camaro98_speed

Good morning All,

My Camaro has finally succumb to the flashing security light. Over the last couple of months the car would on occasion die right away when started, but then would start on the next attempt. Finally yesterday it won't start at all. I have not tried cleaning the key or inside the cylinder itself, although i will try this after work. What is involved with replacing the ignition cylinder? Would i need to get new keys or would my old keys work? Is there a write up out there that i missed? I don't really want to bypass the anti-theft, thats is what i mainly have come across. Any help is much appriciated.

Thank you for your time

DirtyDaveW

Shoebox has a good writeup on this. I can't find it though when I go to his site. Here's mine...

Changing out the Ignition Lock cylinder on a 4th Generation F-body
('96 Z28 used in example)
By David K. Wilson
Date: 12/19/2000
Problem:
"Security" light comes on and stays on. Occasionally, it blinks and the key no longer works. After turning the key off and on several times, it eventually manages to start.
Diagnosis:
One or both of the frail white wires coming out of the ignition lock cylinder inside the steering mast is either broken or shorting out.
Solution:
Replace old ignition cylinder/key with new GM part.
Parts:

• New GM Ignition Cylinder w/key (Must be matched to the old keys resistor value!) (approx $60)
• New key that fits new cylinder and matches the resistor value of your old ignition key (approx $27). This should be both the key and cylinder

Part Numbers/text on the part box are:

• 0103B0
• #D1453C
• #26033387
• GR 2.188
• Ignition
• Assem in Mexico

Tools:

• Set of Torx bits for 1/4 and 3/8 drive ratchets
• T20 Torx screwdriver
• External Circlip Pliers
• Steering wheel puller
• Spring Disk tool
• Tiny Phillips screwdriver
• Needle nose pliers
• Small blade screwdriver
• Small tip, long shaft flat blade screwdriver
• Metric socket set (shorts will do)
• 8mm or 5/16 boxed end wrench
• small socket (1/4 drive) set
• Tape(masking or Electrical will do)
• about 2 feet of 10ga wire
• Box of Baggies with labeling pen to keep track of parts.

Procedure:

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable with the 8mm or 5/16 wrench

2. 4 Torx screws on the back of the steering wheel retain the air bag. Unscrew them. They will stay in their recesses on the back of the steering wheel so don't worry about getting them out all the way. Because of the limited work area behind the wheel, use the Torx sockets and ratchet. You will probably have to put the key in the ignition cylinder and turn it to the 'run' position so that you can turn the wheel around where you can get to all 4 torx screws.

3. Gently pull the air bag away from the steering wheel. You'll notice that there is a large yellow wire emanating from the steering column and connected to the air bag propulsion unit via a clip connector.

4. Remove the small blue retaining lock from the connector and put in a baggie & label it.

5. Lift up Tab on air bag connector and unclip the wire. Set AirBag unit aside in a safe place(no scratches that way)

6. Place appropriately sized socket on steering shaft nut in the center of the steering wheel. Remove nut, place in labeled baggie.

7. Install steering wheel puller. The two bolts that screw into the steering wheel will only go in a very minor amount so don't stress that it seems like they are not going in far enough and certainly, do not force the bolts. After a few turns on the center bolt, the steering wheel will relinquish it's grip and you can gently lift the wheel away from the steering shaft. You'll notice at this time that the horn contact (rather long 10ga spring covered wire with contact plate on the tip) pulls out of a recess in the steering column. This stiff wire pokes out of the back of the steering wheel. Be gentle with it and don't bend it. It's rather stiff and it's not too likely you'll affect it but just be forewarned. Set this aside in a safe location out of the way.

8. Now, look at the black and yellow plastic ring inside the steering column. You'll notice that there's a circlip that retains the plastic ring. Use the external Circlip pliers and spread the clip till you can pry it out of it's lock groove with the long thin screwdriver. There air bag wire is attached to this and it will provide some resistance as you try to pull the ring off the steering shaft and swing the ring down and out of the way.

9. Take the tiny phillips screw driver and remove the little phillips screw from the Hazard/Emergency flasher button on the right hand side of the column. It has a spring behind it. be cautious it doesn't fall out of sight. Put them in a labeled baggie.

10. Flip the turn signal as if you were about to signal for a right hand turn (Press it up, in otherwords) . Doing this will expose one of the three torx screws holding the turn signal brackets/circuits onto the steering mast. Use the tiny phillips screw driver to remove the black turn signal detent on the upper left of the white plastic bracketry. Use the T20 screw driver and remove the 3 torx screws holding the turn signal apparatus onto the steering mast and place all contents(turn signal bracket/screw and torx screws) in a labeled baggie.

11. Using one of the screwdrivers to get a little better hold of it, wiggle the white plastic turn signal apparatus out. It has a bundle of wires attached to it and is somewhat reluctant to come out far enough to clear the steering shaft. Wiggling it out till it just clears the end of the steering shaft, position it to the side although it won't move very far from the edge of the steering mast due to the restrictive length of the attached wiring harness.

12. Theres a wavy spring washer that's exposed encircling the steering shaft. Put in a labeled baggie.

13. Place the old key in the ignition and turn the key to the 'run' position. This is to get the steering lock pin depressed out of our way.

14. Get out the spring plate compressor(Available at most Autozone, O'Reillys, Pep boys, etc for $2x.xx). Screw the silver threaded tube(It comes with 2 tubes, one green, one silver) onto the steering shaft. After running the tension nut almost all the way up the threaded stud, run the long threaded stud thru the bigger of the two "U" brackets. Position the bracket over the circular notched plate surrounding the steering mast so that each of the legs of the bracket are uniformly on the spring plate/disc. Thread the stud down into the silver tube till it stops. Now run the tension nut down till it contacts the "U" bracket. Get out your 1/2" wrench and tighten the tension nut till you feel solid resistance. You have just compressed the spring under the plate/disc. Look closely at the point where the disc circles the steering shaft. This is your worst adversary in this effort. It is a plain wire C-Clip. This is what holds the spring plate/steering detention disc onto the steering shaft. Now that you've depressed the spring fully, the Clip is exposed but just barely. If the opening of the C-Clip is not already exposed on the right hand side of the steering shaft, rotate it to that point. Now, take the long thin blade screwdriver and press it fairly tightly against the LEFT side of the C-Clip (This will inhibit it from spinning around as you try to split the ring to the degree that it will slide out of it's locking groove). Using the small blade screwdriver, slide one side of the clip/ring out of the groove and pry it away. Working around the edge of the ring, work as much of the ring out of the groove as you can reach. Using the small screwdriver to keep the ring out of the groove, free up your other hand that had been pinning the backside of the ring and use the two screw drivers to get the rest of the ring out of the groove.

15. Remove the ring from the steering shaft. Now release the tension on the spring by backing off the tension nut till the pressure is off the "U" bracket. Pull off the disc and the horn plate(located directly underneath the disc) Don't worry about indexing the steering wheel or the disk. They only go on one way so you can't mess it up. Pull out the spring that was providing the tension against the disc. Place the C-clip, and the spring into a labeled baggie.

16. Take the needle nose pliers and pull out the yellow stress support on the orange wire out of it's retainer hole.

17. Now use the needle nose pliers and 'gently' pull out the white plastic plug that has the 2 copper tangs protruding out of it. Careful! This is used to ground some circuit. Don't mangle the copper tangs. Place into a labeled baggie.

18. Take the T20 Torx screw driver and locate the silver torx headed screw 'just' under the center line of the ignition cylinder. Take out this screw. This screw is what physically retains the cylinder in the cylinder mast and once you remove this pin/screw the cylinder will easily pull out but we still have the wires to address!

19. Take out the two phillips screws and two small bolts under the dash/steering mast. Place screws/bolts into a labeled baggie. Remove the underdash plate and put aside. Find the orange sheathed wire coming from the steering column and locate it's connector. The connector should be to the right and fairly accessible. It is a small rectangular connector. You'll need to take your small blade screwdriver to pry up the lock tab so that you can separate the two halves of the connector. Now you have two choices. You can be careful and fish the orange wire up through the tight confines of the steering column and wiring harnesses(tough job) or , since the old unit is toast anyway, just cut the old connector off and pull the obstruction free orange wire thru the steering column.

20. Take out the old key/ignition lock/cylinder. Gently take the connector from the new unit and put it through the cylinder hole and finesse it into the steering mast till you can grasp it with your other hand. Remember this is frail wiring! Gently work the entire length of the wire through the lock cylinder hole till the cylinder itself can be fully positioned in it's new home. Taking the connector end of the new cylinders wire, tape it to the end of the 2' 10ga wire I recommended. Once it's secure (and tape not only the connector but past the connector onto the solid orange sheath for added strength), push the other end of the wire down inside the steering mast. You should see an opening somewhere in the lower right hand side, under the wiring bundle where your 10ga can pass. Reach down underneath the steering mast and wait for the apperance of the other end of the 10 ga as you continue to feed it down the steering mast. Once it appears start GENTLY pulling on it to guide the orange ignition wire through all the wire bundles and obstacles. When the connector appears, remove the tape and connect it to the other half of it's connection.

21. Reassemble in reverse order.

After you reach the last step and reconnect the Negative battery cable, when you turn your key to the 'Run' position, your turn signals will blink in unison and the "Security" light will remain illuminated. I suppose because it knows that there's a ignition cylinder change. You now have to let the PCM recognize the new key/ignition components. Here's what you do.... Assuming you have the key in the Off position.....

1. Pull off fuse cover on drivers side of dash

2. Pull out "Radio" fuse

3. Turn ignition key from 'off' to 'run' 3 times quickly (within 5 seconds) leaving the key in the 'Run' position on the last iteration. On this last iteration, both door locks and the hatch should all unlock. This is the indication that the PCM is ready for programming.

4. With the key still in the "RUN" position, simultaneously press and hold the "Lock" and "Unlock" buttons.
After approximately 16 seconds, the door and hatchback locks will again cycle. This is the indication that the PCM has now recognized your new ignition components. Replace the "radio" fuse and you're now done!

Jason Swindle

Hey guys,

I found this guide which is going to come in handy. A bit of background on what I'm asking:

1. My first new car, a 96 SS was stolen.
2. 3 years later I got it back. Column and IGN cylinder trashed.
3. I have the original key.
4. A friend gave me the column out of a car he was turning into a race car.
5. I do not have a key for the new column.

Any tips on where I go from here to get the existing key / cylinder out of the new column so I can install a new one with a resistor that matches the original key?

Thanks,
Jason S.

Injuneer

The key cylinder and the ignition switch are not the same part. The cylinder is attached to the switch, several inches below it, by a rod. If the key cylinder is all that all you want to replace, follow the guide above. If you have to change the ignition switch, use this guide:

4th Gen F-body Ignition Switch Replacement

Jason Swindle

I need to remove a cylinder from a column that I do not have the key to so I can replace it with one that I do have the key to. See my post....

The above guide assumes you have the key to the cylinder....

Thanks,

Jason Swindle

Any help? Or is this one of those "you're screwed" things....

Thanks,