'56 Country Sedan Neutral Safety Switch

T

tsanborn

Member
Greetings-

Dumb question but I can't find a neutral safety switch on my '56 Country Sedan with manual transmission. I'm rewiring the car with a Painless (everything is relative) wiring harness and they imply that there should be a neutral safety switch on the car. I always start the car in neutral so I don't typically have my foot on the clutch when doing so. Would this imply that the car doesn't have a safety switch?

Thanks, Tom
 
Stick shift cars didn't have a NSS. Your harness covers cars with stick or automatic transmission. I'd just clip the wires for the NSS or tape 'em down unless it's needed to complete the circuit from the ignition switch to the starter. Then just splice the NSS wires together.
 
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Correct, no NSS on the manual trans cars, automatics only. As Dobie mentioned, the leads for the NSS may need to be connected together for the 'Start' circuit / starter solenoid to work.

Much later there could be a switch on the clutch pedal, so it had to be pressed to the floor before the starter circuit could function but they weren't used in the 50's, 60's or into the 70's. Not sure how much later those switches were first used in manual trans Fords.
 

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:eek:​

I wouldn't be clipping any circuits from a new wiring harness as you will most likely cause the same problem(s) you are trying to rid the car of now. If a circuit is not needed, you would un-pin it.

This is most likely a universal harness not made specifically for the car?

EXACTLY what does the INSTRUCTION SHEET say and if any doubt call PAINLESS for further information.

If you modify the harness in any fashion that is not PAINLESS instructed and/or approved, you a$$ will be whistling in the wind.

I can't believe the number of people that subscribe to THE HEAT AND BEAT SYNDROME and THE SOCIETY OF THE BFH.
 
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Cars with manual transmission didn't have a neutral safety switch.
The standard wiring harness included two wires for connection to a safety switch regardless of whether the car had manual or Fordomatic transmission.
If the car had a manual transmission, those two wires (red/blk as I recall), were connected together with bullet connectors in order to complete the enable circuit.
DO NOT SNIP ANY WIRES. Connect the two wires together.
 
On my 57 the start wires on the neutral safety circuit are male / female ends. The other pair are for the backup lights, and are the same way, just different style ends.
 
If it is a reproduction harness with original type terminals, the two wires for the start enable circuit (red/blu) have spade terminals at the end that connects to the neutral switch. The two backup light wires have small bullet connectors that plug in to the neutral switch.
There is a short extension harness containing four wires (two for the start enable circuit and two for the backup lights) that connects to the main harness right in front of the firewall. Just disconnect the two red/blu wires from the main harness and leave the ends of the wires in the extension harness hanging there. Then connect the two red/blu wires from the main harness together using one of the female bullet connectors.
 
Great information, many thanks! Rewiring has turned into a slow reluctant march into enemy territory. You are correct, the Painless harness is generic, not specifically for my '56 Country Sedan. Since there is apparently no NSS, where is the switch that controls the backup lights? I've looked all over and can't find one (or an NSS). I've ordered a toner and will try tracing the wire from the bulb to wherever the switch is hiding.
While waiting for the toner, I've moved on to rewiring the gauges. Since I can't figure out how to remove the instrument panel that the gauges are mounted in, I will need to do it by the Braille method. The Gen/Oil Pressure gauges are idiot lights, so those should be easy to rewire. That leaves me with the gas gauge and temp gauge. The harness provides a single sender wire for each gauge as well as a common power wire. But without removing the gauges to see which post is which, I need some advice to verify the right order. Also, I saw a reference somewhere online to a "instrument regulator" that lives behind the instrument cluster and reduces voltages to the instruments. Would this apply to a 1956 Ford? I think this applied to a later model.
 
If it didn't have back up lights from the factory or installed by the dealer as an accessory there would be no back up light switch. It would normally be mounted near the bottom of the steering column above the steering gear box and is operated by the low/reverse shift lever. As stated above, no NSS for manual transmission vehicles (also no clutch switch).

1956 Fords had 12 volt gauges for that model year only, so the instrument regulator would not apply. The regulator was added when Ford reverted to 6 volt gauges the following year. The 12 volt gauges must have been problematic.
 
- 1956 FORD OWNERS MAUAL - PG 19​

(Shown As ATTACHMENT)

Does the car have back-up lamps?
 

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Starter neutral switches were furnished standard on Fordomatic cars only. The starter neutral switch has FOUR terminals (two wires for start enable circuit and two wires for backup lights). So, the neutral switch had a dual function (start enable and backup lights).
On manual transmission cars, Ford provided (OPTIONALLY) a backup light switch and there was no start enable function on that switch.
Both neutral switch on Fordomatics and backup light switches were located at the base of the steering column (under the hood near the steering gearbox). The fordomatic neutral switch was a completely different switch than the maunual trans backup light switch and both had different mounting brackets.
Once upon a time, the repro parts suppliers were offering a "duplicate of original" backup light switch and bracket for the '55/56 cars. Can't speak for quality.
The Fordomatic neutral safety switch is still offered and looks like the original but materials and workmanship are woefully substandard. Made in China.
 
I'm now assuming my Country Sedan came without the NSS or a back up switch. I may try to find a switch and bracket that will work with my manual trans.

This new wire harness is kicking my ***. I've got the engine bay done and most of the dash. Still trying to find a home for some of the wires. Can anyone tell me where the high beam indicator light is located on a '56 Ford. I know I have one but don't remember where.
 
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