Okay, we seemed to have fixed my problem of my car leaking (but needs the little hose replaced on top of waterpump, about ready to burst).

My boyfriend needed new headphones for work, and I wanted his fingers off my Sony studio monitors, so I just went down to Big Lots and bought him $2 cheapies.

I got back into my car, and tried to start her - 20 TIMES! Starter was not engaging, and I had to figure out if it was the ignition switch or the starter (may be both).

So, I called 2 of my friends to come and attempt to push start my car.

Well, they were so out of shape we had a hard time with that. I finally threw a big hissy fit, and jiggled the keys, hoping I can get the damned thing to engage. Well, I stomped on the gas that time. I got yelled at for flooding the engine, so I put my foot down all the way, and tried to start her AGAIN.

THIS HORRIBLE noise came out, but she lurched. I did it again, realized the starter was NOT disengaging from the flywheel, so I manually moved the key into it's drive position - VOILA, she was running and quieted down!

Yeah, pretty sure it's the ignition switch. I took her over to my friend's house, afraid I can't start her again, and parked her there.

I have another ignition switch & key - BUT the complete thing, including the steering wheel lock part that goes under the steering wheel.

I have NOT found out how to replace this entire unit! Can anyone look it up on their Porsche PET or whatever? I don't want to pry it out of this body, rather just install the entire thing.

Thanks for all the help in advance.

- Julie

 

Clarks garage has an excellent write up on this wit lots of pictures: http://www.clarks-garage.com/ go to ignition switch. I did this not long ago and it wasn't too bad of a job.

 

Clark's Garage doesn't cover installing the HOUSING it's inside of!

Maybe that isn't as difficult?

- Julie

 

Imay be wrong, but I don't think you can flood a fuel injected car by steping on the accellerator. Carborators can be flooded because they have a mechanical accelleretor pump. So tell them to stop yelling at you!

 

Fuel injected cars cannot be flooded by the gas pedal. Julie, you need the plastic electrical part of the ignition switch, not the housing. You have to get behind the lock and unscrew the philips set screw to remove it. I don't remember whether its necessary to remove the lock or not but I have replace it a few times in the past. In the early cars, its a common problem.

 

Agreed! Not a hard job. Cheap part (about $10.00 or less?) When your ready, ask again how..........many of us have done it several times. Not a big deal, just a few "gotchas" to look out for when doing it, so ya don't break up some of the plastic trim around the steering wheel durring removal. Depends on your car, and dashboard settling. Good luck!

 

Well, I pumped my gas pedal, and you could smell gas from a distance - and they were yelling that I flooded my engine, so whatever you want to call it.

I just got angry, and jiggled the hell out of the ignition, and she turned over (thank goodness, before I STRANGLED THEM BOTH! One for being an overweight baby-slob; the other one for being a spoiled rotten brat, cringing at getting his nails dirty).

Brats get on my nerves, heheh, especially when they think they know everything. Of course, they couldn't be intelligent enough to bring the truck, which had a bumper strong enough to push start me - they had to bring a car that had an inferior bumper, and he was chicken to use it on my car.

So, they huffed, puffed & whined. Hey, not my fault the parking lot had valleys & hills in it (albeit shallow).

- Julie

 

You should do a cup check on them to see if they have nads. Maybe you will be surprised at what you find.

 

is your car an automatic? you said you put it into drive postition? If so why where you trying to push start it? - oh and yes replacing the actual ignition switch behind the key tumbler is not hard, look in a haynes manual should have everything you need.