Ignition Tumbler

[Tinkley]

Strange little one. Started car, drove off, turned on wiper Oh its not working!. Water in the relays again - no. Turned out the 3 or 4 position ignition switch is not dropping its tumblers back. Easy to turn key - too easy, but then have to fiddle it back into the 'Normal' run position to get circuits live.
I take it a squirt of something like Carb Cleaner and then some fresh light oil will get the devil working OK? If someone has had this and fixed it, I would appreciate any insights/feedback.

[citronut]

it could be the lock return spring has failed/broken

regards malcolm

[Tinkley]

Thanks Malcolm. Having had to smash a ignition barrel to pieces courtesy of Liphook Coachworks, I know its a pretty intricate set of tumblers and springs in there. Even taping them in position on removal might be fairly tricky. Don't want to have separate key for ignition to doors so will live with it for time being. I might try and find an 'exploded' drawing of the unit. Have not checked steering lock.
The key off my other car will open this ones doors just not work in the barrel!.

[citronut]

i dont think you will find an exploded drawing of the ignition lock, as they are ment to be a sealed unit,
and i cant remember ever seeing a drawing of the innards,

the other answer would be fit a complete set of locks

regards malcolm

[Tinkley]

Thanks again. The reason I had to smash one apart was the idiots broke the key off in the barrel after taking it away for its insurance assessment. Total joke as one look even at home could have told them that, and a few photos.
So they got a lock guy to 'fiddle' a new key into it to get it started and said if you turn it off it (the key) will not turn again. Sure enough the key would not turn and could not be pulled out of the barrel.
Hardly returned in the condition in which it left!. Nice to leave outside the house.
It definitely is the spring as the behaviour has subtley changed. I do get the click, click, click then nothing and no resistance in the starting position. It now requires manually turning back after firing, but will sit correctly in the run position.
I just can't remember if there were any position springs next to the plastic actual switch underneath the tumbler barrel part. It's OK for me to drive it but anyone else would certainly find it confusing. I got the old one to start and run from the plastic switch but all positions had to be found manually. Afraid I threw all the gubbins away as err springs and plungers sort of fell out of it.

I changed a barrel before on the 14 after the kids smashed it and had to have 2 keys, one for doors one for ignition. That was 54 quid then and over 100 for the matching door sets. Of course I might be lucky and get a barrel with key shape which does not require the door sets.

[Jaba]

It is probably the plastic return spring retainer that has cracked and failed. It is the same diameter as and sits in the inside end the lock barrel. It is very easy to change if you have a spare donor without having to deal with the tumblers at all.