Remote Start a 5 Speed safely
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Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 157
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From: Derwood,MD
Remote Start a 5 Speed safely
This DIY was done by ex-r-wagon from AWC forum
Originally Posted by ex-r-wagon
If you want to remote start your manual transmission you have a few options:
1) Buy an alarm that has a "Remote Start Sequence" for manual transmission vehicles (good but not 100% fool proof).
2) Bypass the "Neutral Safety Switch" wiring in the alarm/remote start you have and hope that you never leave it in gear!
3) Don't do a remote start on a manual transmission vehicle.
I wanted to have a functioning "Neutral Safety Switch" on my manual transmission so I would have "Positive" confirmation that the transmission was not in gear when remote start was attempted. After thinking about ways to detect the transmission being in gear I settled on using an Inductive Proximity Sensor". This sensor has no moving parts and does not come in contact with the shifter or linkage. The sensor has a target area about 1/4" in diameter that detects metal at a distance of 0~4mm. When you move the metal over the target the sensor grounds the output lead (my alarm wants a ground when the transmission is in neutral). When you move the metal away from the target the grounded output goes away. The sensor has a built in LED to tell you when it detects metal over the target. With this sensor mounted on a bracket bolted to the bottom of the shift linkage and a 4-40 screw tapped into the end of the shifter I can positively detect when the transmission is in gear and I can even detect when the stick is moved from the neutral position. The sensor cost 20 bucks and I spent about four hours figuring out how to mount it and get it lined up. The rest was wrench and wiring time.
The 4-40 bolt threaded into the end of the shifter.
The proximity sensor mounted on the bracket
The proximity sensor detecting the 4-40 bolt.
1) Buy an alarm that has a "Remote Start Sequence" for manual transmission vehicles (good but not 100% fool proof).
2) Bypass the "Neutral Safety Switch" wiring in the alarm/remote start you have and hope that you never leave it in gear!
3) Don't do a remote start on a manual transmission vehicle.
I wanted to have a functioning "Neutral Safety Switch" on my manual transmission so I would have "Positive" confirmation that the transmission was not in gear when remote start was attempted. After thinking about ways to detect the transmission being in gear I settled on using an Inductive Proximity Sensor". This sensor has no moving parts and does not come in contact with the shifter or linkage. The sensor has a target area about 1/4" in diameter that detects metal at a distance of 0~4mm. When you move the metal over the target the sensor grounds the output lead (my alarm wants a ground when the transmission is in neutral). When you move the metal away from the target the grounded output goes away. The sensor has a built in LED to tell you when it detects metal over the target. With this sensor mounted on a bracket bolted to the bottom of the shift linkage and a 4-40 screw tapped into the end of the shifter I can positively detect when the transmission is in gear and I can even detect when the stick is moved from the neutral position. The sensor cost 20 bucks and I spent about four hours figuring out how to mount it and get it lined up. The rest was wrench and wiring time.
The 4-40 bolt threaded into the end of the shifter.
The proximity sensor mounted on the bracket
The proximity sensor detecting the 4-40 bolt.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,143
Likes: 1
From: Beavertown, OR
Re: Remote Start a 5 Speed safely
I have been doing this for years. Good to see someone else also thought of it. The only suggestion I would make to the creater is you need a fail safe for when the sensor fails. You have to be able to detect a catostraphic failure. Quick patent it before someone steals your idea and starts making money from it. Which is why I never shared mine.
Old Fart
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 26,173
Likes: 18
From: kelowna, bc, canada
Re: Remote Start a 5 Speed safely
Different forms of this have been used over the years, both commercially and by installers, we use a micro switch, [normally closed] and have it held open by shifter, switch was used to supply a ground to hood pin input if shifter was not in neutral, normaly closed was used in case switch became mis-aligned or fell off.
I still install these, as a back-up, for manual transmission remote starts, this is the switch I use...
http://sensing.honeywell.com/index.c...1&pr_id=112471 94
I still install these, as a back-up, for manual transmission remote starts, this is the switch I use...
http://sensing.honeywell.com/index.c...1&pr_id=112471 94
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Derwood,MD
Re: Remote Start a 5 Speed safely
Originally Posted by ex-r-wagon
I have a relay that puts a ground on the switch that the clutch pedal closes when you press it in. This keeps everything stock for normal starting when you get in the wagon and also lets it remote start.
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