- City
- Cave Creek
- State
- AZ
This morning I troubleshot my misbehaving ignition system. Thanks to wm69 for help with this!
Symptoms:
1) not shutting off when I turned the key off.
2) ability to start without the key in the ignition
3) difficulty turning key in cold temps - stiff ignition.
I picked up a new ignition switch, a new lock cylinder, and a new sector gear and rack. The other day I installed the ignition switch. It was a bit tricky until I took out a couple large bolts holding the steering wheel up, so I could lower it a little to reach the screw furthest from the firewall. It's kinda clamped under some things so it helped to have room to get a wrench in there and actually see what I was wrenching.
The new switch solved problem #1, not shutting off, but not the others, so I waited until the new cylinder and sector/rack came in yesterday.
This morning, I pulled apart the upper portion of the steering column using some great instructions I found by John Strenk. I got the old lock cylinder out, pulled the old sector gear out (which is cast, not plastic like the replacement), and cleaned it up using a toothbrush and soap. Sprayed a bit of WD-40 into the rack area, toothbrush again and then some paper towels to clean everything up. Fresh lithium grease on the old sector gear, and reinstalled it. That takes some trial and error if you weren't paying attention to how it came out. You've got to get it lined up right so when you install the cylinder everything works as it should. Took me a couple of tries. I ended up reusing my original sector gear and rack, and will be returning the ones I bought.
Installed the replacement lock cylinder and got it locked in, everything seems to work as it should now. Won't turn without a key, and seems to want to turn easier now.
One thing I found out was that I have an accessory spot on the switch, but nothing comes on. Is that just an old CJ thing, or did I install the ignition switch one space off? Turning the ignition on seems to hit all the right spots, but when I turn it back - which I couldn't do with the old lock cylinder, nothing comes on
...Figured it out - my radio was plugged into the wrong spot in the fuse box. After plugging it in to the radio slot, all works as it should!
Symptoms:
1) not shutting off when I turned the key off.
2) ability to start without the key in the ignition
3) difficulty turning key in cold temps - stiff ignition.
I picked up a new ignition switch, a new lock cylinder, and a new sector gear and rack. The other day I installed the ignition switch. It was a bit tricky until I took out a couple large bolts holding the steering wheel up, so I could lower it a little to reach the screw furthest from the firewall. It's kinda clamped under some things so it helped to have room to get a wrench in there and actually see what I was wrenching.
The new switch solved problem #1, not shutting off, but not the others, so I waited until the new cylinder and sector/rack came in yesterday.
This morning, I pulled apart the upper portion of the steering column using some great instructions I found by John Strenk. I got the old lock cylinder out, pulled the old sector gear out (which is cast, not plastic like the replacement), and cleaned it up using a toothbrush and soap. Sprayed a bit of WD-40 into the rack area, toothbrush again and then some paper towels to clean everything up. Fresh lithium grease on the old sector gear, and reinstalled it. That takes some trial and error if you weren't paying attention to how it came out. You've got to get it lined up right so when you install the cylinder everything works as it should. Took me a couple of tries. I ended up reusing my original sector gear and rack, and will be returning the ones I bought.
Installed the replacement lock cylinder and got it locked in, everything seems to work as it should now. Won't turn without a key, and seems to want to turn easier now.
One thing I found out was that I have an accessory spot on the switch, but nothing comes on. Is that just an old CJ thing, or did I install the ignition switch one space off? Turning the ignition on seems to hit all the right spots, but when I turn it back - which I couldn't do with the old lock cylinder, nothing comes on
...Figured it out - my radio was plugged into the wrong spot in the fuse box. After plugging it in to the radio slot, all works as it should!