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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 5,861
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Ignition switch scare
Hmm... Today the switch did something funny...
I rotated the key and cranked, but nothing happened. More precisely, it was like the whole barrel had rotated a bit and there was not enough travel left to reach the cranking "area"... i.e no spring loading... I played with it for a minute and rotated back the other way as much as I could, and it worked again... I'm surprised as the whole ignition switch/key was replaced about 15K miles ago and it was not cheap! Is there a chance I can fix this myself? Or do the symptoms spell doom ? I am tempted to install a start button instead if cranking is the only problem... |
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08-21-2006, 09:32 AM
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heiliges blechle!
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Travel a lot
Posts: 425
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I had a similar problem. I removed the electrical part of the switch and got the mechanical part to start working again by squirting some graphite lube inside. There is a kind of a lockout built into the switch. When the key is turned it will go to the cranking position one time. When you release it, it forces you to return the key all the way back to the "off" position to reset the lockout before it will let you engage the starter again. I found this safety lockout in both the mechanical and the electrical portions of the ignition switch.
edit: this is the lubricant I used and it has worked very well - guess it is not really graphite but it looks like it... http://www.ironbraid.com/driside.html
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'84 M491 '07 Silverado '75 Suzuki GT550 2-stroke triple '02 Aprilia Mille R '07 Ducati S4Rs '08 Night Train Last edited by Bill in OKC; 08-22-2006 at 09:16 AM.. |
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08-21-2006, 02:11 PM
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Bill, I'm curious cause I was looking at mine yesterday. Does removing the electrical part mean you could do this w/ it still in the car or you had to remove shear bolts and pull it? Thanks, Ken
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Ken in Greer, SC 88 Carrera Coupe 98 C2S Coupe |
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08-21-2006, 05:56 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: New England
Posts: 380
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You can remove the electrical part without removing the whole switch. From a previous post: "If you do decide to remove & replace the electrical portion from underneath the dash, a trick to get that top screw is to use a phillips bit from a cordless drill and a small open end wrench that fits the bit shaft. Still a tight fit, but doable. The bottom screw is pretty easy to get to. One of those flashlights that fits on a headband is helpful as you'll need both hands. To get access to the switch, just unplug the wire bundles in the way from their sockets and push them aside. This was for an '88; I'm not sure if yours is the same set up."
Argo 88 Targa |
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08-21-2006, 06:21 PM
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Thanks Argo. Mine's an 88 too so this is great info. I've got an intermittent no-start prob so I'm studying my options. Ken
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Ken in Greer, SC 88 Carrera Coupe 98 C2S Coupe |
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08-21-2006, 06:55 PM
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Location: CA
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Well, mine's already been redone so I have 2 easy bolts to pull, so that is good... The annoying part is that it was done maybe 15K miles ago, those switches are crap !!! I will pull it and see about that graphite poweder solution, but I am weary of a quick fix if it's gonna strand me next month ! The car is also too low for me to jump it from under the starter witha screwdriver, so for peace of mind I might just replace it again !!! Crap, I was hoping it was something loose or that had rotated, but your explanations make sense, unfortunately !
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08-22-2006, 04:48 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Glorious Pac NW
Posts: 4,184
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I used graphite powder in my 944 - really gummed the pins in the locks up good.
I switched to using silicon lubricant, it washed all the graphite out and worked much better. You may need to re-apply every 4-6 months or so. When I went to the only locksmith in town with 911 blanks to get a new key, the first words out of his mouth were "this looks quite like a 911 key" (to which my reply was "it should look *exactly* like a 911 key"). He offered me some silicon lubricant, saying "you don't want to use graphite". YMMV 
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'77 S with '78 930 power and a few other things. |
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08-22-2006, 08:52 AM
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I did this last December to mine and have had zero problems since. The key feels like it is engaging the switch, but it is not.
My key tumbler/ignition switch was not turning all the way into the engage starter position...turn the key and it was like hittting a wall prior to engaging the starter. This started out as happening every so often, but then, lucky for me it quit all together inside my garage. I sprayed in some brake cleaner followed by using a magnetized mini flat screwdriver and massaged both the upper and lower tumblers inside the switch. I then went with WD-40 and repeated the process with the screwdriver and then my key. Finally after a bunch of in and out (not the fun kind) I tried the key and bam, it worked. Tried it a few more times and everything seems to be good. __________________
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madmmac AKA Mitch 1984 Factory Turbo Look 2006 4Runner 1998 TRD Supercharged 4Runner (Sleeper) |
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08-22-2006, 08:58 AM
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