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  #16  
Old 11-23-2010, 07:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vstech View Post
key not turning with a new tumbler is either the collar on wrong, or the steering wheel lock pin damaged...
i forgot to mention that the problem is intermittent. still same cause as told by vstech?

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1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped
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  #17  
Old 11-23-2010, 09:57 PM
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I've just about got the housing out, I can't find the releasing pin from the steering column!

The housing will rotate roughly 10 degrees in both directions but will not come off. I am afraid the black plastic cover over the steering column that extends from the wheel to the lower dash is in my way.

As of now I have the switch unplugged from the back of the housing, the vacuum lines disconnected and the clamp with bolt loose so it spins, and the column is dropped a couple of inches by removing the two bolts accessed from above. Oh, and the instrument cluster is out.

Where is the release pin for this thing!
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1985 300SD 322,000
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  #18  
Old 11-23-2010, 10:50 PM
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Never mind. Got it figured out now.

One a 126 with the steering wheel loose (two bolts removed from above) if you shove it to the left you can see the nipple sticking out. I pushed it with a screwdriver and twisted and pulled and got it out.

After doing an autopsy, Craig was correct. The ears that engage the switch were completely broken off. I'm glad I ordered the housing, rather than just the switch as I was originally going to do. If anyone wants pics, i'll be happy to upload on request.


I did notice a 2 prong connector that did not have anything plugged into it. I found what should be plugged in though. What is this?

I saw in the FSM 46-640 that there is a parking position key lock, but only applies to cars since 01/90.

Any ideas?
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1985 300SD 322,000
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  #19  
Old 11-24-2010, 10:12 AM
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Thumbs up Answer

Quote:
Originally Posted by 4thesporty View Post
Never mind. Got it figured out now.

One a 126 with the steering wheel loose (two bolts removed from above) if you shove it to the left you can see the nipple sticking out. I pushed it with a screwdriver and twisted and pulled and got it out.

After doing an autopsy, Craig was correct. The ears that engage the switch were completely broken off. I'm glad I ordered the housing, rather than just the switch as I was originally going to do. If anyone wants pics, i'll be happy to upload on request.


I did notice a 2 prong connector that did not have anything plugged into it. I found what should be plugged in though. What is this?

I saw in the FSM 46-640 that there is a parking position key lock, but only applies to cars since 01/90.

Any ideas?
Please post the pictures.

Two prong should be your (pause, drum roll) key buzzer switch.








.
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  #20  
Old 11-24-2010, 12:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whunter View Post
Please post the pictures.

Two prong should be your (pause, drum roll) key buzzer switch.

.
OK, that's what I was thinking, but the buzzer worked before this debacle. Well, the buzzer worked when I left the lights on and turned the car off.

Ok, so when does the key buzzer turn on?


Also, it seems that the key area used to be lit a long time ago....Can anyone with a 126 confirm this?

Pics to come when I get home.
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  #21  
Old 11-24-2010, 01:53 PM
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Pics



In this pic of the housing with the switch removed what broke are the "ears" that you see next to the housing. They were attached at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. I would not have known this if I didn't remove the switch.



This is the switch with the broken "ears" laying next to it. You can tell where they engage the switch.



A little history on this car. Shortly after I got it in 2001 I had the typical key stuck in ignition problem. I didn't know anything about it and took it to an indy in Austin, TX who drilled out and replaced my housing and tumbler with one from a parts car.

I have been living with using two keys for 9 years now and decided to replace the tumbler with a VIN matched one from MB about two months ago. I don't know if the tumbler replacement had anything to do with this problem, or if it was just a coincidence.

Wow, as I type this the "brown truck" driver left me with the replacement housing. I will be replacing the housing this evening when I get off work. I want to take a picture for future reference of how I released the housing and the location of the pin. I had a few PMs back and forth with Charlie "Charmalu" and it didn't take long to realize that his 123 is a little different than my 126 even though the housings are the same part numbers.
Attached Thumbnails
2 month old tumbler broke today!-cimg2263.jpg   2 month old tumbler broke today!-cimg2264.jpg  
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Last edited by whunter; 11-25-2010 at 10:58 AM. Reason: attached pictures
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  #22  
Old 11-24-2010, 09:27 PM
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Ok, project done and working great. A few musings:

I figured out that the clamp on the housing keeps it from rotating after you get the tumbler area lined up where it needs to be.

There is no way to do this job without:

1) Pulling the instrument cluster (push out from RF speaker hole)
2) Pulling the lower dash panel off (3 screws + 1 plastic screw thing)
3) Dropping the steering column down by removing these two bolts:



This is twofold. First it gives you some up and down freedom to remove the bolt/clamp from the housing. Also it gives you left to right wiggle room to access the pin to release the housing from the steering column seen here:



The pin is best accessed from sitting in the drivers seat pushing the steering wheel to the left and pushing the pin with a screwdriver or something similar.

Once I had it all out, it literally took me 20 minutes to put the new piece in and install all the removed interference. One note is that the new housing did not come with the connector for the "key buzzer", and since I could not figure out how to get it off my old one I elected not to install it.
Attached Thumbnails
2 month old tumbler broke today!-cimg2267.jpg   2 month old tumbler broke today!-cimg2269.jpg  
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----Adam

1985 300SD 322,000

Last edited by whunter; 11-25-2010 at 10:59 AM. Reason: attached pictures
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  #23  
Old 11-24-2010, 10:11 PM
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Good to hear it's working again. That job is a PITA, hopefully it's not one that we have to do too often.
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  #24  
Old 12-12-2010, 06:18 PM
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piggybacking here...

so, my key will NOT turn now. as i stated before, i replaced my tumbler a couple/few weeks ago with a vin matched new one from the dealer. does this mean i need to replace this assembly now in order to fix this problem...

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1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped
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  #25  
Old 12-12-2010, 07:24 PM
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I would make dang sure the new tumbler is installed correctly, and the locking ring is seated all the way down first. One thing I learned is to use some needle nose pliars to turn the ring. It would only go so far with my fingers. This does scratch it a little, but is not very noticable.

If you cannot get the key to turn, then that means you cannot unscrew the locking ring to remove the tumbler again. That also means that if you do need to replace the housing then you will need to drill out the pin to release the housing from the steering column.

And yes, that is the correct picture of the next suspect after you are sure of the above info.
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  #26  
Old 12-12-2010, 07:54 PM
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ok. i've been a bit nervous since my car is stranded at my work with a non turning key. i have tomorrow off to deal with this.

i've been searching and reading and from what i understand, i can remove the instrument cluster, and without removing the whole steering lock assembly, use a dremel to grind off the top of the locking pin and i can then turn my key? do i need to grind the locking pin "out"? sorry, it's getting late and i'm stressing.
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1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped
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  #27  
Old 12-13-2010, 08:44 AM
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You need to drill this "tit" off to remove the housing.



During normal (key will turn) R/R of the housing you need to depress this button to remove the housing from the steering column. I could not find the button (read this post) at all with cluster out and lower hush panel out. I needed to wiggle the steering column once it was loose to even see the button.

Good luck.
Attached Thumbnails
2 month old tumbler broke today!-cimg2dtyhj267.jpg  
__________________
----Adam

1985 300SD 322,000

Last edited by whunter; 12-13-2010 at 06:14 PM. Reason: attached picture
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  #28  
Old 12-13-2010, 11:24 AM
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i'm headed to the car with dremel in hand. will report back later. thanks.
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1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped
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  #29  
Old 12-13-2010, 05:06 PM
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Thumbs up

VICTORY!

i grindededed that little nipple with a dremel, then pulled the switch/steering wheel lock assembly, and sho'nuff the steering wheel lock will not retract on its own at all. total failure of the part. for now i have to drive around with the part laying in the dash with the instrument cluster removed, and push-in the steering wheel lock by hand every time i insert the key, or the key will not turn.

thanks lots and lots.
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1982 300sd from craigslist $800 greased on one tank with NO CONVERSION in the Hot Texas Sun. (currently dead & awaiting engine damage investigation and/or longblock swap)
new daily: '03 vw 5speed jetta tdi wagon. bagged&chipped
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  #30  
Old 12-13-2010, 05:24 PM
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Congrats!

Did you grind from the drivers seat or were you able to get at it from above or below?

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1985 300SD 322,000
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