.... ignition switch for a 1990 F-150 stick shift.

I ran an errand this morning, shut the truck off. It has fuel and a good battery. When I went to restart it, turned the key, and where you run into resistance where the starter engages...nothing. No resistance, starter did not try to engage. I am assuming the switch must have gone bad, otherwise you should have run into the resistance in the switch I mentioned. Am I wrong?

Also, how do you access the switch?

 

You may be wrong this time. I mean you are right that you should feel resistance, but in this model group you usually will find the ignition lock actuator cam is broken when you lose the resistance, not a broken ignition switch. The cam replacement requires dismantling of the tilt mechanism and components in that area.

 

If you really need the truck to run, take the shroud off around the column, and find a rod running down the top of the column. Turn the key to run, and then take some pliers and grab the rod, and push it down to start the engine. It takes a little bit of force, so grab the rod good. It may take a couple of holds on the rod to move it down enough to start the truck. You also may need to take a screwdriver and push up on a little pot metal piece in the column so the shifter will move out of park. You can see this piece by looking on the shifter side of the column, right underneath the rod you are pushing with the pliers.

I just repaired one of these for the first time on a 1989. Here are some highlights and hints I got from a mechanic at the Ford dealer.

Take the steering wheel apart, and take it off. You will need to take the big nut off, and then take a puller and pull the wheel off.

Take two screws loose and work the turnsignal switch up out of the way.

There are two other screws to take the rest of the column apart. The truck I was working on already had the key tumbler removed, but I am not sure this needs to be removed to repair the piece that's broken.

You will now see the broken potmetal piece down in the column. You can usually work this out since it's broke in two pieces. I took a punch with double sided tape to grab the long piece and work it out.

The rub comes in when putting the new piece in, since it will not go back together since it's not broken. Here's what the Ford mechanic told me and works great.

At the end of the steering shaft there will be a snap ring. Take this loose and slide it up the shaft a little ways.

There are two threaded pins that the column pivots on. Find some screws to fit inside these pins, and take some pliers or a claw hammer and pull the pins out. Then push the column way down, till you have enough room to sneak the new pot metal piece in the column.

 

I think you guys nailed it. After I posted today, I got ahold of a relative thats a mechanic, and thats what he told me. Sure glad I had a stick today, I had to give it a push start twice. Once when I first discovered it wouldn't start, and then like a dunce I killed it leaving a light.

Thanks for the replies though.