90 Ignition Switch and Actuator Rod

Les Borda

Registered User
A few days ago the ignition lock decided to turn all the way to the end and nothing happened,no power no start and no spring back into run position, it just spins. Dropped the steering cowl underneath and ignition switch was laying in there in pieces(doesn't look broken. Looks like just fell out of it's bracket in 2 pieces, one large one small.
The actuator rod is moving I can feel it when I slide my finger up inside the switch housing, it feels like a round shaft but could be square.
I have a new switch, have not removed the housing for old one yet.
I cannot find any drawing to show how the rod will mate with the switch up inside the housing.

Thanks in Advance

Les
 
Les,

This picture is of the entire switch....it's likely only the plastic part fell off. In the picture, you can see the slot that the little round post slides in to move the electrical contacts. The little U-shaped hole is where the post inserts.

download.jpg
 
This one is from BWD, it looks exactly like the picture above, and no pin included. I won't know much more until I take off the old switch casing, maybe I can even reassemble the 2 pieces of the old switch. How it fell out of the case beats me, it's kind of locked in there by metal tabs on the metal case.

Thanks guys for your help. I'll be back if I can't get it to work.

Les
 
There is quite a bit of tension inside the switch that makes it want to open up. After x amounts of key/rod cycling, the retainers suffer and just give up. Poor design, I think, and the recent tip to zip tie the new one together when installing isn't a bad idea, as the guts seem able to survive beyond the housing's service limits.
 
You could probably repair it if you wanted to...they don't typically break, just loosen up and fall apart.

I reassembled one and tapped the metal fingers down to make it tight again. It's the spare one now! They are pretty cheap and easy to find since so many Ford models use them though!
 
This did not go well. I buy a set of locking torx bits,8-9 pieces are any of them the right size, or course not either that or Ford got these screws with the center pin a larger diameter. I manage to tap fit one in with a hammer, it comes out, perfect. The back one, no way will the torx bit fit to move it. I cut a line in it for a wide flat blade with a dremmel, does not budge. I cut the head right off with the dremmel, there is hardly anything left to grip into and remove the screw. Never seen such a damned stubborn screw.

I know what is left of the screw will simply fall apart if I try to remove it. The next choice is drill it out, retap it and get another screw. I wish there was a less dramatic way to secure that back part of the ignition switch bracket.The steering column seems to be white metal, not exactly the most durable to work on.
 
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