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Neutral safety switch


pontiacmaniac94

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okay, so i have a 94 2dr grand prix with the 3.1 V6, and a four speed automatic.

 

 

i need a new neutral safety switch, because the car wont always start when it is in "park" when i turn the key, everything lights up, but there is no noise, just the fuel pump.

 

i know it isn't:

1. starter (just replaced that four months ago)

2. ignition (replaced that a year or two ago, and the "security light" is not on)

 

 

am i missing anything?

 

i pop the car into nuetral, and it started up no problem.

 

 

so....can someone have a picture of the neutral safety switch and what tools would be needed to remove one? i am plannin on going to the local junkyard and pulling 2-3 just in case....

 

 

thanks guys! you havent let me down yet!

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I didn't put this in that little write up, maybe I will after this, but I believe there should be some mark or extrusion on the selector arm that is visible from the outside that will line up with a spot on the metal housing to signify where "neutral" is. Since you are supposed to change the switch with the transmission neutral, make sure these line up when installing it. A new switch will come already in neutral, but a reassembled you have to put it back to neutral before installing it.

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I didn't put this in that little write up, maybe I will after this, but I believe there should be some mark or extrusion on the selector arm that is visible from the outside that will line up with a spot on the metal housing to signify where "neutral" is. Since you are supposed to change the switch with the transmission neutral, make sure these line up when installing it. A new switch will come already in neutral, but a reassembled you have to put it back to neutral before installing it.

 

that is probably a good thing to remember, i was shopping around, and a new one would cost me around 60 or so, or i could go cannibalize some outta some donor cars for about 5 a pop, i havent honestly decided what i was going to do, but i kinda the like the write up on reusing the old one...

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I have a different alignment method:

 

install the switch with the two bolts almost finger tight. install the shift cable. Turn the key to the run position but do not start the car. place vehicle in reverse, choking the tires if you might roll. move switch until the reverse lights are on. (darkness helps) tighten bolts. test for reverse lights again. try cranking car is P, R, N, D, and 3,2,1. I even wiggle the shifter a bit to make sure that at either end of the detent travel that you don't get an undesired function. if car cranks when it should and not when it should not, you are done. If it is not quite adjusted, try the reverse lights on adjustment procedure again.

 

A note, it seems to work best to try and locate the center of the range where the reverse lights turn on.

 

and yes, if you have a used switch, it may have bad contacts and still not work. good luck!

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I have a different alignment method:

 

install the switch with the two bolts almost finger tight. install the shift cable. Turn the key to the run position but do not start the car. place vehicle in reverse, choking the tires if you might roll. move switch until the reverse lights are on. (darkness helps) tighten bolts. test for reverse lights again. try cranking car is P, R, N, D, and 3,2,1. I even wiggle the shifter a bit to make sure that at either end of the detent travel that you don't get an undesired function. if car cranks when it should and not when it should not, you are done. If it is not quite adjusted, try the reverse lights on adjustment procedure again.

 

A note, it seems to work best to try and locate the center of the range where the reverse lights turn on.

 

and yes, if you have a used switch, it may have bad contacts and still not work. good luck!

 

yah i was thinkin along those lines as well, we shall see how well it works...

 

 

and the fact that it is used and might not work is okay as well, i figure if i pull 3-4, it will stil be cheaper then a brand new one, and i just need to it to last another 4-5 months anyway.....

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it ended up that the holes in the brackets were slotted, so it was outta a line ment, (sp) so just had to line it back up, and the car starts right up!

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Wanna come adjust mine? I can't start in neutral, half way between reverse and neutral works though lol.

 

do it yourself!!! are your reverse lights on when they should be?

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Wanna come adjust mine? I can't start in neutral, half way between reverse and neutral works though lol.

 

do it yourself!!! are your reverse lights on when they should be?

 

Yes.

 

And it ALWAYS starts in park.

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you know that kind of sounds like mine. never starts in neutral. reverse lights always work perfect but sometimes it wont start in park unless i use the car starter.

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you know that kind of sounds like mine. never starts in neutral. reverse lights always work perfect but sometimes it wont start in park unless i use the car starter.

 

here are some pics from mine, it isnt too bad.

 

just take out the air filter box, (just the top) to get to it easier.

 

use a 13mm socket, and tighten the bolts, it isnt too bad, just make sure the car isnt hot when you are doin this, because it is kinda sorta right next to the exhaust manifold.

 

mine were finger loose, so i went ahead and tightened it up, and everything worked just fine.

 

nuetral.jpg

 

 

holes.jpg

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well i have no airbox so i must already be halfway done lol. looks pretty easy. i will have to try it.

 

it really was a piece of cake, i took a little longer because it pulled it apart, to see if it was really corroded or not..and it was not at all, so i slammed it back together and put it back on the car, you dont even have to remove it.

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