The ignition switch on my /6 has been balking lately. I'm looking for some advice. Inserting the key can be a tricky job. Seems like lots of metal-to-metal bumping when inserting the key. Once inserted it will turn from "off" to "on" okay but frequently won't turn to the "start" position. More aggravating, it will go into the "start" position while I'm working to get it started cold. Just about the time it seems the car is thinking about starting I'll turn it back to "off". *Then* it refuses to go to the "start" position! The steering wheel lock works just fine.

Does this sound like worn tumblers or missing lube? Something else? Is this beast repairable? If not, are /6 ignition switches available (I seem to recall they basically are not).

Thx,

Skip

The 6 ign switch and the early 70's 911 ign switch differs from the later type in that it has a chrome surround rather than the later black color.

The later switch is still available and you can even go into a dealership and have them send you another one based on your vin with switch and keys but it will be the black type not the chrome type.

MarkB, one of our members, was writing up a repair/rekey on all of the 914 switches, rekeing threadhe had written about doing a 6 ign switch but has yet to publish it.

Mine does this too from time to time. The more I use it, it seems to do this less and less. Thankfully! The switch is a real PITA to remove and re-install. I imagine this behavior is to prevent the starter from being engaged while the engine is already running. Except in this case it isn't running.

It might be coincidental, but if it doesn't turn all the way over to operate the starter, I remove the negative battery lead and then reconnect it. Most times the key turns normally for a while after that. I have no idea why that works. It's obviously not a mechanical problem in the switch because it works perfectly when it works. I'm wondering if there's a good schematic of the switch that would show what causes this. I'd like to have the switch work normally every time.

Mikey

Hmmm! Same problem here. If the car doesn't start on the first try, the switch no longer turns to the starter position. If I shut off the battery disconnect, it will turn all the way to the start position all the time! Some kind of electrical safety? Also, sometimes pulling out the key and reinserting it works.

I'm not quite sure if what you're describing is the same as something mine does. I turn the key to "on", but can't turn it any further. What works for me is to turn the steering wheel slightly this way or that, as it seems the lock is binding from the steering being tensioned slightly from having turned the wheel when parking the last time you drove.

Just in case there's some confusion: In my experience it is normal that you can only go from On to Start once. Then you must turn the key/ignition switch counter-clockwise to Off, then On and then Start if you need to crank the motor again. I believe the original poster is describing something different from this.

Sounds like the ignition in my -6, in that I can feel a lot of bits shifting around as I insert the key. But it goes in fine, and rotation of the switch appears to work normally for me, so I haven't put any sort of lube in the tumbler. If I did, in the absence of specific advice I use graphite powder in lock tumblers, but I haven't asked around about that specifically for P-cars.

EDIT: I just got around to markb's re-key your locks how-to thread, where he says to avoid graphite. He recommends two lubes that you should be able to find a local equivalent for.

Not really. It will go from OFF to ON to START just fine. Then if it doesn't start it will often go from ON to START again (several times even) without a problem. It seems that it will eventually refuse to rotate into the START position. When that happens it will often refuse that for awhile, even if I return the key to OFF or even remove and reinsert the key. Maybe as you suggest there's some mechanical problem within the switch.

Are /6 ignition switches as rare as hen's teeth? Should I just start looking for one to tear apart and recondition?

Skip