I just finished up my pictorial on how to replace your ignition lock with a stuck or broken key.

Here is the link:

http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_diesel_maintenance_tips1%20page%202.htm

Enjoy!

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

I still am having serious problems with my ignition lock cylinder and I think the one from my car is making trouble and the one in the parts car is even worse. I saw in the last day or two a thread and the post by the member said he had a handful of top quality cylinders for I believe $49.00 plus shipping. And I have been looking for that thread all evening and I just can't find it. I am sure electrons do take a vacation once in a while. So if you know who that member is, or if you find that thread, please let me know. There is one on sale right now on ebay at 24.95 or buy it now for $30.00, but the member said in that thread that his cylinders were of much better quality - and I think quality in a switch is what I am looking for. Thankyou!

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

Here is the link

http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_diesel_maintenance_tips1%20page%202.htm

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

these pictorials are always top quality... thanks

__________________
Audi TT

Thanks Diesel Giant; I sent you an Email to order one of those fine Mercedes switches. Thankyou

__________________
Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

Here's how to do it without grinding:

BTW: There was no way I was going to try and cut though the black protective ring.

So what to do:

1) remove lower dash trim on steering wheel side to reveal the ignition lock.;
2) remove the steering wheel and airbag if any (remember to disconnect both the battery and the "red" airbag connector under the passenger carpet;
3) remove the bolts that hold the steering column to the dash;
4) loosen the single allen bolt that clamps the ignition lock assembly to the steering column;
5) disconnect the anti-shifting cable (if any);
6) disconnect rear switch connector;
6) rotate the ignition lock assembly so you can see the hardened pin;

Now you have TWO options:
1 ) if you have a pin-point torch, heat ONLY the pin until it is "red-hot" and let it cool (do not quench it cool, you want to remove the "hardening");
now hit the pin hard with a hammer and punch and remove the ignition lock assembly.

OR

2) with a forged punch and hammer hit the area AROUND the pin until the pin is free to depress/move, and you'll be able to remove the ignition lock (similar to smashing the door and door-frame instead of the deadbolt).

I tried option #1, but with a butane torch, I couldn't get the pin hot-enough;

Option #2 worked like a charm!

BTW: the new W124 ignition locks do NOT have their threads tapped for the switch assembly, so you MUST tap them yourself (the dealer said to use self-tapping screws, but not for me!). Stuff a rag into the underside of the ignition lock assembly when tapping and use a little cutting oil to keep the debris from falling into the assembly.

Good luck,

:-) neil
1988 E36T AMG
1993 500E

After my '88 260E had been sitting for 4 months in the driveway (i was quoted $700 to repair) I saw your pictorial on how to remove a jammed lock assy. A couple hours later she was started and moving! I cannot even express how happy I am!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to put this on the internet for everyone!!!

No offense to Diesel Giant, but I think that should be a little "g".

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Any and all knowledge I have comes from Jesus. He just lets me have a little to share with you all.

I take no credit at all, let him have all the credit.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

If your lock is a 300E w124 or of the like (make sure it is) then you'll want to see this:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/200554-1987-300e-key-stuck-ignition-post1640662.html#post1640662

Somewhere in these many lists it gave an angle to put on the end of the paperclip. Worked a charm. Practice with the replacement first, then do it. It took me 3 mins.

I have the typical w123 steering lock problem on my 1979 300D where my key won't turn in the tumbler and the steering lock is engaged. It happens about 1 in 20 starts but I'm always able to jiggle it free (after 10 min.) and finally start the car. I replaced the tumbler with a genuine MB tumbler/key 6 mo. ago and the problem still occurs. It must be the steering lock assembly and NOT the tumbler.

Assuming I can turn my key to the on position...

Can I simply remove the sticky steering lock pin/rod without "grinding" anything to avoid buying a new steering lock assembly?

Do I need to drop my steering column to do any of this repair?

Thanks!

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______________
1979 300D WVO
Boston, MA

am having the exact same problem. discussing it here...

Ignition Key wont turn

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

I modified my ignition lock housing after finding it faulty. Well, after finding the lock cylinder faulty and replacing it--I believe the two failures were connected...

*******************************
Summary:
I couldn't put key into the ignition at all. Metal dust had been observed for a while but I let it go too long and now there was total failure. Some loose brass bits visible in the keyhole.


Install a new ignition lock cylinder but find the ignition lock housing is bad. Modify the housing to be simpler and smoother, at the cost of becoming less theft-proof.


********************************
The details:


Started by following dieselgiant's excellent illustrated guide (http://dieselgiant.com/repairignitionlock.htm) but ran into a snag when I had some major difficulty removing the ignition lock housing. (I couldn't get the dash to move down by removing the left bolt by the emergency brake release.) I reasoned that I could drill out the ignition lock cylinder enough to disable the tab which holds it in the ignition lock cover. While this worked and doesn't require removal of instrument cluster, etc, this took a number of hours for me as I was not very well equipped and broke ten drill bits in the process; if you decide to go this route, get some good drill bits! Also I broke the paperclip in the hole for the tab release, but was able to drill it out with a 1/16” bit.


I installed the new ignition lock cylinder, but after only a couple of turns of the key, it was stuck in the “off” position. I dreaded drilling that sucker out again, so I gave the removal of the ignition lock housing another try. This time I didn't bother removing the dash bolt by the emergency brake, but I did remove the steering wheel and the two small nuts on the lower steering column support. (Also removed the other things listed in dieselgiant's procedure.) I was surprised how much force it took to maneuver the ignition lock housing out while forcing the dash, but it worked and without apparent damage to the dash.


Now I have my ignition lock housing out, but I can't turn the key to remove the electrical cables to remove it from the car without cutting them! Following dieselgiant's advice, by moving the housing around the key begrudgingly turned. Careful to keep the key in position I, I removed the lock cylinder again and tried to see the problem. Basically I decided the column lock mechanism was bad in the housing—it just seemed too crunchy to get the key to turn, and there is a spring loaded wedge inside the housing that was definitely crunchy, see photo #885. I drilled completely through the locking pin and another place in an attempt to free it up, but this didn't work at all.


Since this housing seemed crunchy beyond use, I decided to see if I could get it to work by stripping it down to it's most basic components. (Also it was Sunday so the parts store was closed, and I wanted my wife to be able to drive her own car on Monday instead of borrowing mine.) I removed the plate holding the guts (photo #887) by drilling through near the edges then prying up with a punch. By rotating the mechanism which interacts with the cylinder, it fell out (photo #888) and was easily disassembled (photo #890). Next, the column lock mechanism came out easily (photo #893), and the shaft and spring removed from the rectangular portion.


To make sure I could remove the lock cylinder more easily in future tests, I ground off the tab on the housing which keeps it in even when the cover is absent (photo #894—not a very useful angle!). I also shaved off the plastic tabs on the electrical switch portion so if something happened in the future I could still remove it (photo #899).


For re-assembly, the plate can only be inserted one way, and the column lock's rectangular portion, too. There is an electrical connection with a small plastic switch which I removed—this helps with installing the rectangular portion. The piece from photo #888 (cylinder interacting mechanism) had to be rotated due to a notch in the plate (photo #896, about 4 o'clock). I greased it up well, epoxied the lid back on, and replaced the plastic piece that controls the shut-off valve vacuum switch—it only goes on the shaft one way, but it has two possible orientations—I took my best guess since I forgot to check before disassembly (photo #902—this is key in “off” position), which worked.


I installed the housing without the lock cylinder since it's smaller that way and much easier to fit in. Then I put the car back together and found the electrical switch didn't need a contact to start—what does it do? Also need to be sure the cylinder is lined up with the plate mechanism properly—it's obvious once assembled if it's not.

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
1980 300D (non-turbo, 421k miles)
1984 300TD (turbo, 305k miles)
1985 Vanagon (170k miles)

more photos for the previous post.

Attached Thumbnails

       

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1980 300D (non-turbo, 421k miles)
1984 300TD (turbo, 305k miles)
1985 Vanagon (170k miles)