Electrical Ignition Switch Cylinder Release Pin

[DomMc]

Hi guys,
I recently bought a 1974 mustang. It didnt come with any keys so I've successfully drilled out the tumblers and it now turns.
I've got a replacement switch but cant seem to access the release pin.
My steering column seems different to all the guides/videos I've seen.
Here is a picture of where I'm at.

Does this remove?! It seems to not want to lift, but I assume there is some way to access the turn signal switch and the cylinder release pin.

Thanks,
Dom.

 

[LILCBRA]

Yes, that will come off. I don't know what else you will have to do as I have never had to replace my ignition switch and stuff, but you will need a steering wheel/gear puller. It looks to me like an aftermarket steering wheel installation piece which is basically pressed onto the splines which would contact the stock steering wheel. If you retain the aftermarket wheel, you will have to re-install this piece which is fairly simple to do. To walk you through the installation, you would align the adapter where you would like the bolt holes for the steering wheel, then use the large nut to press/drive the adapter back into place. But to remove the adapter, you will need the puller. There are a couple different styles to choose from and I believe they run about $20. You can pick one up at your choice of parts stores, Harbor Freight, or numerous different online retailers.

Here is a link to OReilly's selection:
List: Steering Wheel Pullers | O'Reilly Auto Parts

Good luck!!

 

[DomMc]

Thank you so much!!!
I was getting so frustrated.
Once I get that off, replacing the lock is easy. I was just going mental and wondering if I'd have to pull the whole steering mechanism out. But didn't see how that would help anyway.

Again, thank you.!
I'm off to oreillys.

 

[LILCBRA]

Youŕe welcome! BTW, how´d you come out? Get it apart/together and running again?

 

[DomMc]

I got it switched out successfully, although i think something is not 100%.
The new cylinder is locked in place ok, but it allows the key to rotate back further than it should.
Going to pull it out again at the weekend and double check.
Hopefully I just didnt seat it right.
I'm assuming you can't turn your key anti-clowckwise, after you get to the point where you can pull the keys out?

To your comment about getting it running.. if you meant the car in general? Thats a long, long way off.
The motor is seized and the electrics seemed to be shorted all over the place.

 

[LILCBRA]

You can turn the key counterclockwise from the lock position, it is the ACC mode I believe. It would allow you to play the radio and such without sending power to the engine compartment per se.

Sounds like you got yourself a project! Good luck! I will say it seems that these forums have all but died. There are still a few of us who check in here, so feel free to ask anything you want here, I´m sure someone will chime in sometime. But, depending on how fast you may need an answer, there is a Facebook group that seems pretty active as well as mustangii.org, mustangii.net, and mustangiitech.com that you may find helpful.

 

[DomMc]

Yeah, its a hell of a project, but sure, what else would I be doing with time and money that I don't have...!!
I tried to join a couple of the facebook groups, but haven't been admitted yet.
I'll maybe message the admin and see if I get any joy.

Thanks for the links to the forums - will definitely register with those sites as well.

I assume you've done some restoration yourself?

(and thanks for the confirmation on the ignition key. Can mark that as one completed task, successfully now)

 

[LILCBRA]

Yeah, I had my car torn down to the shell and rebuilt it. There really isn´t anything on my car that I haven´t touched. It still needs some stuff done to it (they are never ¨done¨....), like the interior really isn´t touched yet other than having new carpet installed when I put it back together.

 

[jozsefsz]

Definitely check in at mustangii.net, the Facebook group is now growing inactive since the site forums are back up & running. Very helpful people, many of them obsessed with the II. My 78's wiring was also a complete mess, but I was able to straighten it out in a couple of days. Mostly you'll find grounds out of order (especially in bulb sockets), and potentially a deteriorated instrument panel housing. You'll probably find it isn't as bad as it seems (unless it's all rat-chewed and water-logged), since the wiring is so simple on those old cars compared to modern multi-computer monsters.

Which engine do you have? My v6 spare engine was also seized but primarily from a little surface rust, and a broken plastic cam gear. A day of soaking in wd-40 in the plug holes, a new steel cam gear, and a few turns of the breaker bar and I was in-business. Of course yours could be worse (even a cash-for-clunkers car purposely destroyed) but if it's a v6 it may be worth a try.

I restored mine (an amateur resto, interior & exterior) and it pretty much needed absolutely everything mechanical (engine, transmission, exhaust, starter, alternator, power steering hoses, brake booster / master / lines / hoses / calipers / cylinders, gas tank, fuel pump, carb, shocks, battery box, minor rust repair, differential rebuild... and pretty much everything cosmetic (the interior was pieced together from several old cars, my first headliner install, carpet, vinyl dye by the bucket, dash pad, new racing seats, seat belts, gauges, heater core, A/C hoses, radiator). In retrospect the $400 I paid for it wasn't much of a bargain, but it only took about a year for it to be in really good shape, and gets lots of compliments wherever it goes. The next year I custom fabricated a turbo setup for the v6 so now it's pretty fast too.

So fire away if you have any questions, as LILCBRA mentions, it's only a few of us, but we've been through the paces.

 

[DomMc]

Sounds like you're both where I want to be in a few months (years?!).
I've the 2.8 V6 too. I picked it up from a junk/parts place and it was apparently running when parked.... that famous phrase.
But it's seized solid.
I'm on to my second week, and third bottle of mystery oil in the spark plug holes. And today I started topping that up with PB Blaster to see if that helps. From what I've read, it seems reasonable that this could take up to a month.. I was really hoping for one of those easy stories I read, where someone puts oil, and the next day the crank is turnable. No such luck for me yet.

I started to dismantle the engine, to see if I can get to the cylinders to get a look. Do you think thats a good approach?
or should I just accept that I may have to pull the engine out to free it up?

 

[jozsefsz]

To be honest I think you'll stand just as good a chance of freeing it up while it's in the car as out of the car (probably better because an engine stand isn't all that stable to really tug on it). I think you've probably soaked it long enough. You also probably won't see much in the cylinders that you can't see with it all assembled. Maybe pull off a valve cover to see if it's significantly rusted or water-logged, that happens sometimes unfortunately. You may want to pull the timing cover and inspect the cam gear, and I mentioned the original plastic cam gears are known to fail and sometimes a broken piece wedges between it and the crank gear and you're completely stuck. Once you've verified the cam gear, put that breaker bar and a cheater bar on the crank bolt, and slam it back & forth. If it can be freed, it will come free. Mine took significant effort but it's been running perfectly for 2 years since then. Good luck!

 

[DomMc]

I don't really have a frame of reference but this looked ok to me.

Perhaps you tell me otherwise?
(assuming this is the valves that you meant)
It wasn't awash with oil but it didn't seem totally dry either...

I'll pull the timing cover tomorrow and see if there is anything obvious there.
Am really hoping it's something simple.

 

[jozsefsz]

That looks squeaky clean to me!

 

[DomMc]

Great.. taking the front of the engine off today.
Will let you know what I find.

 

[DomMc]

Ok. So got all the bolts off and I can pull the front cover a little away from the engine but seems like the camshaft pulley needs to come off first - is that right?

I've taken the 4 satellite bolts off but haven't attempted the main bolt yet. Wanted to check with you first - as from what I've read I'll need to get a camshaft pulley puller too.

 

[LILCBRA]

I´ve never torn into a 2.8, but from your pic above, it looks really good! A few years ago I bought a Cougar with a 351 that was seized. Apparently, the story I got when I bought it, it backfired through the carb which continued to flame for a bit. The guys wife freaked out, grabbed the garden hose and put the fire out which hydro-locked the engine. When I got it home, I pulled the engine, pulled the oil pan and sprayed both top and bottom of the pistons with penetrating oil. I then waited a while (I think it was a week?), put my breaker bar and pipe on the crank bolt and freed the engine up rather quickly. I planned on doing a rebuild anyway, so I can´t tell you if it ran afterward or not, but that´ś what I ended up doing if it helps you out.