I just got to this thread but you beat me to it. This is especially important on cold starts; you don't want excess pressure on your thrust bearing with no oil circulation yet. I have had mine disconnected on the Evo for quite some time now along with my DSM's.

 

Certainly the guy was an embarassment to morons. However, we do tend to do moroninc things every now and again. Personally, i don't see it being a problem and if it makes it safer then the better IMO. Like the little thing you have to pull up to get it into reverse....

 

Just to confirm, I had a DC5 (ITR) with a start button. You need to press the clutch for the thing to start. I think it's a Japanese reg. My Sti has the same thing.

 

Everytime you push a clutch in there is stress on the springs. It's like elastic. If stretched over time, they lose torque pressure. That is why some people disconnect the clutch in start switch and put their car in neutral with the clutch up at stoplights. On some clutches (Tilton road race clutches for example) it is highly recommended that the clutch only be engaged when shifting. They actually lose friction if you keep the clutch depressed for long periods of time. Obviously with carbon multiplate clutches, heat actually increases torque pressure so slipping the clutch is recommended.

 

it's a safety ..
and you should leave it in..you never know

 

ok but now reading all of the posts...you guys have some pretty convincing info why I should take it out..

 

Just to clear something up....the car will not "rocket" off to anywhere. It may lurch severely, but it will stall after that. I cant imagine unless your high horsepower engine cranks, holds rpms with a race clutch and there's no ebrake... Ive seen the results first hand. My car also has autostart...

 

If you guys really want to do this... is'nt a turbo timer a very simple solution for insuring that you dont leave it in gear? Because there's no way you can have a turbo timer and leave it in gear before you leave the car... of course unless you wait for it to turn off first then do it (but then what's the point of having a turbo timer?). I used to have a turbo timer and had a clutchless start on my old 240sx and I never had a problem... in fact, if you splice into the switch, you can add your own switch to act as a sort of "kill switch" as well.. and just find a good place in your car to hide the switch. If you're bored, you can start running other things in the car in series with the switch, like your headlights or something so you can't turn your car on without turning your headlights on first... or something to that effect. lol.

 

Well, it wold probably go quite some way if you keep your hand on the key. It will burn the starter motor out among other things, but it can go perhaps 2 car lengths. This is without the parking brake and a determined and stunningly stupid driver. But you're right, it won't by off down the road sort of thing.

But to be honest, unless you have a super strong clamping force clutch and you start the car regularly in extremely cold climates then leave the clutch in for a long time once the thing has started, then I doubt there would be any wear problem. I have not heard of any before on any type of vehicle and would put it down as freak occurances rather than the norm.

 

my friend had autostart on his Civic Si...I took his car for a short ride down the street, came back and backed it into a spot, with the car in gear, parking brake up. The next morning he went to start the car and the car moved probably a good 15 ft and ended up "rear ending" a van that was parked across the road.

We couldn't believe that it could drag itself by the starter motor that far with the parking brake up.

Seems pretty ridiculous to disconnect the switch just so you can start without depressing the clutch. Just increasing the likelihood of lurching into a car in front of you.

 

Here is an idea. If you cant handle the responsiblilty of leaving the car out of gear, and checking the shifter before starting it. Then leave it be.

The saftey switches are only there to protect the retarded consumers who cant take responsiblity and use their brain.

I disconnected the switch on my Eclipse, and my Jetta never even came with one.

-Seth

 

youre going to wear out your starter if you leave it in gear. is it really that cool to not have to push the clutch pedal down?

 

Ya just don't start it when it's in gear. Duh.

All stick shift cars used to start this way until the automakers came up with the supposedly idiot-proof clutch-ignition lockout.

My track day EVO has the lockout defeated because it's hard in the track clutch to start the car with the clutch pedal depressed all the time.

 

I don't believe that having the clutch depressed at start loads the crank enough to kill your thrust bearings in an unreasonable amount of time.

Using that logic the first time the engine fires when starting should wear out you main bearings in an unreasonable amount of time as well since a power stroke is going to provide way more load than a clutch and there is still little to no oil pressure. The same for your cams and the spring pressure on them. I know alot of an engines wear occurs at start but, unless you have a pre-oiling system there isn't much you can do about that.

 

My alarm with remote and turbo timer. I do not have to press my clutch to start the car. But the car will die if it is in gear and the e-brake is not set when you remove the key so I have no worries of leaving my car in gear. If you do not want to press the clutch in this is probobly the best type of setup to go with. DEI and compustar are great options.