Ignition tumbler question 300TDT
 

Last week I got the dreaded ignition unit sunset fate. After about an hour of
fiddling, the tumbler unlocked and the car roared into life, and when I reached home I parked in the street to keep the drive way free. I turned
the engine off and remembered to leave the key in the Acc. position. Next
morning I could not start the car to bring it into the garage to work on.
So I continued to remove the tumbler in the blistering sun. That was easy
after I had read the ample advice on this forum. I did not hit any snags until then.


Armed with a suitable prepared paper clip lodged in the hole of the tumbler
the woodruff key underneath the cap dropped down and the cap spun out easily. With the tumbler in my hand the key turned effortlessly in all positions. So I realized that the problem must be in the steering lock.


With the tumbler removed, the steering lock is retracted, and from the
tips on this forum I was able to depress a pea sized button on the side of barrel of the lock to withdraw the lock assembly from the vehicle. (Before that I had to disconnect the large electrical plug from the rear and the two shut off vacuum hoses on the side of the lock).


With the assembly out, I reassembled the tumbler after cleaning and
adding graphite powder to all moving parts. The unit worked fine.


Now comes the fun part. I worked the woodruff key on the tumbler several times before assembly and it was fine. So I assembled the lock with the cap
one final time. Before I could finally align the cap marks, the famous paper clip fell off and the woodruff key snapped in and locked the cover.
After that the steering lock would not retract with the key. I had to
depress the part sticking out of the barrel a little bit to turn the
tumbler. I thought, not a problem. I shall reopen the cap.
So, I proceeded to uncap the tumbler using the paper clip, but the
woodruff key would not release.
To use the unit as is, I have kept the pea sized button on the side of the barrel depressed with tape, with the steering wheel lock in the retracted position. Now I can
use the unit without the steering wheel locked. I dread the day the tumbler
malfunctions. Does anyone know if the woodruff key operates only when
the cap is in its home position. I have tried several size paper clips,
but to no avail. Any other ideas to spin the cap off? Did I do some thing wrong?


Hopping for some good news.


Mariano


1984 300tdt

I have not read any one with our particular problem.

In my own case with the pea shaped button I depressed it hosed it off with brake cleaner and when the brake cleaner had all evaporated I used JB Weld Epoxy and filled that area in and wrapped tape around it to so the epoxy would form to the contour. In theory my Steering Colum will never lock again. It also relieves a lot of spring tension when you turn the key because one of the springs is depressed.

Even though the Collar did not lock in the right position the key itself need to be in the proper potion before you can stick in the paper clip. The falling block on the tumbler is part of the tumbler.

You did not say you inspected the inside of the Steering Colum Lock. I found stuff broken inside of mine and that broken stuff is what was causing the Lock Tumbler Symptoms.

Many thanks Diesel911.

When the cap locked on me, I was able to turn the tumbler to the ACC position with
the key by depressing the end sticking out of the barrel. Despite that I could not unlatch the cap with the paper clip. As you indicated,
I was going to unassembled the lock part to see why it was not operating with the key.
Maybe broken parts inside. However I was able to push on the end easily to get
the key to turn the tumbler to start.

Mariano

I also have a 1984. It has an anti-theft feature that unless the key is in a certain position you cannot remove the Electrical Connector at the bottom of the Steering Colum Lock.

In the picture there is a red circle and the white part locks the Electrical Connector into the housing.

You might see if you can find a source of a new or used Steering Colum Lock.

Many thanks for the picture.


As of now, I am able to retract the electrical connector from the rear.
I have done exactly what you have done with your lock-- kept the pea
like button depressed with JB weld. So now I can take the whole ignition
lock out minus the connector. I can get the key to the ACC position,
but whatever I do I cannot release the woodruff key on the tumbler to
spin out the cover. At present I can start the vehicle but not lock the
steering. In future, if the tumbler fails, I shall have to replace the whole unit and jump start the vehicle until then.


I note that someone on this forum had a similar problem. I do not know
if he resolved it using a trick.


Mariano

Sounds like the epoxy did not hold the woodruff key in position and popped out just enough and locked the cover. Since you can no longer use the paper clip, the only option appears to be Dremel + cutoff wheels to split the cover into 2 pieces. Not a fun job. Good luck!

He did not jb weld the woodruff key. He jb welded the button you depress to get the steering colum out of the bracket that holds it.