Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-13-2008, 11:04 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
92 300D ignition switch woes

gents,

getting to my actual question will require a brief recitation of history:

about a week ago the infamous problem arose of the ignition key getting stuck in 0 position. from the many posts on here as well as diesel giant i was able to dremel out the pin holding the lock cylinder, remove it, cut off the black cap, replace with a new key and tumbler. (
benz mechanic assisted in the cutting and putting in new tumbler) mechanic let me borrow a universal lock and tumbler while my mine was being fabricated and delivered.

so yesterday morning i took it in to exchange lock and tumbler and drove away feeling as though i'd saved hundreds and learned more than i could have imagined about the dash area of my 124.

HOWEVER, i drove from the shop out to a rural location where i'm building a house, and at the end of the day, ready to
drive back, the car wouldn't start. granted, i had the radio on for the day, but windows, radio, lights, etc didn't give any indication of battery drain. furthermore, the actual problem seems to be the key won't turn from the 2 to the 3 position. it stops at the accessory position, and won't turn the engine over at all.

so after all this explanation, the simple question is, what is going on?

quite a heafty
tow bill to tow it into town...
the odds would seem to indicate the lock cylinder, not having been replaced, might be at fault.? but i didn't want to take it all apart if it is something else i've overlooked.

i'm exasperated...

thanks in advance for any tidbits.



Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-13-2008, 11:23 AM
babymog's Avatar
Loose Cannon - No Balls
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northeast Indiana
Posts: 10,765
Being a '92, it has a shift interlock which won't allow you to turn it all of the way off and remove the key unless it is completely in park.

It also won't turn to the start position unless it has turned ALL OF THE WAY OFF.

Press the shifter into the park position, turn the key all of the way off and re-try to start. Hopefully this will help.

I don't remember there being an adjustment for the interlock cable (would be on the shifter side, the ignition side just screws all of the way in). but there might be.
__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-13-2008, 11:42 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
thanks jeff,

i tried all of the following and even removed the front panel to make sure the shift lock line was attached, shifted in and out of park several times and turned key on and off many times.

sadly, i don't think it is this simple.

regards
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-13-2008, 12:07 PM
babymog's Avatar
Loose Cannon - No Balls
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northeast Indiana
Posts: 10,765
If it turns to the position where all is unlocked, the wires from the starter terminate in a 3-wire terminal block on the inner-firewall near the brake booster. You can "hot-wire" the starter at that point, the shutoff lever should be up (unplug vacuum line if it is not) and steering unlocked, drive home or to the repair shop.

Does the key come out?
__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-13-2008, 04:22 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 20,841
Make sure you have the key in a position in which the brake lights work if you decide to drive it. For such a safety conscious bunch, I don't know why MB engineers didn't wire the brake lights and horn to work with the key out.

Sixto
87 300D
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-13-2008, 04:25 PM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Quote:
Originally Posted by sixto View Post
. . . For such a safety conscious bunch, I don't know why MB engineers didn't wire the brake lights and horn to work with the key out.

Sixto
87 300D
An interesting comment. They don't???
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-13-2008, 04:41 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 20,841
Mine don't.

Sixto
87 300D
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-13-2008, 04:53 PM
babymog's Avatar
Loose Cannon - No Balls
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northeast Indiana
Posts: 10,765
I guess that they figure you're not driving it with the key out?
__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-13-2008, 07:52 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
yes, jeff, i can get the key out, and it turns through all positions except from 2-3.

could you explain a bit more the "hot-wiring" process?

many thanks
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-13-2008, 08:22 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 20,841
Connector X27 in this post might be what Jeremy has in mind -

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=2037483&postcount=4

Sixto
87 300D
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-13-2008, 08:44 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
thanks again.

if i can locate this, any specific instructions from this point?

which wires to cross, etc.?
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-13-2008, 08:55 PM
babymog's Avatar
Loose Cannon - No Balls
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northeast Indiana
Posts: 10,765
Can't remember which wire, so BUMP it goes to the top.
__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-17-2008, 10:20 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
so to complete the post...

i took the lock cylinder out again, and found that the detents in the electrical part of the switch were'nt allowing key to turn from 2-3.

installed new switch and all is well

thanks
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 06-26-2009, 05:06 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 36
is it acceptable to drive with a bypassed ignition lock assembly?

the ignition key in my '82 w123 (240d) failed to work. i took dieselgiant.com advice (thank you!!!) on grinding down the pin potruding into the steering column. regardless the key still did not work! i bypassed the system by removing the vacuum lines and plugging them before starting...
glowplugs don't work but a squirt of WD40 does it everytime... I just short connectors on starter ad it comes right up
and unplugging the vacuum lines to kill the car!

my question is will continued use in this state cause any damage to the electrical sys or otherwise???

thank you for any input!
john

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:25 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page