Very specific problem here - hoping someone can help.

The problem is that if I open the passenger door from the inside handle, the connecting rod will push down the door lock and allow the door to open (as it should). However, when the inside handle is pulled, the rod will push down the lock so that the connecting rod from the outside door handle will fall out of the lock. Then the outside handle is dead (not connected to the lock).

The inside handle rod runs horizontal to the ground, while the door handle run perpendicular (straight down), but they both move the lock down (towards the ground). My question is: Is there anything that is supposed to connect the bottom of the door handle connecting rod to the lock? Or is it just supposed to be long enough to not fall out of the hole in the lock.

If anyone has a door panel off (I'm trying to avoid taking the driver side off and looking myself; something always seems to break when I do) and can just confirm how that rod stays seated in the lock, I'd be eternally grateful. If there isn't anything holding it (which is what I suspect being the outside handle doesn't lift up when the inside handle is pulled), I can assume its the actual door handle that is the problem, as I probably replaced it with a cheap HELP! version somewhere in the past.

The attached picture is taken looking straight down into the door. It's probably not much of a help. Thanks to all

Kevin

 

I had to re-work the rod length for my door panel mod and in doing so I removed the lock/latch mechanism from the door. I believe there is a clip for the outer door handle-(shorter rod) that you are referring to. Your's might have fallen off, hard to say without being there. Anyway, here's a link to the pic. it's about 1/2 way down on the page and you'll see the bronze colored lock mechanism on a red rag.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...te-now-20.html

hope this helps!

 

Also, after looking at the picture again I had to remember what rod does what, so here it is:

When installed, both rods actually are positioned so that they are straight up (from the way the machanism is laying in the picture). The rod laying down (toward the bottom) is for the locking mechanism and the rod laying to the left is for the interior pull handle. On the bottom of the mechanism (bottom of the picture) there is a long spring. The metal eyelet towards the left of the spring is where the short rod inserts. When the door handle is lifted it pushes the rod down, compresses the spring and the door unlatches from the striker. The more I think about it, the short rod is an s-shaped rod that inserts into the eyelet, so there may not be a clip, can't remember.

Good luck.

 

Yes - it is a short "s"-ish shaped rod. I find that if I push the outside door handle towards the body (so its as "flat" to the car as possible), the reverse side (the part of the handle in the door that connects to the rod) pulls up, making the other end of the rod (in the lock) too short for when the inside handle is pulled - making it fall out of the hole (next to that spring). It seems as if the door handle should stand up slightly, making the rod push down towards the lock to stay seated. It seems like a door handle issue to me.