Last year i designed and made a LED display processor for a school electronics project. It had a heap of inputs and basically you put 12v+ onto one of the inputs and a number would be bisplayed on the 7segment display. I thought it might be an idea to make it into a gear indicator, to be rice if nothing else.

Anyway I tried to install switches on the shifter surround, under the rubber boot (1st gen Magna), these were momentary switches (U have to hold them down to make the circuit) and did not stay on after the stick was released after putting it into gear. I tried mountng the switches on springs but the vibration of the gearbox made a loud buzzing noise in the console. I was thinking of using push-on/push-off switches but this would mean the stick would have to be pushed into gear and then out again when changing gears to turn the switch off before putting it into the next gear and turning that one on....yeah hard to follow I know.

Basically I would like to know if there is any other indicator of what gear the car is in other than the position of the shifter, so I could use that instead.

Yeah I know its kinda stupid but my m8 has one on his mr2 and I just want to see if I can make it work. His is all factory so everything is mounted inside the gearbox.

Thanx for any help.

Basically I would like to know if there is any other indicator of what gear the car is in other than the position of the shifter, so I could use that instead.

Yeah I know its kinda stupid but my m8 has one on his mr2 and I just want to see if I can make it work. His is all factory so everything is mounted inside the gearbox.

Thanx for any help.
If you try looking at the top of the gearbox then you might find an interesting arrangement that you can take advantage of.

What would this arrangment be? It would save me pulling the center console off if I had some info or a pic. I havent tried to install it on my magna so Im not sure what the setup is. I tried it on a Toyota Tercel (my brothers).

Is it some kind of shift plate or guide?

Well I had the console off to get at my HU, I could see the 2 cables and the bracket, Im not sure how you could mount any switches reliably as there is movement from the stick. Looks like I'll have to find another way...

Well I had the console off to get at my HU, I could see the 2 cables and the bracket, Im not sure how you could mount any switches reliably as there is movement from the stick. Looks like I'll have to find another way...
Your gear box is near your engine not inside the car. THe inputs enter the housing through one or two rotating arms. See if this helps...

Ahhh ok, I thought U were talking about the shifter end, I'll pop the bonnet take a look tomorrow. :)

The switches will probably be a PITA to keep aligned - try proximity switches, the cheapest example would be reed switches and a magnet...

Cheers
Heath Young

Yeah I was thinking of proximity switches. Do you know if you could get any that are directional, because the few that Iv looked at would always be closed in the small space that 6 would need to be installed.