Lessons from lock cylinder cleaning. - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

kerry · #16 03-25-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

. OP should throw a bit of graphite in there as well.

Not until everything is re-installed. My hands would turn black on re-installation if I did it now.

kerry · #17 03-25-2011, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHZR2

Im in the opposite situation with my 82 currently (locks uncleaned). Just got a new dealer key, my original, which shows some wear goes in/out far smoother, while the new one catches/binds.

I have to wonder if the dirt inside makes up voids/gaps that lets the old key slide in, while the sharp edges on the new one then get caught because they want to move the tumblers to their correct position which the dirt prevents (or causes over-movement).

Remove the dirt, the old worn key cant cause the tumblers to move far enough... they are ever so slightly misaligned and thus cause the scraping. The cleaned tumbler with new key works as is normal.

I think this is true. The new key did not work as smoothly as the old until I cleaned it. This difference is important for those people whose keys are not turning and have decided to flush out their lock with WD-40 in a last ditch effort to get one more turn out of it to remove the cylinder. A new key might be helpful to do that once it is flushed out.