key won't turn in ignition AGAIN!!

[guinness]

1989 525I auto
My ignition wouldn't turn to position 1 but the steering wheel will turn so I ordered a new lock barrel. I got the cylinder out after much cursing and inserted the new cylinder. The stupid thing did the exact same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! any ideas of what i'm missing? I checked other threads and they seemed to agree that if the wheel turned then it was the cylinder.
Jim

[632 Regal]

there is a link that goes from the lock area to some stupid deal you cant see or get to, the link is made from pot metal so I can pretty much assure you thats the problem.

[guinness]

When I finally got the first one to turn after a LOT of jiggling it started the car, and when I put the new one in it worked the first time does the link you're talking about have anything to do with getting to 1st position?
Jim

[632 Regal]

Jim I'm not really sure, I think it has something to do with unlocking the steering wheel but not sure. Did a search here and dont think I am using the correct terms.

[guinness]

Thanks for looking Jeff, I guess i'm gonna have to just go with the old remove&replace till the problem goes away.

[bubba966]

The ignition barrel turns a cam in the steering lock. That cam does two things. It locks & unlocks the steering wheel, and it's also what turns the ignition switch. That cam (or link as Jeff called it) is cast out of some crap metal. That's what breaks in the steering lock usually rendering the wheel unlockable and the car won't start since the ingition switch isn't getting turned over with the key.

Pull your barrel out again and take a large flat bladed screwdriver and try turning that cam with the screwdriver. It should be pretty obvious where to put it when you look at the butt of the barrel and the part it interfaces with inside the steering lock.

If you can't turn that cam (or it just turns freely) then your steering lock is broke.

If that turns with some resistance then stops (like it would if you were normally turning the key over) then you should take your ignition switch off of the steering lock and see if that turns like it's supposed to or if it's broken and froze up.

Ignition switch is easy to replace and was around $100 if I recall right.

Steering lock was around $150 and was a bit of a bitch to replace. Involves removal of the steering wheel, removing a pair of anti-tamper bolts (by cutting a slot into the top of them or using a cold chisel to start backing them out), and taking a pair of snap ring pliers to the snap ring on the steering column to pull the steering lock assembly off the car.