Ignition key turning hard or locking

[mitymerc]

Hey Guys,

A few times recently the ign key in the MegaMerc has gotten stuck in the KOEO position as I was shutting it off.

Some times a good hard jiggle on the shift lever has freed it and other times restarting the car a few times has gotten it loose.

The lock cylinder was replaced a few years ago.

I need to fix this before it gets cold out, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

MM

[gadget73]

Pull the cylinder itself and see if it does the same thing out of the car.

[Tiggie]

Graphite lube is best.

I've used WD-40 in a pinch but don't really like do since it may attract more crap later to gum up your lock mechanism.

Is your key a fresh cut? A little wear is sometimes a good thing in terms of smooth operation. The slightly worn key to my 95 ranger fits the ignition of my 94 mustang but won't turn the doors, and also fits the doors of my friends old 91 escort but not the ignition. The mustang key won't fit the ranger, but the escort key will fit the doors of the ranger but not the ignition.

[VicCrownVic]

Is it only a problem when turning the key from on to off after driving?
The shift tube bushings on The Ice Car wore out and one slid down blocking the lock mechanism that is supposed to engage when the key is turned to the off position. Messing with the shifter sometimes would work to get key out but my success rate wasn't high enough to live with.

[mitymerc]

Yes, only when going from on to off. I remember reading something about a shifter tube on here before. Sounds like a fairly large job. I have so little time that I was hoping that wasn't it LOL. How do you diagnose it? Just start tearing the column apart?

[jaywish]

Often it is just the bolt at the bottom of the tube that needs to be snugged up. I vaguely remember it being a torx?

Not sure if that can cause your specific problem but it would not hurt to check. Mine was half way out. A gentle tighten and good to go.

[VicCrownVic]

Yes, only when going from on to off. I remember reading something about a shifter tube on here before. Sounds like a fairly large job. I have so little time that I was hoping that wasn't it LOL. How do you diagnose it? Just start tearing the column apart?

Dropping the column is probably the best way to confirm. Otherwise the symptoms sure do sound like that's what happened.

It's not too bad of a job actually. After you've done it once you can probably be done in 15 minutes if you're moving quick.

Pull the trim on dash on both sides of the steering column.
5 bolts (5/16 or 8mm) to remove the panel under the steering column (top 3 bolts are hidden by the trim removed in the first step).
Disconnect the shift indicator cable from the shift tube on the passenger side of the steering column.
Remove the plastic panel above the pedals, it's held by christmas tree clips and slides into metal clip on the side of the ECM bracket (don't forget about that bracket when putting it together, otherwise the panel will hang low). There is also a light that twists out of that panel on the left.
3 bolts (5/16 or 8mm) remove the metal brace under the steering column (I like to leave the plastic panel from the previous step attached to this brace and pull it as one).
Then the steering column drops by removing 4 13mm nuts from the underside of the steering column.

The brackets that hold the bushings in are held by torx (t35 I think).

The bracket jaywish is referring to attaches to the bottom (firewall end) of the shift tube. It shouldn't cause this kind of problem but those bolts (also t35 torx I think) tend to fall out so you might want to check them and put some thread lock on them while you're in there.

[mitymerc]

Dropping the column is probably the best way to confirm. Otherwise the symptoms sure do sound like that's what happened.

It's not too bad of a job actually. After you've done it once you can probably be done in 15 minutes if you're moving quick.

Pull the trim on dash on both sides of the steering column.
5 bolts (5/16 or 8mm) to remove the panel under the steering column (top 3 bolts are hidden by the trim removed in the first step).
Disconnect the shift indicator cable from the shift tube on the passenger side of the steering column.
Remove the plastic panel above the pedals, it's held by christmas tree clips and slides into metal clip on the side of the ECM bracket (don't forget about that bracket when putting it together, otherwise the panel will hang low). There is also a light that twists out of that panel on the left.
3 bolts (5/16 or 8mm) remove the metal brace under the steering column (I like to leave the plastic panel from the previous step attached to this brace and pull it as one).
Then the steering column drops by removing 4 13mm nuts from the underside of the steering column.

The brackets that hold the bushings in are held by torx (t35 I think).

The bracket jaywish is referring to attaches to the bottom (firewall end) of the shift tube. It shouldn't cause this kind of problem but those bolts (also t35 torx I think) tend to fall out so you might want to check them and put some thread lock on them while you're in there.

Awesome VCV,

Procedure was right on.

I thought I found the prob in the Key Sw,



The plastic piece w/the Ford emblem is broken, the shard was floating around in the cylinder cavity.

Upon further investigation I found these,



I've ordered new bushings & hope to install them next weekend.

I imagine the shift linkage runs through the tube.

Have you done this job before?

The Bushings are split, do they open wide enough to wrap around the column shaft? If not, I assume it is necessary to remove the shift linkage from the tube?

Thanks,

MM

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Done those on an aero, hell if I remember how I slipped them onto the shift tube. Btw the shift linkage IS the tube, there's nothing going on inside it other than the springs for the shift lever detents. You just undo the torx bolts that hot the cable-actuating lever onto the bottom end of the shift tube and you should be able to pop the whole tube and shift lever assembly off the steering column once you remove those two caps that retain it. Shift cable and its lever will remain dangling under the dash, just bolt them back onto the tube once you've reinstalled it onto the column.

[VicCrownVic]

Yep, the bushings are split so you can open them up and slip them over like you are thinking.

The bushing sliding out from under the lower bracket blocks an open slot on the underside of the shift tube which the lock mechanism is supposed to engage into when you turn the key to the off position. Based on my notes in another thread it's the bottom bushing sliding UP/toward the steering wheel which causes this problem.

It looks like the bushing that is partially out from under the bracket is the top one (not the problem one) so the one that should be causing the problem must be the one still under the bracket in the other pic? Unless it slid itself back in there, I'm not sure if that is the problem in your case. So maybe your first find was the problem. If you lift that shift tube up you can inspect the lock mechanism to see if there is anything funny going on there. Even turning the key with the shift tube off you can see how it works. The bushing are worn so replacing them will help the shifter to not feel so floppy so might as well replace them.

Also, from that same thread, there is another version of the shift tube that Stealthlead has on his '91. It has a piece that prevents that lower bushing from sliding up and blocking the lock mechanism. Compare the pictures in post 1 (his) and post 4 (mine) and you'll see there is no way for his bushing to slide up and block the lock mechanism.

The shift cable is attached to a bracket attached to the bottom/firewall side of the shift tube which Jaywish was referring to. It's just the rotation of the shift tube that actually moves the shift cable via that bracket. There is some sort of plunger/spring inside of the tube, but that only works the lever that rides in the stepped bracket further down the tube (this hleps keep the shifter stay in the selected gear). The two bushing brackets and the stepped bracket all need to come off to get the shift tube off.You could replace the bushings without removing the tube, but like mentioned earlier it might be a good idea to inspect the lock mechanism under the tube for any funny business just in case.

Edit: What HRG said. (didn't see that until after I posted)