Ignition switch troubleshooting/replacement (pics)

[Christien]

My ignition switch has been flaky lately, and finally on Monday it gave up the ghost. A few years ago it started getting flaky, so I took it into the shop. They replaced the electrical component of the switch, and it worked fine. Then late last fall it stopped starting. I could get the fuel pump/cd to run, but the last position didn't do anything. So I wired in a push-button for the starter which has worked fine since. But Monday I couldn't even get the fuel pump/cd box. So I bought a replacement from a local shop, $300 used, typical price.

I took my old one out tonight (what a pain squeezing in there!) and opened it up, and it's plain as day what's been going wrong, and why it died gradually, rather than suddenly.



The tab that protrudes from the tumbler part of the mechanism has apparently been disintegrated bit by bit over the years. The replacement one is completely intact, so I shouldn't have another problem for years to come.

[avt007]

I just had mine rekeyed, and I'll second your comments on what a pain it is.