austin9111

I am removing the ignition/steering lock housing on my '88 924S to replace the ignition switch (after a year of progressive intermittent trouble starting the car from the key -- more and more jiggling).

I've gotten up to where the housing is supposed to slide off of the steering shaft tube, but it's not budging and is clearly frozen at the inner race/sleeve of the steering bearing.

Here's a close-up pic of the bearing and shaft tube. It looks like there might be a some wax (Porsche loves using wax for corrosion protection) or even glue between the bearing inner race/sleeve and the steering shaft housing that might be what's holding it in.

Thoughts? Is there something there I need to chip or solvent off (with, say, a bit of acetone)? Or am I just hallucinating (it wouldn't be the first time I am seeing something incorrectly)?

austin9111

Got the housing out!

Turns out the "glue or wax" in the picture was actually a thin plastic flanged sleeve that fits between the inner race of the bearing and the steering shaft to make it fit snug (which it does). It sticks out a bit giving the illusion (at least to me) that there was glue or was holding it in.

I was actually was able to finally loosen the ignition-steering lock housing from the shaft by fabricating an 11" long 1/8" diameter rod and weaved it under the dash at an angle around the DME (without having to remove it) it to be able to tap on each side of the housing a bit from the rear in order to force it forward. 11" seemed to be perfect compromise length to allow me to use the same rod on the right and left side of the ignition-steering lock housing. While I had the cordless grinder out (my favorite tool), I also ground a bit of a wedge onto one end of the rod to make it seat better against the housing body as you have to hit the rod at an angle rather than straight on (in order to get around the DME).

A few taps from the rear on one side of the ignition-steering lock housing then a few more on the other to keep the bearing from binding on the shaft, then repeat, and after 4-5 cycles of that back and forth the housing finally came off the shaft.

CyCloNe!

Dang, better you than me lol. Sounds like a paint pulling one out.

austin9111

Not too bad. Like anything involving cars, the first time thru a repair took an hour, second time would only take 10-15 minutes.

I got the ignition switch today, plugged it into the housing and then into the ignition switch connector on the harness, and now she starts right up, so that cracked white ignition switch was the problem.

Now waiting for the plastic bushing/sleeve that goes between the bearing and the steering shaft. The one I have looks good, but I only want to do this project once, so getting a new bushing as it is: 1) plastic and 2) almost 35 years old. I only want to do this repair once in the coming 35 years (what can I say, I'm an optimist).

BTW, when disassembling things, I discovered that there were no screws holding the steering cover trim together. Does anyone have any idea what size those screws might be (they look to be 3mm, but they are different lengths: one short, one long-ish).