Good afternoon. I need some help as I am stumped. Let me describe the problem and if anyone can offer some advice I'd be real grateful.
I have a stock 1972 Bug. In 2010 I started to have problems getting the ignition key out of the iginition. Replaced the original lock cylinder with replacement type with black cap. My OEM had chrome cap. At the time I did not replace the electrical part nor the lock housing itself which has the steering wheel lock. Recently the car has been hard to start in that when I turn the key all the way to the start position it might take two or three rotations before the starter would engage. Thursday no matter how many times I turned key, starter never worked. Checked for 12 v at starter when key was turned...no 12v. Lights did not dim when i turned key to start so I did not figure solenoid was jammed or locked. Battery is good. >From that I figured it was the electrical portion of the ignition switch. Bought a replacement electrical switch portion only at AutoZone. Removed OE lock cylinder and assembled new electrical portion to housing. Connected harness to switch and turned key...nothing. YET, if I just take electrical portion of switch and plug wiring harness into it and use a screwdriver to try to turn electrical switch...car starts. Also when all is assembled and I pull key from ignition the steering wheel lock does not pop out but if electrical switch is removed from housing, steering wheel lock plunger works perfectly when key is pulled. It seems almost that when electrical switch is mounted in lock housing and key inserted and turned that the key does not rotate the electrical switch far enough clockwise to close the circuit to starter. Like I said, with electrical switch plugged to harness, I can start car with by turning screwdriver in electrical switch. I don't know if my lock housing mechanism is just shot and needs replacement. The fact that I can start car when all is reassembled and steering wheel lock doesn't engage when key is removed when all assembled makes me think it is a housing problem. Any ideas. Can you buy a new housing with steering wheel lock? Checked MA Motorwork site but didn't find that part for sale. Thanks, Mike in Alabama -- Visit the VintagVW archives at http://mail-archive.com/[email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VintagVW - Air Cooled Volkswagen Discussion List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vintagvw. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
