something). My install does not seem to pose a problem but I can't recommend drilling the shift lever without knowing what's inside it.

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Hotness! Great work, youre really gifted in this department I must say.

 

muhahahaha.. bringing it back from the dead.. I've searched and searched on line for this type of ingenious work.

TYTYTY... I don't understand why only Subaru's have factory neutral safety swtich.

I already ordered and received the NeoD magnets and reed swtich.. and it works.. just need to make the C-Board.

MODIFRY - Your picture don't show how you wired up the diode. which way is the Annode facing?

 

made a movie of the reed switch in action. for those who are still have questions..

kinda shows you how close the magnet needs to be to the reed switch to make it work

http://www.devilchrist.net/pictures/my03_s...d_action_02.wmv

 

WOW... your doing a lot of extra work to get this automotic starter to work in a S!! I installed for about 6 years and I always just used a manual car starter

With a manual starter, there is a sequence that you have to do before you exit the car with makes it impossible (without doing it on purpose) to start the car while in gear or without the E brake applied. I am not trying to be an ass, but rather saving others for doing all of this work to make a starter intended for a automatic transmission to work in a manual transmission car.

 

any alarm with neutral safety input is safe to use on a manual if you use proper methods.

I had the type of alarm where you had to do the "special sequence" and if the alarm went off then it would not let you start the car. but you can disarm and rearm to over ride it.. it's too easy to override such an critical feature.

This neutral safety switch is fool proof. if in anyway the shifter is not dead center. it will not start the car. You can't over ride the neutral safety. It's something that should have been implemented by the manufacturer, like subaru does.

 

True.... if you disarm and rearm it will start, however if you open the door (IE. do anything that can allow the shifter to be placed in gear even inadvertantly) it won't start. I have been installing autostart products, as well as Viper for years...... and these names work like that. I am sure some of the "cheaper" models have flaws however.

 

well there you go.. you mention flaws.. there are flaws to any sytem. but best is what is done here.

a custom made neutral safety device. that prevent any form of remote starting unless car is in neutral.

 

What if you just used a limit switch in front and behind, and if either was closed then your not in neutral?