jechler

I had to order a new to me steering column for my 1986 , it comes with the keys , question is do I need to have new keys made with the same resistor as my old keys ? Or will the ones that come with it still work

Cliff Harris

The resistor pellet in the keys needs to match the old one or VATS will keep your car from starting. You can measure the resistors in the old and new keys if you have a multimeter. If they don't match then you will need new keys. A locksmith should be able to match up the resistor keys for you.

hcbph

Or do the Vats bypass and use what you have. It's nothing more than a resistor that plugs into the pair of wires that run from the Vats to the ignition switch. If you do this, you want to use the resistor value that matches your old keys.

Either way should work - as Cliff said to get new keys with the right value or do the bypass.

jechler

I checked the resistor and ordered two new key blanks
Thanks for the help

WVZR-1

Save all of your old parts, you could if the "new to you" cylinder fails replace it with the older one that you still have keys for. You could also have swapped the cylinder from the old to the "new to you" also if the cylinder and keys were functional.

mike100

you don't have to tear down the new column too far to drop in your original lock cylinder.

gerardvg

Remove you lock and fit it to the other column, there is a torx bolt that holds the ignition lock in place remove that and it will come out easy.

The only pain in the but is refitting the C shaped lock ring, i highly recommend to get the lock down depressor tool or just make one, bend some metal into a rough U shape and drill a hole for the steering column shaft. Then use the steering wheel nut, first depress it with the lock screw and tighten then you can use an open end spanner to depress everything till the C shaped lock ring fits.

jechler

What's the trick to getting the plastic piece off covering the c clip without breaking it ?

WW7

If your talking about the piece below, forget it, it's going to break taking it off, if it's the original part they all break....Just make sure you have a new one when you remove the old one......WW

http://www.steeringcolumnservices.co...-insulator.php

jechler

I have it ready to go back in the car ,only trouble I had was with the lock plate tool and the telescoping ,I had to get a cap screw and lock it down to use the lock plate tool .Thanks for all the help!

jechler

I got it all back together ,now on to the seat belts and the horn not working , I have a horn relay on the way plus a turn flasher ,the seat belts one was full of 28 years of what can fall in it the other was clean going to give them a good cleaning to see if that will fix them .Thanks for all the help with the column