ignition lock cylinder

[MomoJeep]

Mines has suddenly gotten problematic, where I start to turn the key and suddenly it stick/stops and doesn't want to turn anymore and I have to jiggle it.
This comes right at a time when I need to drive my Jeep daily for a few weeks. Anyone who has been through this... is this problem likely to quickly get worse until I can't start the jeep anymore?

 

[spankrjs]

It might not be the key cylinder itself, could be some of the other interior column parts. Might be best to take column apart to clean and lightly re-grease the moving parts. The inside of the steering column gets amazingly dirty over time!!

 

[HighSierra CJ]

I had the same thing happen to my Jeep. It finally got to where the key tumbler wouldn’t turn at all. I ended up having to install a Steering Column rack kit. The rack part completely broke. It was a PITA to change. Hopefully yours is just the key cylinder.

 

[MomoJeep]

It might not be the key cylinder itself, could be some of the other interior column parts. Might be best to take column apart to clean and lightly re-grease the moving parts. The inside of the steering column gets amazingly dirty over time!!

Thanks, I hope that's all it is!

 

[MomoJeep]

I had the same thing happen to my Jeep. It finally got to where the key tumbler wouldn’t turn at all. I ended up having to install a Steering Column rack kit. The rack part completely broke. It was a PITA to change. Hopefully yours is just the key cylinder.



View attachment 116027

Crap, I hope it's not that! How long did it take for yours to get to the point of not working at all?

 

[MomoJeep]

BTW, mine starting acting this way after being stored in wet weather and not driven for many months. And, it is temperamental...

I wonder if something might have gotten rusty by being not used for a year or so long...?

 

[MomoJeep]

I was going to take it on a road-trip to the desert for a few weeks.. now I'm afraid of the possibility of it failing completely while I'm on my trip! What do you folks think, take it, or don't risk it?

Can I easily hotwire my own jeep of needed!?

 

[HighSierra CJ]

Crap, I hope it's not that! How long did it take for yours to get to the point of not working at all?

A couple of days after it became rough to turn the key. If it were me, I would pull the wheel and clean, inspect/lubricate and see if that helps.

 

[MomoJeep]

So I'm about to go out of town on a roadtrip, and haven;t had time to look into this. The idea of Hot-wiring is not something I want to be putting out there or encouraging in any way. But in an emergency, I'd like to know I have a backup plan. Is it really as simple as bridging the two relay terminals on top of the starter solenoid?

 

[barrys]

So I'm about to go out of town on a roadtrip, and haven;t had time to look into this. The idea of Hot-wiring is not something I want to be putting out there or encouraging in any way. But in an emergency, I'd like to know I have a backup plan. Is it really as simple as bridging the two relay terminals on top of the starter solenoid?

That will engage the starter. Doesn't mean it will stay running. The switch on the column needs to be in the right position for it to stay running(the switch can probably be bypassed with a jumper wire, no idea how to do that though)

 

[MomoJeep]

Hey everyone..!

So I replaced replaced the Key Cylinder, and once it was all put back together, I noticed that the cylinder I got as an auxiliary key "on" position on the other side of "OFF", that the original did not have. I DO NOT WANT THIS! I have seen batteries drained more than once when the key gets accidentally/mistaken left in this position.

Does anyone know the difference (Different part #'s?), between the ones that have this aux-on position, and other's that don't?