Does anyone know exactly what the clutch pedal switch does in an ED 5spd manual car? (ie. is it just a start inhibit or is there some effect on the ECU?).

for cruise control,

No, I know about the Cruise Control cutout switch - the one I'm talking about is separate to that.

There are two cutout switches : One Vacuum and one Electronic. Both for Cruise according to the diagrams. its a fail-safe.

Nigel

Yep I hear what you're saying but the Cruise Control cutout switch is a combined vac switch and electrical switch - the unit used on the clutch pedal is a big grey bugger (I thought it was identical to the brake light switch but it's not) - in an auto car of course there's just the one combo switch on the brake pedal but on the manual there's a second one for the clutch pedal - in which case both the electrical circuit and the vac circuit are in series for the two combo switches. That side of things I have sussed pretty well.

The one I'm after info on is a purely electrical switch. The bracket that holds the switches for the clutch pedal has two sets of mountings - one for the cruise control combo cutout switch and the other for this larger electrical switch. I actually have a manual pedal support bracket complete with brake and clutch pedal and the brake light switch and clutch pedal switch - both different to the cruise control combo switches (well, it was complete - both pedals are now in the car awaiting the rest of the gearbox changeover in a couple of days).

It's really frustrating because I'm sure I've read references to some sort of feedback to the ECU from this clutch switch - but technically I'm inclined to think - and hope - that it's just a start inhibit.

I'm fairly sure I've found the connector for that Clutch pedal switch - so I guess all I need to do is try connecting the switch off my spare pedal support bracket and with it pushed in/made see if the engine will start - if it does start then I guess the switch is for something else such as ECU feedback on clutch position - I'll try that in the morning.

I converted my XF from auto to manual. My old manual one had a clutch switch, and it didnt have cruise control, and in the car I have now (converted using the parts from my old one) there is no clutch swtich & I'm still running the auto computer. It seems to run just fine. So I'd personally just see how it goes without it.

Gab

looking through my workshop manual, it mentions a switch but unfortunately it doesn't tell you what its for. I would assume it is for idle speed control, like the neutral switch on the manual transmission. I doubt it is a start inhibitor switch.

The clutch switch is for cruise control on manual cars. It disengages the cruise control when you press the clutch, otherwise your revs would go up as the car is trying to maintain speed. It has no other function.

Like I said - this switch is not the cruise control cutout switch - I have one of those on my brake pedal and the workshop manual clearly illistrates another vac/electric combo switch exactly like it for the clutch in manual cars.

The switch I'm looking at is a totally different thing - like madmax says, the workshop manual does illustrate this switch (in the same picture is the cruise control combo switch right alongside it in fact) and even explains how to set it up - but not what it actually does.

Your talking about the Neutral Idle switch : Used to adjust Idle quality in Neutral on some cars.

Some fords use it, some dont. I mean across the world, not just falcons.

The XFs did use it, im not sure about the rest though. I only have gregories wiring diagrams however the library around here has ford factory workshop manuals so I might go take a look there. Otherwise you could.

Cheers

Nigel

As everyone has already said.. its ONLY used for the Cruise Control.

The EEC doesnt have any 'clutch' inputs.

So your saying there are two switches on the clutch pedal. One for cruise and one is unknown? I will have a stickybeak under my car this arvo and have a look. Pretty sure there was only 1 though.

I have a big grey bugger of a switch on my car. Its used for the cruise control.

Yep, this one's a big grey bugger - I'm not too worried about it but it's just confusing because I'm looking at EA/EB/EBII (ED) Factory Workshop Manual and it's showing on the Clutch Pedal Switch Bracket both the vac/electric combo Cruise Control switch (same as the brake pedal one - hooked up in series both on the vac plumbing and the electrical wiring) AND this big grey bugger.

In the EF factory WorkShop Manual they show only the big grey bugger and it's definitely cruise control cutout (but on earlier cars in cannot be for that as the cruise cutout system uses combo vac/electric switches).

Evidently it's something to do with idle control but isn't critical so I'm not too worried. The box gets fitted tomorrow - I hope there are no dramas as we're supposed to hit the road on the weekend to travel to Queensland (HOME!! - God's Country - Land of Hills, Rivers and Forests, not f**k DESERT and SAND!!!)

It is likely that on the EF the one switch does both functions, (cruise & idle?) as the brake light switch is also both cruise & brake lights. EA,EB had a vacuum cruise system which required the seperate combo vacuum switch on both brake and clutch.