Sab

on the new '82 the rear hatch does not open. the key fits and turns either way, but does not realease the hatch. how can i open it?

85fortheDrive

This might be a common problem, which can be fixed with a little shimming of the latch receptacle. I'll take a look tomorrow and confirm the location and thickness of the plastic shim that I used for when the hatch wouldn't open for me. Mind you my symptoms were related to the electrical release next to the driver's seat. But the issue here might be the same.

StratfordShark

Like 84tothefloor I fixed this with a shim but it was to get electrical release working (motor was working but catch not releasing).

If your mechanical problem is the same you need to push the plastic part in the receiver slightly forward (towards front of car). I did this by slipping a piece of plastic cut from a milk container behind the rubber gasket surrounding the receiver. I think I had to play with different thicknesses to find solution which worked but no problems since.

Ron_H

Does the key engage with the latch inside the lock housing (male part of the latch attached to the hatch)? Is there any resistance to the key turning? Or does the key simply rotate in the lock and not hit anything? There is a projection from the lock cylinder that actuates the plastic latch in the lock housing and forces it to disengage with the female part of the latch in the body. Sometimes that projectin can break loose from the lock and sometimes it can be installed incorrectly so it contacts the plastic latch ineffectively. If the latter is the case, it will be extremely difficult to operate. You should open the hatch and remove the male housing and with it will come the lock cylinder. That is easily removed and you can check the cylinder for proper function. If the housing is cracked (they all crack I'm told), you must replace it or reinforce it using sheet metal riveted to it to strengthen it and keep it from flexing. There is another fix explained by Jim Bailey at 928 Intl. but it may not be necessary at this point.

Sab

Hi Ron,

the key turns pretty easy and does not have the expected resistance at half way. So something is amiss in there. This is an old car ('82), so I don't think it has an electronic release. At least there is no **** next to the seat.

How do I get this thing to open? I really need to get into the hatch area.
regards,

GT Jackson

First do some stretching and limbering up exercises. After which you will be prepared to crawl into the reak luggage area on you stomach over the rear seat. Remove the tool tray to expose the release mechanism. Not having done this for a while I cannot remember exactly how to engage the release but is should ecome evident once you are back there.

Good luck.

Alan

On a car with an electric hatch release that is indeed the method (though motor removal gives beter access for this.

On one without electric release - I suspect you may have to drill a small hole in the receiver shell to be able to release the locking pawl since there otherwise wouldn't be any access ...?

Hope I am wrong about this? - in this case you will want to measure where to drill on another lock first... you need to drill a very shallow hole since if its in the right place - you will be drilling into the movable tab.

I'd suggest a replacement lock at the ready... (top/bottom?)

Alan

Big Dave

That's what I had to do. Drilled a hole in the receiver and popped it from inside the car. I had to replace the lock, but it was broken anyway.

Ron_H

I was lucky because I had a hatch lock release next to the driver's seat that works 50% of the time. I just sat there and kept actuating it until it popped open. I suspect that in this case you will need to replace the whole lock cylinder because the ear that pushes the plastic pawl down is broken off. I suggest sending it to 928 Intl. (Jim Bailey) who will re-key your new cylinder using the original key and also get a spare key from him as well. Then I would devise a sneaky way to access the lock from inside the rear compartment in case it happens again.

WallyP

Crawl into the rear area with an electric drill, with about a 1/4" bit. Remove the tool panel, then peel up the covering at the center top section of the panel behind the tool kit . Carefully drill a hole in the very center of that panel as high as possible still on the main body. Stop as soon as you go thru the sheet metal! This hole allows you to insert a screw driver to push back the white plastic latch on the black post. It helps if someone pushes down on the hatch to release some of the tension.


The hole will be covered by the upholstery .


The internal cast metal arm of the lock is not sold as a separate part.

Sab

thanks guys, I didn't see Wally's post before I came up with another method... I didn't know where to drill.
Crawl back there, wedge large screwdriver in the lock and push down hard. It's open now.

Pfunde

Sorry didn't see your post untill now. I would have suggested the big screwdriver metode ....., but glad you found out

z driver 88t

Bringing this thread back because I'm experiencing the same issue. I see from Wally's post that you basically have to replace the whole latch piece since the internal arm is not sold separately.

Should I infer from this that you cannot use the original tumbler and you end up with a separate key for the hatch?

VehiGAZ

So would it be a BFS or a BFSD?

z driver 88t

Thanks so much for some very helpful emails from Sebastian and Ron. I'm posting Ron's email for furture "SEARCHes" because its one of the most thorough answers I could have ever requested. Very much appreciated.

From Ron:

I don't think you need to re-key if you can access your original cylinder. You 'll need to remove the male hatch latch from the hatch which is relatively easy so long as you are VERY CAREFUL to not lose the tiny screws that hold in the part that covers the rear of the lock cylinder housing and slides up the wires once loosened from the cylinder. Once removed, you'll have access to the screws that secure the alarm wires from the cylinder. Use a magnetized small phillips screwdriver so you can hold the tiny screws once they are free because you will need to do this operation with the latch housing and lock cylinder on the car. Once the wires are free remember to which pole on the lock cylinder they were fastened and mark them or draw a diagram for your later use. Then you may remove the cylinder after loosening the other tiny screw preventing the cylinder from rotating within the latch housing. Once you have the cylinder free, you will notice the actuating ear on the cylinder that actuates the latch and you will notice also the two spots on the side of the cylinder you will need to grind off (or the pins which will need to be driven out of the body of the cylinder at the key end) before the lock cylinder may be removed from the cylinder body. Once you have that removed, you may discard the old cylinder housing and any other latch parts you need to replace. Then secure a new cylinder housing into which you may place your keyed-alike cylinder and then put epoxy into the holes for the pins that were removed on the cylinder housing. File the epoxy flush with the surface of the cylinder housing so that you may re-install it into the latch housing.

If you want to change the acuating ears on the end of the lock cylinder, you will need to find another lock and make your key fit it. You may do this by removing the lock cylinder from its housing (see above) and be careful not to lose the pins in the cylinder by taping around the cylinder as it is SLOWLY removed from its housing, being careful to place the masking tape over the rows of pins as it is removed.

As I recall, the "pins" are, in reality, discs that are uniquely shaped so you will be wanting to install the key in order to displace the pins upward out of the cylinder despite them being proud relative to the cyilinder body. Then you may file them to be flush with the cylinder body so the cylinder will turn in side the body. Then replace the cylinder housing and the key should work within it. That eliminates the need to re-key.

Another suggestion: carefully remove your original cylinder and observe the placement of the individual disks in your cylinder. Match their position in the new cylinder and your key should then work in it after replacing the cylinder housing over the cylinder. Tedious job and you absolutely can't get any disk incorrectly installed but it can work.

Ulitmately I am following the path Ron took, which was just to replace the item and have two keys for the car - one hatch, one doors/ignition. But I'm sure I'll experiment with the old mechanism once I have it out.