Ignition key cylinder removal

Hey can anybody here tell me how to get the ignition key cylinder out of its housing. I have stripped this car down and removed all the lock cylinders and wanted the ignition one as well. I have the thing completely down to the metal housing that is attached to the column, but cannot figure out how to remove that with the cylinder still inside or just remove the darn thing from the housing. I would rather not break it as that defeats the purpose of having all the locks the same for one key! Thanks.

Typically, for most cars, you insert the key, turn it to on, push the release button and the cylinder slides out. Question is where is the release button?

alan

I tried to get the ignition key cylinder out once, when I was trying to remove the upper cover to the steering column. I never could figure it out, and I eventually just gave up. If someone here knows, I would love to know too!

__________
Dave
'91 325iX

Ignition lock removal

There you go, looks fairly easy.

Nice, doesn't get much easier than that.



alan

Thanks Michiel that is definitely simple enough. I did try to insert a tiny screwdriver in that hole at all of the positions and nothing so this is great to know. I ended up figuring out how to get the ignition encasement off of the column too. If any one wants to know you have to slice a slot into the shear bolt underneath the column and then take a screwdriver and back the bolt out. It comes off quite easy then!

And all it took was a bit of Googling.

Which shear bolt are you talking about? I once tried it on the ones holding the steering column, without success. Couldn't move them one bit with the screwdriver. Then drilled a hole in them, hammered in a torx bit, but the ratchet on it but the bit snapped. Then I grinded the entire head of the bolt down to get them out.

The shear bolt that holds the ignition housing to the steering column. If you look at the diagrams on oemparts.com you can see the bolt that screws in from the bottom of the housing. I would think that the actual steering column itself would be very difficult to get out, but once the ignition housing is off of the splined steering shaft all you need to do to get that out would be to unbolt the knuckle that ties it to the shaft that goes through the firewall and slide it out!