The damn thing tried to lock me out, I was able to jiggle the key "Just So" (it helps to hold your tongue in *just* the right way in the corner of your mouth) and get it to the 'I' position and stick what I thought would be a too thin and flexy un bent paper clip in the hole, then I fairly easily unscrewed the big black cover with water pump pliers and the cylinder comes right out and the new one more or less goes right back in.....

The key now works smoother than it did when I bought this car a decade ago .

THANK YOU ALL for the help and hints, tips etc.

I got the oil leak buttoned up too, I'll detail that a little bit in the other thread .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better