Ignition lock cylinder release spring location

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by cochrane, Aug 16, 2006.

  1. cochrane

    cochrane Guest

    I'm trying to switch an ignition lock cylinder between an '87
    and an '89 Lebaron, each with tilt steering wheel. My problem
    is, the Hayne's manual for these cars doesn't give the procedure
    for pre-1990 models.

    (As an aside - does anybody else find these manuals are just
    getting less and less useful? As Hayne's struggles to cover a
    wider and wider range of makes and models with fewer manuals,
    more and more of the photos and figures seem to bear captions
    with those awful words that strike fear into every backyard
    mechanic's heart: words like "typical" or "other models similar"
    or "may vary depending on model". I understand they're just
    trying to keep the books affordable, but this is really bad.
    In my case, they don't even give a basic procedure for more
    than half the model years supposedly covered by the manual.)

    I assume the lock mechanism was pretty standard for a wide
    range of vehicles from that era. Indeed I found a detailed
    description of the procedure to remove the cylinder in another
    Hayne's manual, about Chrysler minivans. The photos and
    instructions matched my vehicles perfectly, right up to the
    last, critical step of releasing the spring latch and pulling
    out the lock cylinder. So I pulled the steering wheel, removed
    the lock plate, took out the turn signal switch, and carefully
    removed the key-in buzzer switch and spring.

    So far so good.

    Then I reached an instruction that says "insert a small
    screwdriver into the slot next to the boss for the switch
    mounting screw (the right-hand slot), depress the spring
    latch at the bottom of the slot, and pull out the lock."

    Huh? WHAT slot? Next to WHAT "switch mounting screw"?
    In the previous two pages I've had instructions on removing
    the "turn signal switch retaining screws", "wiper-washer switch"
    screw, "headlight dimmer switch" screws, "hazard flasher button"
    screw, "lock housing cover screws", and ignition switch mounting
    bolt!

    So does anyone know how to release the lock cylinder on an
    '80's vintage Lebaron? I suppose it's possible the procedure
    is different from the one in the manual, which is technically
    not supposed to cover my vehicle. But I suspect the problem
    is just that the writer for Hayne's isn't being specific enough
    about WHICH of the dozen or so "switch mounting screws"
    lying within three inches of the lock cylinder I'm supposed to
    use for reference.

    Thanks in advance for any help...
     
    cochrane, Aug 16, 2006
    #1
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