How to Disassemble Ignition LOCK Cylinder? (Not Just Remove from Column)

[Alberto]

Has anyone previously disassembled their ignition lock? (mine is from an 850 Spider but should be nearly identical to the 124 Spider part.) I removed the cylinder from the steering column and gave my ignition switch a good cleaning. Now, I want to clean the switch contacts for the "key in ignition" light. This is located in the upper part of the cylinder where the key inserts (in this pic you can see the pink and white wires going to the switch) but I can't determine how to access it. *Note that I'm asking how to disassemble the lock cylinder and not how to remove it from the column*

Thanks in advance!

[toyfiats]

This is specific to the 124 series, but the general process should be the same since most of the Fiat switches are made by the same company (Sipea).

https://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/switch/index.html

If you have other 850 questions Mirafiori is a good place to ask.

[Alberto]

This is specific to the 124 series, but the general process should be the same since most of the Fiat switches are made by the same company (Sipea).

https://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/switch/index.html

If you have other 850 questions Mirafiori is a good place to ask.

Thanks. That article is actually one of the first I came across in my search. It does a nice job of detailing how to rebuild the ignition switch but nothing about disassembling the lock cylinder.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

The Mirafiori article describes how to remove the ignition switch from the car and subsequently remove and refurbish the rotating electrical contacts, but as noted, it does not describe how to remove the lock cylinder. This is how I believe you remove the lock cylinder, but I have tried it unsuccessfully on two ignition switches with no keys, in an effort to rekey them as you can with door, glovebox, and trunk locks.

There is a pressed in pin on the side of the switch that needs to be drilled out. This pin holds the lock cylinder in place. If, and that's a mighty big IF, you can drill out the pin without damaging anything inside, the lock cylinder should come out, but I also think it requires inserting a special tool into the face of the switch through those holes, and this requires removing the chrome bezel on the face of the switch. That part is easy enough, and I was able to drill out the pin, and while the lock cylinder seemed like it was ready to fall out, it was hung up on something. Likely the steering lock mechanism. Probably requires releasing some "latch" inside the switch through those holes.

Have you tried just squirting some electrical contact cleaner into the opening where the pink and white wires are? Maybe followed by compressed air?

I know that this isn't much help, but totally disassembling the lock mechanism has stumped me so far. The alternative is a new switch with matching keys.

-Bryan

[Alberto]

The Mirafiori article describes how to remove the ignition switch from the car and subsequently remove and refurbish the rotating electrical contacts, but as noted, it does not describe how to remove the lock cylinder. This is how I believe you remove the lock cylinder, but I have tried it unsuccessfully on two ignition switches with no keys, in an effort to rekey them as you can with door, glovebox, and trunk locks.

There is a pressed in pin on the side of the switch that needs to be drilled out. This pin holds the lock cylinder in place. If, and that's a mighty big IF, you can drill out the pin without damaging anything inside, the lock cylinder should come out, but I also think it requires inserting a special tool into the face of the switch through those holes, and this requires removing the chrome bezel on the face of the switch. That part is easy enough, and I was able to drill out the pin, and while the lock cylinder seemed like it was ready to fall out, it was hung up on something. Likely the steering lock mechanism. Probably requires releasing some "latch" inside the switch through those holes.

Have you tried just squirting some electrical contact cleaner into the opening where the pink and white wires are? Maybe followed by compressed air?

I know that this isn't much help, but totally disassembling the lock mechanism has stumped me so far. The alternative is a new switch with matching keys.

-Bryan

Thank you, Bryan! I knew there had to be others who've attempted this!
I suspected that removing that pin may be necessary but wasn't sure whether it needed to be driven inward like a roll pin (would there even be room for the pin to exit the interior of its hole?) or drilled out, instead. I noticed that a small phillips screwdriver could be inserted into both of the holes on the key face of the cylinder and I could feel something springy at the bottom of one of them. Probing either didn't really get me anywhere.
I've not tried drenching it with contact cleaner yet but I definitely will before I get the drill.
For the ones you tried to reassemble in the past, were you successful? If so, did you re-pin it with a suitably sized roll pin?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

I noticed that a small phillips screwdriver could be inserted into both of the holes on the key face of the cylinder and I could feel something springy at the bottom of one of them. Probing either didn't really get me anywhere.

Alberto, I think that "something springy at the bottom" is a key to disassembling the lock mechanism, but I don't now exactly how. There must be a trick, but I just haven't figured it out yet. I do think the roll pin has to be drilled out.

When I drilled it out, I only went to a depth of 3 or 4 mm and then I could extract what remained of the pin. This pin prevents the lock cylinder from being removed, but if you drill too far, it might damage the lock tumblers. But, when I removed the pin, the lock cylinder seemed like it wanted to come out, but something was still holding it. At that point, I gave up.

Try the electronic cleaner. Given my record of two failed attempts to take one of these apart, I'd be reluctant to advise doing this. Your mechanical skills might be better than mine.

One of these days I'll figure it out. I have several old switches but no keys to them, and it would be nice to see if I could re-key them to match my keys. But maybe it's just not very easy.

-Bryan

[Alberto]

I noticed that a small phillips screwdriver could be inserted into both of the holes on the key face of the cylinder and I could feel something springy at the bottom of one of them. Probing either didn't really get me anywhere.

Alberto, I think that "something springy at the bottom" is a key to disassembling the lock mechanism, but I don't now exactly how. There must be a trick, but I just haven't figured it out yet. I do think the roll pin has to be drilled out.

When I drilled it out, I only went to a depth of 3 or 4 mm and then I could extract what remained of the pin. This pin prevents the lock cylinder from being removed, but if you drill too far, it might damage the lock tumblers. But, when I removed the pin, the lock cylinder seemed like it wanted to come out, but something was still holding it. At that point, I gave up.

Try the electronic cleaner. Given my record of two failed attempts to take one of these apart, I'd be reluctant to advise doing this. Your mechanical skills might be better than mine.

One of these days I'll figure it out. I have several old switches but no keys to them, and it would be nice to see if I could re-key them to match my keys. But maybe it's just not very easy.

-Bryan

Update: I was able to gently bend the outer contact in such a way that it now makes contact!

While technically that solves my problem for needing to disassemble this lock cylinder I'd still love to hear any ones advice or stories regarding how it's done!
Thank you again, Bryan, for sharing your experience with this! I'm still tempted to remove the pin on mine just to see if I can access those contacts a bit better but for now I'm not going to tempt fate!

-Al