Emergency Car help calling roger and whoever can help

[Turin39789]

Stuck at work, waiting on AAA, ignition key will not turn, will turn just a little bit but does not feel like it is turning the whole way, no noise no nothing.

It is a 1972 volkswagen beetle, we had a big ice storm today, it drove fine here to work but wont do anything right now. Dont know if something is frozen or what, car is coated with ice right now. was no electricity left on, so I dont *think* its the battery, besides as I said it does not feel like key is turning completly, have an hour before AAA will be here so have some time


thanks

 

[brxndxn]

So you're posting on ATOT in a 1972 VW Beetle?

Man.. I didn't know they had that option.

 

[Heisenberg]

Sounds like the ignition lock cylinder is stuck/broken. If that's what it is, I doubt AAA will be able to do anything other than tow the car. They're not that hard to fix, but you need the right tools (i.e. you can't fix it in the parking lot in the dark with no tools).

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
So you're posting on ATOT in a 1972 VW Beetle?

Man.. I didn't know they had that option.

It was originally one of those black projects the Nazis were working on before they lost, back during the war.. Somehow the design made it into production.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Sounds like the ignition lock cylinder is stuck/broken. If that's what it is, I doubt AAA will be able to do anything other than tow the car. They're not that hard to fix, but you need the right tools (i.e. you can't fix it in the parking lot in the dark with no tools).

was worried it would be soemthing like that, right now I am just having them tow it, if this is the problem do you think it will fix itself when the weather warms up? I should be able to get it in a shop tommorrow, just hate to miss work.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: brxndxn
So you're posting on ATOT in a 1972 VW Beetle?

Man.. I didn't know they had that option.

It was originally one of those black projects the Nazis were working on before they lost, back during the war.. Somehow the design made it into production.

no i work tech support, so im sitting inside the call center waiting on AAA

 

[HappyPuppy]

WTF kind of AAA do you have in that shithole? AAA in CA is guaranteed to be there in 30 minutes.

You may want to try taking a bobby pin out of your hair and shorting across various wires on the back of the ignition switch to get it started. If you don' thave a bobby pin, use your tongue. :Q

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
WTF kind of AAA do you have in that shithole? AAA in CA is guaranteed to be there in 30 minutes.

You may want to try taking a bobby pin out of your hair and shorting across various wires on the back of the ignition switch to get it started. If you don' thave a bobby pin, use your tongue. :Q

could use a screwdriver but dont feel like breaking anything since i dont know what i am doing with this engine. AAA said it would be within an hour, they are likely busy as hell as the whole city is covered in ice and i think i saw 5 wrecks on the way to work this afternoon

 

[Loggerman]

About the only thing to try if ingnitian stuck,would be Vaseline,dosen't conduct electricity.

That's about it.(make sure the whole ing.system isn't turning when you turn the key)

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Sounds like the ignition lock cylinder is stuck/broken. If that's what it is, I doubt AAA will be able to do anything other than tow the car. They're not that hard to fix, but you need the right tools (i.e. you can't fix it in the parking lot in the dark with no tools).

was worried it would be soemthing like that, right now I am just having them tow it, if this is the problem do you think it will fix itself when the weather warms up? I should be able to get it in a shop tommorrow, just hate to miss work.

I dunno if it will work when the weather gets warmer or not. I kinda doubt it. I'm guessing the cold probably made the metal more brittle and something broke. Then again, it could just be stuck.

 

[rgwalt]

Have you tried moving the steering wheel slightly one way or the other and then turning the key? I've been in cars where the key won't turn because the steering wheel was locked. Moving the wheel slightly from the locked position allowed the key to turn.

R

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Loggerman
About the only thing to try if ingnitian stuck,would be Vaseline,dosen't conduct electricity.

That's about it.(make sure the whole ing.system isn't turning when you turn the key)

definetly feels like the key isnt turning the whole way, but that could just be my perception

 

[Loggerman]

Standard?
Giver a push
Hope in turn
key on
Hit second or third / pop the clutch

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Loggerman
Standard?
Giver a push
Hope in turn
key on
Hit second or third / pop the clutch

would love too, but its level ground and covered in a sheet of ice, have a pretty sure feeling as soon as I start to push i will be sitting on my butt

 

[Brutuskend]

rgwalt is right. Sometimes you have to turn the wheel hard to one side or the other to get the steering to unlock.

<----Owns a 72 Squareback and worked as a VW mech.

Try cranking it HARD to on side and then try the key (WHILE the wheel is turned!)

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Have you tried heating the key up with a lighter and then stick it in. Do it several times to warm up the lock. Maybe it has moisture in the switch"freezing" it up.

Us old guys hot wired cars all the time.......

 

[Turin39789]

thanks brutuskend and yankke, going to try now. cant wait to learn all these tricks the hard way

 

[etech]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
Have you tried moving the steering wheel slightly one way or the other and then turning the key? I've been in cars where the key won't turn because the steering wheel was locked. Moving the wheel slightly from the locked position allowed the key to turn.

R

That was the first thought I had also. Can you turn the the steering wheel from side to side or is it locked?

Another thing to try if the lock is frozen. Take a cigarette lighter and heat the key up and put it in the ignition. Try it a few times.

If the steering wheel is not locked and you can get the key to the run position but just can't get it to turn the starter over.... bugs are easy to push start. Put it into second gear, get it rolling and pop the clutch. It usually doesn't take that much speed to get them started. I've only had one person pushing to start one before.

I did have a ignition switch replaced once but it was so long ago that I don't remember exactly what it cost. It wasn't that much though.

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: galvanizedyankee
Have you tried heating the key up with a lighter and then stick it in. Do it several times to warm up the lock. Maybe it has moisture in the switch"freezing" it up.

Us old guys hot wired cars all the time.......

Thats true.

Hard with these new fangled steering locks though.

Back in the 70's I went to the 1st California Jam, it was a ALL DAY show with more people turning out than were at Woodstock. Many Bands played, but the headliners were Emerson Lake and Palmer and Deep Purple (those were the days huh?)
Anyway later on in the day I ran into a friend of mines girlfriends twin sister and her hubby. She was around 8 months knocked up and it was HOT. So they wanted to leave but some dick wad stole her purse with their car keys in it. Being a nice guy I left the concert to hot wire their car so they could leave.

No good deed goes unpunished, they wouldn't let me back in and so I missed both ELP and Deep Purple.

 

[Turin39789]

YOU GUYS ROCK, i had tried turning the wheel before, but to no avail, turned it a bit harder, nothing, warmed up my key with my lighter, then a little bit straight on the ignition and while trying that and yanking on the wheel it popped and I got her started. I owe you both a beer, if you are ever in or around ky I will take care of you. Or if im ever near by ill treat you to a night on the town.

THANKS AGAIN BRUTUSKEND AND GALVANIZEDYANKEE

 

[Brutuskend]

You bet!

Glad it worked!

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Now be sure and spray some lube in all your locks, as a preventative measure...

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Nice job guys! :beer: