Can I start my car without the ignition cylinder in it?

[Mucci]

My ignition cylinder is out at the locksmith while he's trying to reverse engineer a key for it. 

 

I just finished rebuilding the carb and want to fire it up. I was wondering if I could start the car without the lock cylinder in it and what I would need to do to do it safely. 

[Einspritz]

It depends on if you removed the switch from the lock and kept it attached to the wires before sending it to the locksmith.

 

If so, then a screwdriver should do the trick.

 

BTW there should be or should have been a sticker on the lock (Wxxxx) that will give the key code.

[Mucci]

36 minutes ago, Einspritz said:

It depends on if you removed the switch from the lock and kept it attached to the wires before sending it to the locksmith.

 

If so, then a screwdriver should do the trick.

 

BTW there should be or should have been a sticker on the lock (Wxxxx) that will give the key code.

 

I'm not sure what you mean. I pulled out the pin and removed just the cylinder. The wiring is still there. 

 

Unfortunately the code wasn't there anymore and it turned out the doors were different. Someone removed a bunch of the pins so everything is getting rekeyed. 

 

So I don't need to make any electrical connection, just turn the thing with a screw driver? Looks like this

Edited July 15, 2019 by Mucci

[Einspritz]

Been a few thousand years and never took out the tumblers in my cars.

 

If it is like the E30, then there should be two screws on the back to remove the switch from the casing.

 

Or you can test turning the switch w/o the battery hooked up, then try energized.

 

I don't want to direct you to do that and burn something.....BTW I checked my manual and it doesn't show either way, but just the whole cast piece.

 

 

[JerryC]

With the switch removed, I have operated several of these with a screwdriver. It looks like the steering lock is in the way in your photo, so just take out the two screws on the back side and the switch will drop out. Keep the wires attached, of course, and be wary of accidental grounding.

 

[JerryC]

By the way, I'm curious now. What '02 are you working on? I've removed tumblers from a couple of them. Just wondering if I left this trail. My thoughts on removing the tumblers is that no one else knows they're gone, and any key will work afterward.

[Mucci]

13 minutes ago, JerryC said:

By the way, I'm curious now. What '02 are you working on? I've removed tumblers from a couple of them. Just wondering if I left this trail. My thoughts on removing the tumblers is that no one else knows they're gone, and any key will work afterward.

 

Thanks for the info. It's a 1975 in Taiga green. I pulled the passenger handle to get the code and had keys cut from it only to find out the ignition was different and the driver's side was uncoded and missing tumblers.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Mucci

[M3M3]

48 minutes ago, JerryC said:

With the switch removed, I have operated several of these with a screwdriver. It looks like the steering lock is in the way in your photo, so just take out the two screws on the back side and the switch will drop out. Keep the wires attached, of course, and be wary of accidental grounding.

 

what Jerry said.  simple.  take switch off back of lock, insert flat blade screw driver, turn like key.

 

obviously this just starts the car.  it does not disable the steering lock....

 

a search on "ignition switch" should turn up bunches of threads with pics.

Edited July 15, 2019 by mlytle

[Mucci]

Great, I just want to start it anyways. Thanks guys

[JerryC]

14 hours ago, Mucci said:

 

Thanks for the info. It's a 1975 in Taiga green. I pulled the passenger handle to get the code and had keys cut from it only to find out the ignition was different and the driver's side was uncoded and missing tumblers.

I don't know that one. You never know what someone has done to keep an old car on the road without spending money. It seems that originality is getting more press these days, but it didn't used to be that way. I may have done a thing or two in the past that I would think twice about now.

[Conserv]

5 hours ago, JerryC said:

 

.... I may have done a thing or two in the past that I would think twice about now.

 

 

+1

 

Amen! ?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Lorin]

A long time ago i was driving my 2002 (my only car) and when i went to start the car, the key broke off flush in the ignition cylinder. I had rotated the key to "on" but the extra load of the "start" spring was too much for my key which of course was my only key. 

 

I removed the electrical ignition switch from the back of the dash and used the edge of a quarter to start the car. I drove the car for years like that and i still have that quarter.