Ignition Cylinder Issue

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WABronc

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So the truck wouldn’t turn over, and I eventually discovered the ignition cylinder has seemingly gone bad. What’s odd is that I had already replaced the old sloppy cylinder with a new one a few months back. Cheap parts I guess, so I pulled it out and the cylinder I’m removing seems to operate perfectly fine.

When I look back into the housing I see this. Bunch of yellow grease basically and some plastic gasket thing at the other end and somehow it was messing up the lock cylinder?

What’s happening here? Could anyone send a photo of what this should look like?
 

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Tiha

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Ignition actuator rod maybe?

Can you start it with a screwdriver like that?
 
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WABronc

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I cannot start it with a screwdriver. I'm starting to think it's the actuator rod. Do I need to pull of the steering wheel and tear the whole column apart to get into this?
 

Tiha

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Is this on the 96? was it?

You can take the ignition switch down and manually operate it with a ***** driver to test it as well.

the actuator changed in like 1991. Older broke all the time. Newer not so much, but it is also plastic so it does wear.
 

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WABronc

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Solved my issue but it became a lot more work than what I intended.

My recommendation if anyone gets an issue like this, you can probably get a set of lock picks and remove the bits at the end of the lock cylinder and reset the gear on the actuator, along with maybe greasing everything back up. All possible without even removing your wheel.

this is the most helpful video I found on the subject.

What I decided on doing was replacing the actuator but I probably didn’t need to, and to do that you have to take the wheel and upper piece of the steering column off. Even then it’s not really accessible but you can sort of force it into place. When reassembling the upper portion a ***** got cross threaded and broke the upper piece, it’s just cast aluminum and it cracked. Wound up replacing the whole column next day with a junkyard one.

All’s well that ends. Car starts again.
 

chrlsful

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he did not show the repair. He showed both ends of it but not how he drew the long siece (?actuator?) out of it's big holder/slot. I learned but need more. Glad mine's an older model. Have taken apart these modern columns'n wheels. Nuttin's easy, I too break stuff easily. Real mess. Glad U just gota column, hope it lasts.
 
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WABronc

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he did not show the repair. He showed both ends of it but not how he drew the long siece (?actuator?) out of it's big holder/slot. I learned but need more. Glad mine's an older model. Have taken apart these modern columns'n wheels. Nuttin's easy, I too break stuff easily. Real mess. Glad U just gota column, hope it lasts.
Correct, I don't think he actually takes the actuator out here but the video should cover reseating the gear on the actuator.

I was able to get my upper actuator disconnected from the lower actuator piece by just forcing it out of place essentially. It's not really made to be removed without taking the entire column apart. New actuator was filed down at the corner to allow for fitting it back into the slot. What I said might make sense if you've taken the first half of the column apart, apologize I don't have any photos.
 

chrlsful

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"...not really made to be removed without taking the entire column apart. New actuator was filed down at the corner to allow for fitting it back into the slot...
That helps.
We do things (short cuts) all the time. It's just that some take longer than the other way. aahahahaa
The "file it to get back in" is a HUGE piece of the puzzle. Glad U added it.
 

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