1961 Cadillac, Can I Bypass The Neutral Safety Switch?

[Coupe Deville]

Hello everyone. The neutral safety switch on my 61' has a vacuum leak, so I need to take it out and rebuild it. My question is can/how should I bypass the wiring to still get the car to start? This car is my daily driver and I don't have another car at the moment so I can't afford the down time. Im assuming just make a little jumper lead and hook up two wires somewhere?

[Julien Abrahams]

If the safety neutral switch is the same as mine ('67), then you can just disconnect the wires, and reconnect them using a jumper. Just make sure that you reconnect the proper ones: there is one pair that actuates the starter circuit (so you can actually start the car) and there is one pair that activates the back up lights when you put the selector in Reverse.
There are just 2 issues: make sure that you're in Park or Neutral whenever you start the car (as the 'saftey' feature is now canaceled and the car will start in Drive or Reverse). Also, you will loose your back up lights.
Short answer: yes you can use a jumper to go around the SNS.

[MY 59]

bypassing is easy as Julien says, but also as he says be aware that car will start in all gear selector position which can be dangerous
I have a friend with a working vacume type NSN from a '60 he is selling?

[Dan LeBlanc]

I would just disconnect and plug the source vacuum line until you have the chance to do the repair and wait until you have the time to remove, repair, and replace the switch all at the same time. That way, you will only lose the automatic parking brake release function but still retain the backup lights and safety functions.

[n2caddies]

Dan is right. I would not bypass the NSS. I just used a sheet metal screw and twist it into the vacuum line from the firewall to plug it. NSS from 60-62 should all work. 57-59 will fit but don't have the vacuum port. Sometimes you can remove it and carefully bend the tabs holding the vacuum ports to tighten up the air seal to get it to stop leaking. I think Russ who is on this forum can fix the vacuum side if you don't have any luck.  I have some used ones if you run into trouble.
Randy

[russ austin]

Galvin, I do repair the NSS's for the 60-64 Cadillac's.   The larger 2 wires are for the starting circuit. Just make a wire to connect the 2 together, or wait till you get yours back.

if you could send me an email to;  russ85747@hotmail.com  to get the process started.

[Coupe Deville]

Hello everyone!

Thank you for all of the responses. Russ, Thanks for your offer but I am flat out broke so anything I can do on this car myself to save money will be done by me. I know mine leaks vacuum. So what is inside there? How can i get it to stop leaking? Whats the repair procedure? I think I'm just going to tear it apart soon and I would like to know how to seal it back up again.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I have stripped these down, and one must be very careful when straightening the diecast holding lugs.

Break these, and you will end up wiring the switch back together.

Plus, be very careful when pulling it to pieces so you can make notes if necessary on where the internal parts go.

Bruce.

[Julien Abrahams]

There is also the possibility that it just needs to be realigned in the sense that the Park position of your gear selecter 'corresponds' to Park in the NSS. If it is misalligned, it can lead to a vacuum leak (as the ports are not fully closed). You can check this by: first check whether the backup lights come on when you put the transmission in Reverse (not necessary to start the car, just turn on the ignition). Second, the start should operate when the car is eitehr in Park or neutral. If you have to wiggle the gear selector about about a bit  before the starter will operate (as soon as you turn the key) then this can indicate that the NSS needs to be realigned. Undo the screws that hold it to the steering column, and move it slightly left or right so that the starter operates when the trans is in Neutral.
Then start the car, and look if there is still a vacuum leak.
If there's still a leak I would also do like Dan suggested: plug the vacuum hoses. You will loose the automatic e-brake release funtion, but the backup lights and ignition safety feature will still work.