Would love to see your pictures and write up!
Ignition key cylinder
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,000
Likes: 585
Ignition key cylinder
Somehow I destroyed the left side contact and the key tore part of it loose and jammed it into the cylinder. Now there is no way for my key pellet to be read.
Dealer wants $479.00 for acylinder and to make my key fit it. So here are my assumptions and questions...
1. The contacts in the cylinder don’t care what the key resistor value is and all they are is a contact point. True?
2. When contact is made, it is the car’s computer that will determine if the resistor pellet is correct. True?
3. Therefore, making a new cylinder work with the original key, is simply a matter of tumbler configuration and does not require any programming etc. True?
Questions
1. Can I transfer new contacts to the old cylinder and eliminate the need for a locksmith?
2. Can I take the cylinder apart and transfer tumblers myself? ( I am mechanically competent ) J
I can get a cylinder on line (AC Delco) for less than half the dealer price. $149.00 at the dealer, $69.00 on line.
I can’t find a locksmith that understands what I am asking them to do. ( I have spoken to 6 so far).
Have any of you taken a cylinder apart?
I am thinking I will do it and make a nice write up with pictures if my assumptions above are correct. How hard can it be?
THANK YOU !!!!
Dealer wants $479.00 for acylinder and to make my key fit it. So here are my assumptions and questions...
1. The contacts in the cylinder don’t care what the key resistor value is and all they are is a contact point. True?
2. When contact is made, it is the car’s computer that will determine if the resistor pellet is correct. True?
3. Therefore, making a new cylinder work with the original key, is simply a matter of tumbler configuration and does not require any programming etc. True?
Questions
1. Can I transfer new contacts to the old cylinder and eliminate the need for a locksmith?
2. Can I take the cylinder apart and transfer tumblers myself? ( I am mechanically competent ) J
I can get a cylinder on line (AC Delco) for less than half the dealer price. $149.00 at the dealer, $69.00 on line.
I can’t find a locksmith that understands what I am asking them to do. ( I have spoken to 6 so far).
Have any of you taken a cylinder apart?
I am thinking I will do it and make a nice write up with pictures if my assumptions above are correct. How hard can it be?
THANK YOU !!!!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 268
Likes: 6
From: Barstow Ca
I just had mine a month ago do this. I took apart the dash (not too hard) Just buy a lock cylinder and find a competent locksmith to rekey it. I can't believe that you talked to six of them and they don't know how to do it. I was told not to use the tumblers from the old ignition cylinder by the locksmith. He had new ones on him. Plus it looks like it might be a pain. I paid 120 dollars for the lock cylinder( I know its a high price but I didn't want to wait) and 45 dollars to the locksmith. 165 dollars is better than 479. Put it back in and back in business.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,000
Likes: 585
8VETTE7,
Thank you.
I wanted to keep it simple but without fail, they would ask me what car it was for and everything would go south from there.
I finally found this guy that said it was $289.00 and I asked why and he went on about travel time and removal and I said whoa whoa big fella. I will bring you two cylinders...one NEW, one OLD, I just need you to match the tumblers.
He said, "Oh yeah, I can do that. Takes about an hour and it'll cost you $45.00".
WAHOO !!
Thank you.
I wanted to keep it simple but without fail, they would ask me what car it was for and everything would go south from there.
I finally found this guy that said it was $289.00 and I asked why and he went on about travel time and removal and I said whoa whoa big fella. I will bring you two cylinders...one NEW, one OLD, I just need you to match the tumblers.
He said, "Oh yeah, I can do that. Takes about an hour and it'll cost you $45.00".
WAHOO !!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,000
Likes: 585
**************** UPDATE *****************
I purchased the lock cylinder on amazon.com for &$68.00 and it showed up 5 days early so I dug into it.
I took the old cylinder out and apart and instead of going to a locksmith, I transferred the tumblers one by one myself and put it all back together.
Crossed my fingers, turned the key...
VROOM....a $479.00 job done for $68.00 and about three hours of my time (took pictures for a write up if anyone is interested.)
I purchased the lock cylinder on amazon.com for &$68.00 and it showed up 5 days early so I dug into it.
I took the old cylinder out and apart and instead of going to a locksmith, I transferred the tumblers one by one myself and put it all back together.
Crossed my fingers, turned the key...
VROOM....a $479.00 job done for $68.00 and about three hours of my time (took pictures for a write up if anyone is interested.)
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Please do post up your pics and writeup when you finish. 
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I could use this info now as I pulled by knee bolster out and fished the vats connector out and stuck a resistor in mine to get it home .
I had had a security light come on a couple of times so covered my bases. No joke I put them in my car a hour before I was stranded but without a flashlight at night . Good cell phones to the rescue
I had had a security light come on a couple of times so covered my bases. No joke I put them in my car a hour before I was stranded but without a flashlight at night . Good cell phones to the rescue
