...1990 Bronco, 351w, Auto, E4OD,

Looks like my LOCK CYLINDER may have failed. The key won't turn. I'm reading my Ford Truck Shop Manual and it looks like it's gonna be a bear if I can't get that key to turn. I may have to tear apart the dadgum column according to the manual...

Anybody got any pointers and/or shortcuts and/or ideas? I lubed the heck out of it and I'm going to work on it tomorrow.

It's at a little shopping mall right now...

 

MY QUESTIONS ARE IN CAPITAL LETTERS...IF ANYONE CAN ANSWER THEM FOR ME...
I separated sections where my questions are posted by inserting lines as shown below.
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This for a 1995 but it should be similar to yours...

Lock Cylinder Non-Functional

Removal

NOTE: The following procedure applies to vehicles in which the ignition lock is inoperative and the ignition switch lock cylinder (11582) cannot be rotated due to a lost or broken key, unknown key number, or a cap that has been damaged or broken to the extent that the ignition switch lock cylinder cannot be rotated.

Disconnect battery ground cable .
Using channel lock or vise grip pliers, twist cap until it separates from the ignition switch lock cylinder .

DOES THIS MEAN THE LOCK CYLINDER?


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Remove lower shroud as outlined in this section under shroud removal.

DOES THIS MEAN THE STEERING COLUMN SHROUD?



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*****-punch pin and drill out with 1/8-inch bit. Do not drill deeper than 13mm (1/2 inch). Put a piece of masking tape 13mm (1/2 inch) from tip on bit. Take care not to damage housing.

DOES THIS MEAN THE LOCK CYLINDER PIN (from under the column)?



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Using a 3/8-inch diameter drill, drill down middle of ignition lock key slot approximately 44mm (1-3/4 inch) until ignition switch lock cylinder breaks loose from breakaway base of ignition switch lock cylinder .

I'M GUESSING THIS MEANS TO JUST DRILL UNTIL IT COMES LOOSE?



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Remove ignition switch lock cylinder and drill shavings from lock cylinder housing.
Remove column lock gear retainer, steering column lock housing bearing (3E700) and steering column lock gear (3E717) . Thoroughly clean all drill shavings and other foreign materials from lock cylinder housing.

Carefully inspect lock cylinder housing for damage from the above operation. If damage is apparent, Lock cylinder housing must be replaced.


Installation

Replace lock cylinder housing, if damaged.
Install steering column lock gear , steering column lock housing bearing and column lock gear retainer.
Install trim and electrical parts.
Install new ignition switch lock cylinder as described in this section.
NOTE: When the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the powertrain control module relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven 16 km (10 miles) or more to relearn the strategy.

 

This might help, it has some good pictures of the steering column dissassembly. It is for replacing the ignition actuator rod.
http://chrisb.users.superford.org/Br...ng_Column.html

 

Just did this a week ago, on a early 80's Lincoln. Same setup. The cylinder failed, wouldn't budge. The only difference in the procedure versus the later years, was to chisel off the cap (the part with the ears that you turn along with the key), rather that breaking it off with a big pliers.

I pulled the steering wheel, and chiseled off the cap. But that partially collapsed the key slot, where you're supposed to drill with the 3/8" bit.

Drilling out the release pin on the bottom with a 1/8" drill is tricky, the bit wants to go off center during drilling, which can wreck the housing (bad!). I center-punched the pin first, but straight as I could hold the drill, it still started to veer off, so I stopped drilling.

I went back to the key slot, and, with left knee against the left side of column as backup, hammered a 3/8" flat blade screwdriver with a square shaft into the slot. Hammered it in, then while pushing in the screwdriver hard, turned the screwdriver's shaft towards the ON position with an adjustable wrench. The outer cylinder shell started to break at about the 10 O'clock position, then the key slot broke along where the teeth of the key would be. Grabbed with a needle nose pliers, and was able to wiggle out 1/2 side of broken key slot. The other side of the key slot was still connected to the shaft that runs down into the gear in the column.

With 1/2 of the key slot out, the little lock pins started to fall out, it was now looser inside, and I could now grab the remaining part of the keyslot with the pliers and turn it to where RUN would be. Then I would push in what was left of the release pin... but it was jammed from the earlier partial drilling. Putting a 1/8" diameter punch onto it, with one hit from a hammer the pin retracted. Now I could just pull out the cylinder assembly shell with the remains inside of it, just as if I had working keys.

Looked into the housing with a light, no broken bits there to clean out. Ready for new cylinder assembly.

If I have to do this again, I'll skip attempting to drill the release pin. Just get the cap off, and attack with screwdriver, hammer and wrench.

When forcing the screwdriver to turn with wrench, I think I also turned the screwdriver forward and backward to help break the keyslot. I watched the column housing, the big metal casting that you don't want to break, as I flexed the screwdriver. The outer cylinder shell broke at about the 10 O'Clock position, but the column housing never moved.

 

..so what's the purpose of ripping off the metal cap with the big ears? I was gonna tear it off with vise-grips but you seem to think I should lop it off with a chisel?

From your quote below, it seems as if you wouldn't even try drilling into the key slot...is that correct?

"If I have to do this again, I'll skip attempting to drill the release pin. Just get the cap off, and attack with screwdriver, hammer and wrench."


So, tear the cap off and go for it?

 

oh boy....I was ready to drill the dang thing out. I used my "dental tool" to wiggle the insides of the lock, shoved the key in and out a couple of times, and all of a sudden it turned! Man, was I a happy camper!! I probably could have gotten it to work yesterday if I'd had that "dental tool" with me.

OK, now all I've got to do is go buy a new lock cylinder.

Thanks for all the help.

 

Glad you got it fixed I was going to post to run paper clip over tumblers in lock couple times. Works once in while. Later

 

Dumb question and don't take offense. It wasn't just on the steering wheel lock was it? Did you try moving the wheel back and forth?

 

my brother lost the ignition key to my truck when it broke down once. i managed to pull the column apart and drop it, and do away with the key all together i have a push button bronco, only problem you didnt need a key to start it. after i had done this he found the key so now i have a key, switch and a push button.

if it ever gets stuck you can always drop your column and get the rod out of the remote switch box located ontop of the column. I used a piece of stainless filler rod to make my own that i could start it until i figured out what to do. I had to do this because it was 4hrs from my house with a busted roll pin in the distributor so it was this or nothing


that was just incase it gets stuck and you need to get home.

 

...it was (is) the lock cylinder.