I know most people try to disable the thing, but I want all of my car to work like new, so I have rebuilt the column. I can't tell whether the key minder switch is working properly though. It's got two little brass terminals that come out of it but the continuity between them doesn't seem to correlate to whether or not there's a key in the barrel or not!
Should it?
I assume if I hook up a continuity tester to those two contacts when I insert and remove a key, it should change. Perhaps only in the OFF position? I"m not entirely sure!
Well with a little tinkering I got it to work, the only problem is I can't get it to cancel.
In other words, when you insert the key, a little black thing pops down to activate the key minder switch. When you remove the key it does not pop back however so the buzzer would keep running.
So what retracts that little black tab that activates the key minder switch?
Have you had the small switch out of the column? Its within a small clear plastic holder. The contacts are spring loaded and should disconnect. Also, there's a black metal holder for the clear plastic thing, do you have that?
I do, that's all working properly. It seems the little black tab that comes out of the key barrel to -activate- that switch never retracts once it pokes out!
Yup, I needed a slide hammer to get the original out though. Seriously everything metal in this car that touched any other metal was welded by rust! But yes I popped out the cylinder to check that tab.
The little tab pops out OK and you can push it back in, but I guess the minder switch doesn't have enough jam in its spring to push the tab back?
Worst part is that this is a feature I don't even want but I'm a little obsessive that "everything" must work when it's done!
-- Edited by davepl on Thursday 10th of May 2018 09:12:05 AM
Re getting the key cylinder out, did you follow the instructions in the service manual? There's a small slot in the casting where you can slide a small metal ruler in to release the cylinder, and it just pulls out.
