Ignition Switch

[Dave Hord]

Hey all, I'm reading from the archives...so this might not 'thread' properly
when it's archived...

On the 88-91 80/90 series cars, the electrical portion of the ignitions switch
can be removed as follows:

1) remove steering wheel
2) remove upper steering colum trim (two screws from below)
3) remove instrument cluster (two screws on front face, electrical connections
behind
4) scrape paint/sealer off of the two screws on the ignition switch housing.
5) Loosen, but don't remove the two screws fully (they're a pain to get back in
without a magnetic screwdriver...btdt)
6) slide electrical portion of the ignition switch out the back of the housing.
7) pull electrical connections off the back.

This CAN be done with the steering wheel on the car, but I can't see why you'd
want to try it that way...unless yours is equipped with an air-bag.

The mechanical key portion of the ignition is a little more difficult to
remove.  Follow the above 7 steps first, then move on to these steps:

8) using a safety torx remove the torx screw holding in the steering column
lock.
9) remove the lower tray below the dash on the drivers side.

This, as my memory recalls, SHOULD give you enough manuverability to pull the
dash back towards you as you wiggle the ignition assembly out of the steering
column.  As I remember it, however, the lock gets in the way of the hole in the
dash...and you may need to start loosening off the dash mounting bolts to get
the dash to come out far enough.  Start with the left-side mounting bolts by
the door panel, and if that doesn't help move into the four center mounting
bolts and the bottom of the center dash console. This will require removing the
entire center console by the shifter/parking brake.  A PIA, but perhaps
necessary.

One the steering lock assembly is out of the car you will need a bentley
manual. In order to remove the lock cylinder you have to drill a hole in
the 'precise' spot. Once the hole is drilled you use a punch or similar tool to
compress the spring holding the lock cylinder in the car. Bentley has
instructions and measurements for exactly where the hole needs to go. Start
with your smallest drill bit, and work up from there.

I _assume_ that putting the steering wheel lock back in the car is the same
procedure, but reversed...but I can't say I've ever done it.  Once I had mine
out that was it!! It's never going back in!

HTH, somewhat!

-Dave


--
86 4ksq 266,600km new to me as of March 5th 2003... will it stick around??
89 90q  330,000km as of Feb 26th.
Rally Conversion...perpetually in progress...
Roll cage shots available at:
http://home.the-wire.com/~spokes/rollcage/page1.htm