Re: HELP! - Ignition Lock Cylinder Removal

Posted by Jim L. in OR On 2013/7/18 12:37:08

OK Here's the scoop.
On Monday, I installed the NOS ignition switch. Started and ran the car for a good while and everything was fine. I turned my attention to other things and didn't get back to the car until yesterday afternoon. I started the car, sat and listened and watched for a while then got out to open up the gate to the alley in preparation to using the car for some errands. When I got back into the car, smoke was begining to come out from under the dash - engine still running. I shut off the ignition dashed into the house for a 9/16 wrench & fire extinguisher, disconnected the battery and got in and removed the glove box. Dash surface around ignition switch was hot. Once smoke cleared I found that the switch body was blackened and a glob of melted metal on the side with the accessory post. Wires attached to the post were the green radio feed to fuse block and black wire leading to the power antenna. The green radio wire was a little singed but OK, black antenna wire had insulation burned/melted off for the first inch and a quarter. Battery post had the double ganged red wires leading to major splice and cigarette lighter - both undamaged and red wire leading to power window relay which SHOULD have gone to the accessory post but I believe would only enable the windows to be raised/lowered without ignition switch. Ignition post had yellow ignition wire and was fine.

I removed the switch and did continuity check with ohm meter and it actually checked out as OK but I don't trust it for now. Black (and crisp) pwr antenna wire checks out as OK.

When I installed the switch I didn't know what that thin black wire was for so I tried to find out where it led as the FSM Wire Chart list the antenna wire as red. There are a lot of very sharp edges behind the dash and especially behind the heater/vent controls and I've got the cut up hands to prove it. I may have accidently scraped some insulation off the black wire on the sharp pieces when I was trying to figure out where it led (I still have trouble believing that so thin a wire is used for the power antenna). Also the Wire Chart shows an inline fuse on the antenna wire. If there is one on my car it's doing a damn good job of hiding.

That's about it and I'm stumped. I'll post a picture of the switch in just a few minutes.

Fortunately, there was no damage to the car other than the horrible smell of bunrt wiring.

HELP !