Another sad post about cutting out a w123 ignition
 

So maybe some of you have seen my other sad posts about loosing my keys to a 83' w123 that has an ignition that has already been replaced. I have no spare, and have no way of getting another one cut, but fortunately I happen to have a whole other ignition(- the electrical cluster) that has been just sitting around with a new tumbler and set of keys...

So I got my dremmel and I'm ready to cut... but before I plug it in I want to make sure I have a really solid general consensus of the "RIGHT"way to do this . I know there is a lot of post from people who have stuck/locked up ignition switches and just cut the nipple on the steering column and shake the pins and VWAALA!!. Unfortunately mine is a little more complicated,SO Can I/should I....

A) Dremmel down the nipple and just slide the whole lock assembly out and get the electrical cluster off of the back somehow by...?(Drilling out the tumbler and turning it with a screw driver?)or(finding a way to cut around the electrical plug without damaging it?)

or

B) Just leave the whole lock assembly in the steering column and go dremmel first into the tumbler and cut until...

any advise or links to decent threads/pictorials on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

Take it to a locksmith-they can pull the old cylinder and pop the new one in without chopping anything up. If they want to chop, they're doing it wrong. I was able to do mien without cutting anything.

@Simple--->Please Explain how this was done? Does everyone else agree?

2X on the look smith. He may be able to make you a new key with the tumbler installed.

Otherwise drill the tumbler out and use a screw driver to turn the ignition lock
to the position where you can push the pin and remove the electrical connector.

Ok..Iv tried every lock jockey in book, nobody will touch it with a 2-foot pole. Start Drilling out the tumbler I guess. Will I be able to salvage the ignition lock?

If you want to give it one last try... call your nearest dealer's parts counter and ask which locksmith they use....

If you call that company and say the dealer referred you... you may get a more positive reply.

If you drill or grind off the locking pin on the steering column, will the whole ignition assembly come out with the tumbler security ring still around the tumbler? Is there enough room for that to happen?

Yes I have done it
 

The Whole steering lock assembly comes out when you grind down the pin. It pretty much makes the whole thing useless to re install but that is easier to fix with a used one than trying to fix the old one. I do not believe you will find a locksmith able to solve the problem much differently , I don't think there is any Secret way of doing it. Dremel down the lock pin , pull the whole assembly sideways to unlock the steering and remove. Took me about an hour the first time on a 240D The black ring and the front of the ign tumbler are hard enough that nothing short of grinding will touch them. You can cut the ring off with a zipcut but it will damage the threads underneath. Once you have the thing out you might be able to cut the front of the ring and cyl off with the zippy or a diamond blade. Cheers Dan

THats it and thats all...(with Pics)
 

After about 2hours with the a dremmel, diamond wheel and alot of bad noise...I cut the face off the black collar vault and the tumbler popped out! I can now start it with a screwdriver! So far...the ignition lock seems to be salvageable. To my surprise the whole ignition looks like it was replaced with one out of a w124, so the replacement w123 tumbler i have is not going to work. Guess the screwdriver will have do until the new one gets here. The one problem I did not solve was how to get the rest of the black collar vault to unscrew, I see the two holes but cant really seem to get it to pop. Check out my photos below and dont comment on the minor dremmel marks around the ignition...it happens

Did the thing in the middle of the pictures Pop Out? That thing id the Tumbler.