The reason it won't start without having the clutch in is a safety switch
under the dash on top of the pedal arm, it completes the circuit to the
starter when depressed, which is of course when the clutch is in. All
Dodges, from my Dad's Stratus on up to the '03 HD Rams, have them.
You can defeat the switch with a relay if it's important to you.
-- -Jon jonsdak@midmaine.com http://jonsdakota.tripod.com 1996 Dodge Dakota Sport 4X4, 3.9L V6, 42RE, 3.92:1 8.25 axle, "BackRack" Headache Rack, Dodge Motorsports decals, steering wheel cover, and front license plate, diamond-plate bedrail covers, Lund VentVisors, Lund BugShield, Jensen MP-3310 CD/MP3 Receiver, Pioneer TS-G1347's in front, TS-A5713's in rear, Bulldog RS-82 Remote Starter""Woodruff, Jason P"" <jason.p.woodruff@boeing.com> wrote in message news:9937FD518D6FC54887CB28EF103ED1E6099D2696@xch-sw-07.sw.nos.boeing.com... > > So I've got this truck now with the 5spd. I'd have to say, I'm doing quite > well considering I haven't driven a manual since I was 16. And even then I > was bad at it. > > Few things I notice (the 5spd that comes with the 4.7L), > 1.) damn that first gear is low. At 10mph I'm at 2500rpms. > > 2.) There's some sort of lock out from shifting into first at a speed about > 12mph. I can understand why its there, but this requires me to get all the > way down to 1200rpms in second gear before I can shift to 1st (I'm thinking > about racing here, not daily driving which its fine for). Is there > something I can do about this? > > 3.) The power lock and window controls do weird things if you don't set the > brake. The starter won't engage if you don't have the clutch in (even in > neutral). > > I don't remember what else right now. But even though I can't drive > efficiently yet, damn this thing is fast. > > What have you guys found the best way to do a drag start is? > > And an on the side thing... What's the best/fastest way to get that > cigarette smell out. *yeck*, > > Jay W > 505/287 Dakota >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:45:47 EST