UPDATE: Ignition system

[flaminglip]

OK...... so today when my wife trys to star thte 76' 2002, she cant get the key to turn, so I get in there and turn the wheel until the key turns....... still wont turn....... so I really wrench the wheel till the key moves, but now nothing happens when I turn the key, none of the instrument lights come on, the starter doesnt turn....NOTHING!!!! Its not the battery, as all of the lights work.

Any help trouble shooting this would be greatly appreciated. Any way to bypass the key to get it to my friends shop?

Thanks in advance!!!!

[esty]

i just went thru that problem...it was a abd ignition switch on mine

[flaminglip]

Thanks.... wish I could find out how to trouble shoot it to see if I need the whole new switch with the key/lock or if its just the switch.

[flaminglip]

OK......... When this started this afternoon, none of the dash lights or stereo would come on. Now I removed the ignition switch(with the 2 flat head screws, leads still attached). I can now stick a philips head driver in there and everything lights up and the stereo comes on, but the car wont crank. How can I get the starter to turn with the lockset bypassed? Im assuming that this is going to be an issue of just replacing the lockset or the actual switch, am I correct in this assumption? Thanks in advance!!!!

[Mike Self]

the electrical part other than to turn the actual switch (the plastic part with the wires).

If you've removed the switch from the key lock, you should be able to turn the switch with a screwdriver (as you described) first to the "ign" position (dash lights and stereo come on), and then to the "start" position, where the starter should engage and start turning the engine over. That position is spring loaded so when you release the key it pops back to the "ign" position.

If you can't make it go to "start" I would suspect something inside the electrical switch has jammed. That's been known to happen. If you can borrow another one and connect it temporarily, that should tell you if it's the switch itself, or something in the switch-to-relay wiring, the relay or the starter motor itself.

mike

[flaminglip]

Thanks Mike! You all have been SUPER helpful!!!!!!

So to paraphrase........ with a screwdriver, going from the 2nd position to the 3rd position should have some(spring loaded) resistance and pop back to the middle position when I turn it fully clockwise and release? Mine is going all the way to the 3rd(fully clockwise position) without engaging the starter or popping back to the middle position.

So I am guessing that the quickest/cost effective way to proceed would be to find a working ignition switch to see if that is the offending part!

[flaminglip]

GOT IT TO TURN OVER!!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I just wasnt pushing the ig. switch far enough clockwise. Now I guess I just need to figure out what is jamming the key mechanism. I have a strange feeling that it has something to do with the steering wheel lock, as that is what started this whole mess.