hey guys, I am going through a 1974 Z28 Camaro and I had a friend over helping me. He went to put the car in neutral and instead of pushing in and twisting the key, he just twisted and broke the ignition. I believe it is the ignition switch because now it is loose. You can turn it without the key in. The starter wont turn and the car wont go into neutral! Anyways am I right about it being the neutral switch and is this an easy fix?? Thanks for the help!

Josh

 

Soem times the outter chrome ring on the ignition lock (it usualy has a part for your thumb and finger to turn it) breaks apart fron the rest of the lock cylinder. Now it is not turning the rest of the lock mechanism and allowing the shifter interlock to move.

 

Would you still have to go through the same process to replace the ring as replacing the ignition switch??

 

you're going to have to replace the ignition cylinder, because i don't think that they sell only the ring with the finger tabs on it.

yes, it would be the same procedure to do both jobs if they did make a ring replacement.

i could be wrong, some company might make the ring replacement, but i think that its all one assembly.

 

I can't say I've ever seen them sell just the ring. You are probably just going to have to replace the whole lock cylinder.

 

the assemblies are cheap too, i had to replace mine on my 79. it was $20 shipped from NPD. It was really easy to instal as well.

 

I know what you mean. I think it is either the whole ignition like you guys are saying or its the ignition switch. I dont think it is the ignition lock because my steering wheel still locks! Where do you guys buy these ignition cylinders or ignition switches?? Also how in the heck am I going to get the car into neutral??????

Thanks for all the help

 

if you need to get the car in neutral and you can't wait untill you fix the ignition cylinder. pop the steering wheel off, and you'll see a steel plate that is circular with some teeth on the outer edge(teeth big enough to fit a large pencil in between) you'll see a rod that is pushed in between two of the teeth, i believe it is somewhere around the 10 o'clock position. take a vise grips, and lightly clamp them on the steering shaft. then take a screwdriver and press in the rod that is in the teeth. turn the vise grips so that a tooth covers the rod(keeps the rod de-pressed) and you'll be able to shift into neutral.

but if you are going to do this, you might as well replace the ignition cylinder at the sametime. it'll only take an extra 10 minutes(if you know how to do it), or 20 if you don't.

check NPD's site. NPDlink.com the part number for an original would be C-2187-1C $15.95. and a Reproduction would be C-2187-1CA $11.95

 

Does your steering wheel unlock as you turn the key? The key cylinder works a rod that goes down to the switch. On the top of the rod is a part that locks the cup on the column that allows the vehicle into nuetral. The rod as mentioned before only unlocks the steeing wheel.
Move your floor shifter as much as you can. While doing that look at the column where a column shifter would be. Does it move any?

 

I took it apart and found out that the acuating rod that you guys are talking about was snapped[:@]So now I have no idea where to find a new one and how to get the broken one out. Do you have to take out the whole steering column to fix it??? Thanks for all your guys help!!!