So it will end up here.

Cylinder Lock question.

Mine is loose and has been so for quite some time.
It wouldn't turn to start the car last night and so I am now going to repace it.
My question is, could it just be that the ignition cylinder retaining screw is loose?

I don't want to buy anything yet and I don't want to take it apart twice.

Thanks,
Scott

 

what exactly do you mean by wouldnt start? would the key turn and it wouldnt start or did the key even turn at all?

 

i had to replace mine cuz it finally just wouldnt turn via the key.... the cylinder just bound up bad... i ended up pullin gthe column apart to put a new one in... bout 35 bucks

 

Whoops! In my head I knew what I meant.

Yea, the key/cylinder wouldn't turn.


If I don't have to buy anything, good.
If I don't have to take it apart twice, even better.

 

I would check the cylinder retaining screw first before shelling out the money for a new lock cylinder. Also being that it is a 91 formula (if I'm reading that right) it will have the VATS type lock cylinder in it unless you have had VATS removed (bypassed). These are a little more expensive, around $50.00 and you will have to get another key which is sold separately for about $23.00. Either way, you will still have to remove the steering wheel. When I first got my 89 Iroc-Z, I had to pull my steering wheel to replace the lock cylinder. After getting the steering wheel off, I found several pieces missing and of the 6 - 7 screws that hold the pieces in place, only 3 were there and they were loose .

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That the thing, if I take it apart and I really do need a new cylinder, which is a VATS, I'd have to put it together just to drive to the nearest dealership to get the part only to start the dissassembly project all over again

I can't stand doing things twice

Do you think that if you would have tightened up the screws and replaced the missing ones, the cylinder would have worked?

 

To answer your question about mine, if it had just been the missing and loose screws, yes I could have tightened the loose ones and replaced the missing ones and I would have been fine. Unfortunately, that was not the reason I had to replace the cylinder. It seems that the previous owner had either been too stupid or too lazy to properly install the VATS lock cylinder in the column. Therefore, he stuck an uncut coded key in the VATS lock cylinder, wrapped it in about two rolls of electrical tape and crammed it way up in the dash. He then installed a standard lock cylinder in the column that broke about a week after I got it I had to buy a new VATS lock cylinder because even though it was a good cylinder, I didn't have a key that would unlock it. But let me ask you this, and don't feel that I'm being sarcastic here because that is not my intention, but couldn't you have a buddy or someone take you to the nearest dealership to get the part you need if it turns out that you do need a new cylinder and key?

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

i've really been into this stuff before, and im not sure where having a loose holding screw is going to make the cylinder anymore difficult to turn. it merely holds it in place- the end of the lock cylinder turns a tab.... the cylinder can't move side to side, it cant even rotate....

anyways, your lock cylinder is bad. You could try getting some sort of lube into it, and tapping the assmbly with a non marring hammer very lightly to get things to take in the lube and free up...

besides any of that, your lock cylinder is bad, no two ways about it...

 

Mine had one of the wings borken off since I bought it, and when I put in the new engine a few months ago, the cylinder finally crapped out, same as yours, only mine was stuck with the engine running, that was a PITA. Anyway, it was about $37 for a new one from GM, not a big deal, plus it fixed the broken wing I was always annoyed about.

 

Nothing sarcastic taken. Everybody I know who lives in the city claims that they don't need a car
I can't go anywhere without it! Public transportation suxs!

Thats just it, I can pull the pull the cylinder out about 1/8 of an inch and can also twist it about that much too. That's why I thought the retaining screw might be loose.

If anybody has any thoughts to add before my lunch tomorrow, I'll be buying a new lock cylinder.

Thanks all.