3crows Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 (edited) The ignition cylinder key lock, it'sa broke! Started the car and found that it stayed in start rather than springing back to run. The starter wouldn't disengage until I turned the key off. If I start it and turn the key back a bit it worked so I was able to get home. Took off the plastic covers and got the two bolts out and the top bracket off but it appears that the assembly won't come off until the key cylinder is removed and I can't figure out how to get the key cylinder out. I don't see anything else to remove to free the cylinder or assembly. I suspect that the steering wheel lock goes through the lower assembly piece so it won't come off until the cylinder lock is removed. Stuff on YouTube shows a specific key position and a button to push and it should slide out. Not on an '86' GL.If I do get it out but can't fix it, Is there a compatible cylinder lock or assembly that will work in this car? If I have to use a universal ignition switch that only has three connections, what wires go where? Can anyone help? Edited May 24 by 3crows Wrong wording Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steptoe's photos Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 surely there are enough people reading forum that can supply used ignition switch with keys? A WANT ad title ? The three wire switch generic would likely only have power in, power to start, power to remain on for ignition - no accessory power which may be needed for some basic stuff - not somewhere I would want to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 I got it out. The cylinder is held in by two pins on either side of the switch assembly that have to be drilled out. Unfortunately the pins are much harder than the case so the drill bit wobbled off the pins. Anyone have an ignition switch assembly. with keys for my 1986 GL they'd like to sell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Didn’t those turn out to be screws and not pins? Wish I caught you sooner. You can use a thin chisel and smack them in the correct direction and they will spin out with ease. Next time. Sorry I ditched all my 80’s stuff over a decade ago. Random stuff still pops up but I’m fairly certain I do not have an ignition switch. I have seen them and maybe even right now on eek bay. But that’s the back. Seems like you need the front key/lock section which hardly ever come up. Junk yards or a guy like me. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted May 26 Author Share Posted May 26 Those 2 top bolts can be unscrewed, which I did using a small chisel to loosen them. I still had to smack down on it with a hammer to get it to come free. There are 2 pins at 9:00 and 3:00 that are flush with the part that holds the cylinder lock part that have to be drilled out. I used my cordless to drill out the pins. The pins are much harder than the cast housing resulting in the drill bit wobbling off the pin and taking out part of the casing too. Most of the pins were drilled out and I was able to get a hold of the remainder with a needle nose pliers. I probably would have been better of using my drill press but I didn't think of it at the time. So, lesson learned: the cylinder lock was not the problem. I didn't need to take it apart. But hopefully someone with a stuck or broken key can use this. My problem was a had-it ignition switch which you can remove without taking the ignition assembly off the steering column. I was able to put the thing back together and used a couple flat ended screws to replace the pins. I found a replacement unit including 2 keys on Ebay for just a bit more money than the cost of just the ignition switch so that's the way I went. I'll update when it's all back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 Nice job. But I don’t recall ever having to drill anything out on those. Maybe mine we the previous generations. But I’ll pretty sure I did a Loyale series as well. Everything you described sounds dead on to me. Except the drilling. But you’ve got it in front of you and I haven’t had those in my face in over 15 years now. Enjoy the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted June 15 Author Share Posted June 15 It's back together and works. The key cylinder engages with the ignition switch; two separate parts held together with a small phillps screw. Took the ignition switch apart and found that one end of the spring that makes the key cylinder go back from 'START' to 'RUN' was broken off so the starter stayed engaged until I turned it back to 'RUN'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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