MechCD

I have a funny feeling that I'm going to buy a remote start kit for the winter. I hate a cold car on those 15*F mornings, and besides I guess it's good to warm the engine up at idle for a while before going somewheres in the cold.

Now, most of the kits say you can't put them in a car with a manual tranny. I don't see why not. I always park it properly (nuetral, parking brake on). Theres a clutch switch, but couldn't you set up the remote starter to turn that on and off with the starter? Or is there another reason you can't or shouldn't put a remote starter in a manual?

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

You do? Yikes! Most people are lazy and don't want to take the time to go looking for their car, but I see you're adventurous! The PROPER way to shut down the manual equipped car is as follows (from pg. 197 of my 1990 Camaro Owners Manual, feel free to consult yours):

For the Manual Transmission:

1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and apply the parking brake all the way. See index under "Parking Brake."

2. Shift the manual transmission to "R" (Reverse), or first gear.

3. Depress the key release lever and turn the key to "LOCK."

4. Remove the key.

5. Be sure nothing is moving.

The parking brake is notoriously weak on our cars (especially the early style rear disc brakes). Using JUST the parking brake alone leaves the car vulnerable to moving if the brake gives out or someone taps it accidentally while parallel parking.

If you do start parking the car properly now, by engaging either "R" or first gear, you won't be able to use that remote starter (hence every remote starter manufacturer's warning NOT to).

Of course if you are adventurous I say go for it. That time you forgot and DID accidentally leave the car properly parked with the transmission in gear and you start it with the remote starter, I just hope you have a drainage culvert by the street to stop the car so you'll be able to find it easier. Also I hope your Auto Liability insurance is paid up.

Lon

MechCD

Hot dang.... Welp, I do see quite a bit of problem

I think I did mean reverse... Right now its sitting outside in reverse.... with the brake on...

I dunno what the heck I was thinking. I think I did mean park it in neutral so the starter would work, but of course thats not what I said

my '90 Firebird manual talks about a button to remove the key, I can't find the magical button.

Plus, I think it would stall in 1st, I dunno about reverse.

Lets chalk this up to a useless post done by me before I was completely awake

Formula4Speed

The button is right next to the key whole, right after I bought the car I took it home and it took me a good 5 minutes to get the key out. I felt pretty dumb...

badjuju342

if you did a remote start on a manual tranny it can start in gear,mowing down anything in front or rear (depending if it was in reverse or 1st gear. the list of possible speedbumps would include small children ,pets or,valuable items like your house and/or other cars. it would also leave you very liable in the case of a lawsuit( in other words, DON'T DO IT,MAN!!!!!!!!)

Dave Y

Nope, they will start in 1st and reverse, I had a firebird were the clutch throw out bearing sleeve(also the front bearing retainer) broke and the clutch would not release, so I had to drive home in second, hoping no one got in my way, when I got home, I was checking it out in the street, got it to start in 1st, drove it into my driveway, shut it off, then , later, I started it in reverse and drove it out of my driveway, down the street, around the corner(all in reverse , mind you) into the alley, then right into my garage, all in reverse, without hitting anything and it was centered in my garage

badjuju342

i watched a mustang (hee,hee) remote start in gear and go thru the window of the car audio/security shop i worked at. management decreed we wouldn't install remote starts on manual trans ever again after that(wonder why?) :lala:

Abird4u2nv1

iTrader: (-1)

You don't want to put a remote start on a standard, it could be done, you'd have to bypass the clutch safety switch.But the only way it would be effective is to know its in neutral when you start it, otherwise your going to roll into something. Its a nice convenience, but trust me, you'll regret it the first time you start it and hit something.

charlie31603

iTrader: (10)

Will it start in 5th gear or stall? It would be cool if you could put a swicth on it so the remote starter will only work when the shifter is in neutral.

Abird4u2nv1

iTrader: (-1)

its still gonna jump in 5th, but probably too much gear to let it start. You can't start a manual in gear, if youdo its gonna take off on you

charlie31603

iTrader: (10)

What about the swicth for it in neutral like the automatics have.

badjuju342

that's a good idea,problem is,none of the alarm manufacturers has been able to come up with a way to do that. i even thought of maybe tying into the park brake switch to enable the remote start,but it is simply too risky to find out if it moves or not in gear(would you want to test this on YOUR car?).

charlie31603

iTrader: (10)

Just sit in your car with the e brake on and the shifter in gear and see if she will crank up. That swith on the parking brake does sound like a good idea!

Petes 84Z28

How about installing something like a 'line-lock' in the hydraulic clutch line? Before you exit the car, press the pedal to the floor, and flip a switch to hold pressure in the line to keep the clutch dis-engaged.
This would depend on your slave cylinder being up to par, IE: not leaking or bleeding off pressure, as well as your parking brake functioning correctly to hold the vehicle during this time.
Relays could be used to tell the remote starter that the system is set to start safely.
One downside is that the relay would be continously drawing power, and would deplete the battery if left for an extended period of time...several days, perhaps.
Just my idea...

Pete

badjuju342

that would work! most remote starts have a "wait to start" input for diesel engines,maybe that could be utilized in preventing the starter from engaging until line-lock powers up,it would be limited to autos with hydraulic clutch(and boy,would it be a pain to install!),but it is feasible.good idea!

MechCD

I like the ebrake switch idea. I don't think I'll be adding a remote start, it just doesn't seem easy enough for my weekend skills.

You could also hook a relay to the ebrake light so that it opens when power is applied, but then again, all the lights come on for startup. So maybe a second switch just for the purpose of telling the remote start that it can do so would work. The neutral switch could be tapped also. The conditions for starting would be that both switches would need to be on to start.

My original plan was to use the remote start only at my house in the mornings when it was cold. Otherwise I can just walk in and fire it up without any discomfort (other than heat, but the A/C doesn't work). My spot on the driveway is eally flat and I don't think the parking brake would let out and cause trouble. If it did let out, the car wouldn't go anywhere anyways (I was dumb when I first got it and didn't put the brake on and left it in neutral, my dad about had a heart attack)