RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

My son's car had the VATS bypass done several years ago. Using a blank key, I noticed a couple of times that it took several turns of the key to engage the starter. He told me tonight that the car went dead going down the road. Steering column locked up - scary scenario! Ignition tumbler gone bad or what?
Appreciate any advice or guidance!

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Here is a document that will show you some picturs: http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...ck_Rebuild.pdf

The mechanism that controls all of this is complex. The tumbler is connected to a cross shaft that goes through the column. At the other side of the column, that shaft is connected to a sector gear. (Page 21)

As the tumbler, cross shaft and sector gear turn, they also engage the spring-loaded pin that locks the steering column. (Page 24) The gear also engages the ignition sector, (page 25-26, 29) which engages a more complex mechanism of pins and levers, which engages the rod that actuates the actual ignition switch.

Since that sector gear is central to all your problems, I'll bet yours is broken. (I've heard of this before.) The good news is that its cheap. The bad news is that you have to take the top part of the column apart to get to it...

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Thanks for the info!

After talking with a friend who had a similar issue and solved it by replacing the tumbler, and suspecting wear in the tumbler because of the VATS issue, I bought a lock cylinder for the car. Now I'm concerned that may not fix it. Getting into the column looks like a daunting job if you're unfamiliar with it.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

A new cylinder 100% definitely won't fix these issues. With a half of an afternoon, a few beers, and some patience - it can be done. (If your current cylinder is showing wear, it's probably good to replace it as a preventative measure.)

If you look in the stickies, we have links to steering column disassembly threads. Between the two threads, you should have a step-by-step to get you down to the area where tumbler, rod, and cam that you need to address are. (My thread is deeper in to the tools and setup and runtwrestlin's thread goes deeper into the column.)

The other nice thing about taking on this job is that you can replace the turn signal return springs, turn signal cancel cam, (cheap parts that wear out - but hard to put in) and lubricate the turn signal mechanism. This will make the column feel brand new after you are done.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Come to think of it ... his steering may not actually have locked - just become very difficult to steer due to the engine dying.He's in San Diego and he's not mechanically inclined; I won't be back out there for a month and won't have time to take on a potential nightmare job like this when I am. So not a DIY situation for us, but I do have a couple of guys who should be able to handle it.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

A lot of people just swap the column when they run in to this sort of thing. (It's a lot less labor - but more expensive for the parts, which are of unknown origin.)

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I talked to one of our trusted techs who knows these columns, and he said if the sector gear is broken, the ignition just won't work, period.

I should have specified from the beginning that the problem is intermittent. The vast majority of the time it starts just fine. Yet occasionally nothing happens when the key is turned. Then the occasion where it shut off going down the road - but restarted.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I think he gave a lazy response to you and I am also speaking generally.

The gear could have a worn or broken tooth and cause intermittent operation. (Same for the rack linkage that it engages.) The cause could also be one of the many other linkages in the area of that sector gear - so it's likely something in that neighborhood of the column.