ignition key won't turn

[Dash01]

i sat there and worked the key for about 15 mins and it seems ok, but like you said it will happen again, i tried to get the barrel out with an allen ket but it wouldn't budge , i'll try again tomorrow with a paper clip and see if i get any joy with that, at least i was able to go to the supermarket and buy some alcohol

Don't drive the bimmer to get the booze. If that sucker jams again, it will make for a more interesting outing than you planned.

Instead, look at the pics I sent you, esp. the paper clip with a ~20 degree bend at the tip. That worked for me vastly better than an allen wrench, which was too stiff. Get the ign.lock out of the car, and clean out the debris in the steering lock. Dollars to doughnuts: You problem is the broken pin inside. Being aluminum, it is soft enough to jam inside the internal groove of the steering lock. Don't think it won't jam again, so clean it out. Otherwise, a simple and bulletproof design.

PS: To remove the camshaft, push in the locking button at the steering wheel cog rim, which will retract the finger-shaped lever and allow you to rotate and pull the camshaft out. Don't put the steering wheel back on til you do this.

[nizmainiac]

already got the booze and everything was fine, but i will try to get the barrel out tomorrow with a paper clip and get the broken pin out, do you know if theres a torque wrench setting for the steering wheel? because my understanding of it is that the steering wheel boss is made of a softer metal than the column and seeing as the column has tapered splines on it if you over- tighten it wouldn't it increase the size of the splines in the back of the wheel making it not fit securly

[Dash01]

Bentley, p. 320-2 says self-lockng nut 59 ft. lbs, and bolt 46 ft. lbs. for steering wheel torques.

Per my pics, bend the paper clip as shown, so it inserts to ~1" depth. With the ~20 degree bend at the tip, just rotate the clip so it acts as a cam and retracts the ig. lock latch. Out she comes.

[nizmainiac]

thanks bart, where can i get a bentley manual from? all i've seen over here are the haynes manuals

[shogun]

I assume you have the official Bentley Repair Manual

[nizmainiac]

thanks shogun , but i appear to have a problem viewing it , it goes straight to google and says your document search did not match any documents

[shogun]

It works on my PC, no idea why it does not work on yours.
Any PC expert can give advice to him?

[nizmainiac]

i dunno mate, some of the links you have given me work and some don't , i right click on the blank screen with the little pdf thingy in the corner, and then i go to view cached pages (which is what i normally do) and it always go's straight to google

[Dash01]

thanks bart, where can i get a bentley manual from? all i've seen over here are the haynes manuals

Amazon.com may be your best shot, and sometimes have discounted or good used stuff linked. Dunno what works in the UK, though.

[nizmainiac]

iv'e seen alot of people on here talk about the bentley manual so i thought i might try and get one , the haynes manuals are good though, they also have a very large motor museum