giganto

The last time I changed the clutch master cylinder (don't ask, but you could find my messages here somewhere for the embarrassing details) the switch was damaged to the point it would only sometimes work. Remove the switch from beneath the clutch pedal and put the continuity multimeter probes on either contact. Press the switch and listen for a good solid beep every time. Once I had repaired my switch (no MTX around here to scavange; the spring was broken in several pieces) I found that it would not crank; just like yours. I took off my right shoe, made sure the parking brake was engaged and stick was in neutral, and pressed the switch under the clutch with my big toe. Once the car has started, the switch doesn't do anything, so you can drive like normal. I had to do this for a few days until I figured out how to overcome this clutch travel issue. The solution was the rubber bumper from a household door hinge mounted doorstop. It was tall enough to make the contact work and plugged right on the tip of the switch.

Xiphos, on 29 March 2012 - 08:08 PM, said:

I thought that's how it was too, at first. The VSS is the plastic bit on top of the geared shaft that's held in place with a pin. You probably would have to pull the transmission to get it out, but the VSS is pretty easily removed. Remove the air cleaner and its fittings and reach down into the blackness. Feel for the three-wire connector of the VSS on the main wiring harness; its about the only branch on the main harness in the area. Dexterously unclip the VSS from the harness and firmly grab the flat sides of the plastic VSS. Grunt and turn it counterclockwise and it comes loose fairly easily, since it has plastic threads. Check to make sure the shaft came out, as the square shaft should extend a bit below the bottom of the VSS housing.

Read about all my adventures here;
http://www.fordconto...__fromsearch__1


BTW, the speedo still works, even through my 900 mile trip to Missouri...where my window regulator broke...I need to post that write up as well.

This failure happened to me last week, but the braided steel cable got loose and scratched the glass up terribly. I went to the junkyard, but only found broken ones; usually the top plastic under the spring is broken. I noticed the bottom was usually intact and an identical copy of the top. I snipped off the wire stop blocking the good piece of plastic from slipping off. I rebuilt the regulator and crimped a new $.33 wire stop after putting the non-broken plastic piece back on. I took a bunch of photos and will probably do a big write-up soon, since I have a fleet.

BTW, the JY now wants $80 and you have to pull it yourself. Ford no longer makes it, but I saw their screen and it retailed for about $280.

It turns out the belt had a three-year warranty and lasted three years and three months. Once the new belt was on, the squeak went away and I have a spare, slightly used idler pulley. I'll keep your offer in mind if I find time to work the odometer issues.

The Ford dealership replaced my belt and idler pulley in '07. They used the O'Riley's pulley, because their building is next door and it is identical in every way to the one I put on. A new belt is $15 - $22 and an idler assembly is $75. I wonder how much one from the junk yard would cost. How would I know if it was good? I guess I would just check the tension before cutting the belt.