1980 corvette,

The lock core wasn't returning to Run position after starting the engine, so I read the Jim Shea papers and he alluded that it was most likely the ignition switch.

I ordered a new ignition switch and installed it according to the paper's detent positions, but the lock core still has the same problem.



The above pic was taken with the new switch installed. Anybody have any suggestions on what could be causing the binding such that the ignition switch spring can't return to Run position ?

I can manually return the lock core to Run position after starting the car but that gets old after a while....

thanks,
Richard

 

I have the same problem. When I had the stearing column out I manually tested it. The spring worked fine on mine.
The problem was when I re-installed the column the binding started again.
Turns out my wire harness was falling out of the mounting clip and it was putting pressure on the rod...making the return not really work.
Still working thru this. It's better now but not fixed perfectly.

Maybe this will help.
Ken

 

I experienced something similar but different but maybe it helps.

My ignition would not always make contact when I turned the key and would not stay in the accessory when I adjusted the tilt all the way up.

I slid the switch on the column to where it would stay in accessory position (or so I thought) but the accessory (radio) didn't work so it must not have been in accessory and was just sticking in that vicinity due to binding by being adjusted too far to one end.

I pulled the entire column out and investigated the internals of the switch and the brass contact that was in the start position was worn down to half it's original thickness so I figured that was the issue there,and it most likely was, but putting in a new switch didn't solve my accessory issue.

What I found was that the rod was too straight and thus too far forward forcing the placement of the switch on the column to be as far down in the column as possible which then did not allow the switch to reach all the way back into the accessory at the highest tilt setting which in essence made the distance from the lock cylinder to the ignition switch longer.

At least that's how I remember it.

Thinking in reverse, maybe your rod is too short and to get it to work in all positions you had to over adjust the position of the switch too far up the column and it's binding in the start position.

 

I talked to Larry from Corvette Columns and he said its probably the small plastic gear which mates with a pot-metal gear (rack, rack gear, rack spring ?? ) at the top of the column near the lock cylinder. He said these plastic gears break down and then put too much resistance on the rod. I'm going to take the column to him on Friday, I'll let you know what he finds out.

thanks for the responses,
Richard