ok so this morning i come out to find my ignition cylinder broken and a key broke off in it, just the black part u turn is snaped off, column is fine, i bought a new lock cylinder, anyone give me a quick run down on how to install it?


its a 1987 Sport Coupe no tilt or key release

 

You need a steering wheel puller and if equipped with a tilt column a tool to compress the snaprings that secures the locking plate (You can get by with two small sized standard screwdrivers).

Look up a guide on how to fix "Tilt column wobble" and it will have everything you need to know.

You have to tear the column down far enough to access the screw that holds the ignition cylinder in place.

 

thanks alot, actualy wasnt to bad bc i dont have tilt lol, new ignitions in and working great, wish i had the vats system tho i love that about the 90+

 

You're fortunate not to have VATS. Ask anyone that has it. Breaks often leaving you stranded all over the place. Most people end up bypassing it anyway to avoid having to deal with it

 

There was a thread around here some where with the same question and I think the hardest part was getting to the screws that are inside the steering column. You need to pull off the wheel and remove some of the bits in the way to get at them. Then it supposedly slips out real easy like.


.

 

basically all i did was

1.) remove horn button
2.) remove steering wheel hold down nut
3.) use puller to pull wheel off
4.) push the black plate down to remove snap ring then remove plate and spring
5.) remove screw holding the mechanism for the turn sig switch (L shaped peg with a circle on the end)
6.) remove screws holding the white plastic bracket (not sure what it is but ull c it its like a collor inside the column)
7.) pull color out and over the main shaft the steering wheel was on, be carefull not to rip the wiring for the turn sig switch and wipers
8.) screw holding ignition cylinder is now accessible, remove screw and slide ignition cylinder out

Re-installment is just the reverse, took me about 30 minutes

 

On summit racing there are two different ones... one being $20 and the other being $26.... I dont know which one to use? They both replace different GM parts but both are firebird applicable....