what the heck is this part two

[warhog]

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That lever thing. What is is what is it supposed to do? Got stuck at the feed store this afternoon, couldn't get the starter to engage by turning the key, then the key got stuck in the ignition because I couldn't turn it all the way to "off". I jumped the starter and got home and tore everything apart too look through everything, and now, for the first time since i owned the truck....


I can't start the truck, or take the key out, unless i move that lever thing. I see it's clearly involved in the motion of the rod that moves back and fourth when you turn the ignition, is it supposed to be?

 

[79jasper]

Could be some sort of key interlock thing. But I didn't think that old of truck had them.
Is it a auto column maybe?

 

[warhog]

How many times have you told me "i didnt think that old truck would have that" ? lol. I've been meaning to carfax the ol girl. I'm pretty sure she has been stripped and thrown back together frankenstein style. This not being the right column could lead me to my loose steering. I knew something was wrong with it for months now since the plastic shroud never fit on it right. It has no cut out for that lever thing.

The lever thing will actually block that shaft that moves back and fourth when you turn the key, it'll block it from going to "run" if it's not pushed up, and block it from turning to "off" if it's not pulled down. weird as hell. Never had a problem with it before. It just always worked lol

 

[laserjock]

I think most of the older trucks had a key release. My 88 did. I think my dads 83 did. My 91 does too but I suspect that column has been changed. It keeps the key from coming to the full off position where the key comes out. You should have to push it to go to accessory. IIRC. It's opposite the switch on my truck but I don't remember where it was on the older trucks. Not having one to look at, that's my best guess. If the ignition switch is messed up, you could also have that problem. I just changed the one in my 91 because it wasn't acting right. Key would pull out in any position and it didn't want to go into start position.

Hope that helps.

 

[Wicked97]

That's the key release on a non tilt column.

 

[warhog]

weirrrrd. I never needed to use it in the 7 months i've owned the truck lol

 

[laserjock]

Maybe that's a sign it wasn't functioning.

 

[Kevin 007]

Yup they all had it, at least the non tilt one did. Mine does.

 

[riotwarrior]

How bout a pic of the other side...this time no upside down?

 

[The Warden]

That's the key release on a non tilt column.

Tilt columns have them too; my '84 has it from the factory. I think. Never really understood why Ford felt the need to have that; maybe so you couldn't turn the key all the way off (locking the steering wheel) without a second motion, to keep people from locking the wheel if they turned the engine off to coast down a hill (dangerous and illegal as hell anyways)?

I've always wondered if there's a way to disable it, although I'm used to it by now...

 

[madpogue]

Automatic-equipped vehicles have an interlock between the shifter and the key cylinder, that doesn't allow you to turn it all the way back unless it's in Park. This is the counterpart to that function in manual-equipped vehicles. IIRC, it's some federal safety mandate, the idea being that you don't inadvertently lock the column while cruising down the road.

 

[Vegas-Misfit]

i have a tilt wheel and i have the key release as well

 

[warhog]

How bout a pic of the other side...this time no upside down?

I don't know how to work this stupid iphone. lol All my pictures I upload end up sideways. There's nothing on the other side of it, just the wires for the column. It's a dumb idea, and i liked it better when it was broken. Maybe i'll screw around with it when I get a new column and see if there's a way to remove it.

 

[79jasper]

Definitely "fixable."