key stuck in ignition

[Nat]

Hi

I've been slowly working on a old BX 4x4 Gti and finaly got to the stage where the engine is back together.

I started it up a few days ago and all went well and have started it up a few times since but I just started it up today and now the key is stuck in the ignition with the engine running, it seems to be stuck on the starter motor engage side of running.

I had to stall the car to stop the engine.

all the wiggling in the world wont move the key, I can move it to the starter motor engage position and back but that only has the effect of starting it up again.

also for some strange reason I have no electrics inside the car (windows, fan, internal lights etc) which I'm guessing is due to the position its stuck at.

Please, anyone know how to un-stick the key?

Thanks

Nat

[Nat]

Hi

I've now removed the plastic around the key switch and tried removing the barrel but because you can't get it to the little arrow (between A and S) you can't press the pin in, its stuck between the M and D positions

any help really appreciated here

thanks

Nat

[JayW]

Firstly, the electrics don't work in the "cranking" position so nothing to worry about there.

I'd suggest that being physically stuck in that position is a mechanical failure within the barrel however it's only possible to remove the barrel in the number one position.

In the mean time, you can unplug the ignition if you follow the thick red wires down to the plug near the heater matrix and then bridge the wires with a short length of cable to get start and ignition circuits live.

[rayfenwick]

Stop talking about 4x4 GTi's.... it makes me want one... :S

[scarecrow]

Give it a few sharp taps with a hammer whilst wiggling and pulling the key - might work.

[docchevron]

I'd suggest that being physically stuck in that position is a mechanical failure within the barrel

Yep, sounds like it.
IF you cannot depress the plunger then you have 2 options really.
One is get a little die grinder or dremmel, or similar and cut the button down until it clears, or, cut a slot in the colomn. I'd go with the first option, and indeed, have done, many tmes!

[Nat]

Thanks, I've taken your advice and cut the pin back, now I'm stuck with the wiring. Haynes just says to unplug the multi connector but I can't see any connectors on the wiring behind the barrel. Could someone give a little more detail where to find this connector please?

[DavidRutherford]

I can't see any connectors on the wiring behind the barrel. Could someone give a little more detail where to find this connector please?

It's a remarkably long set of cables, about 500mm long. The connectors are located under the radio, and you have to feed the cables all over the place to get from the barrell to the connectors. it's a bit of a pest of a job. Best of luck!

[JayW]

In the mean time, you can unplug the ignition if you follow the thick red wires down to the plug near the heater matrix and then bridge the wires with a short length of cable to get start and ignition circuits live.

[Kevin B]

In the mean time, you can unplug the ignition if you follow the thick red wires down to the plug near the heater matrix and then bridge the wires with a short length of cable to get start and ignition circuits live.

Best be careful doing this unless you know exactly what connections to make. Better still (and easier), now you have presumably entirely removed the ignition barrel with the cables still attached. Simply further dismantle the ignition barrel, to release the rotary switch on the back of the ignition barrel (to which all the cables are connected to).

Plug this back into your wiring loom, and you will now have the same functionality as before, but now not needing a key . Just remember that now when starting the engine, that you now have no return spring on the ignition to switch off the electrical supply to the starter motor solenoid, so as soon as the engine fires you will have to turn the switch back one position smartish.

If you cant source a replacement BX ignition barrel. If you had access to a Citroen ZX ignition barrel you may even be able to rebuild what you have by recycling the BX rotary switch, cables, and steering lock into the ZX ignition barrel (as both the barrels both look remarkably similar), perhaps some more enlightened BX electrical gurus could comment

For the same reason as above, and as your car has ABS (and this has an additional wire coming off the connector block, which is the switched +12v for the ABS system). So if you can only find a BX non ABS ignition barrel, you just need to swap the wiring and rotary switch over.

[JayW]

Best be careful doing this unless you know exactly what connections to make.

Take your pick, there are no earths there, just feed & load. The worst you can do is run the starter without the ignition on.

[Nat]

thanks guys

finally got it out this evening (I don't get that much time to work on it), bit chilly out there to be working on it.

The barrel mechanism is fairly broken, or it is now atleast having slightly heavy handedly taken it apart to get the key out (useful for locking the doors being I only have the master key otherwise)

next question is where can I get a replacement from?

is it going to be a hunt around at scrappies or do they still make them?

Thanks

[electrokid]

Hi Nat,

Does it look like this ?

Can anyone else confirm this is the right one or not ?

NOW SOLD

[docchevron]

yep, that'll do it, that being the generic later style one that will replace the full 8 wire harness as a direct plug in.

[electrokid]

Cool - thanks for that Chris

Nat - PM sent.