evsnova74
Newbie
Tldr: what's the best route for replacing a damaged ign cyl and retaining VATS?
My truck doesn't (didn't) have cruise control, which I admit has spoiled me in all my other vehicles. So I wanted to add it, super simple right? Just get a turn signal switch with the controls, and add a CC module from a junk yard.
Well I watched a couple good videos showing how to swap the turn signal switch, all of which said you had to remove the ign cyl to get the upper column cover off. Again seemed really easy- stick a pick in the little hole while you have the cyl in the start position, pull it out, then return to run or whatever position to pull out the rest of the way. Well mine wasn't coming out. So I instinctively started pulling on the keyring because I couldn't get a good grip on the cyl tabs. A nanosecond before I realized that was probably a bad idea the key came out. I knew this wasn't a good thing, so I put the key back in and it seemed fine, but here's where the problem started.
When I turned it to the off position and removed the key, the key no longer worked. It didn't matter how much a jiggled it or what I tried. I jumped on facebook and made a post, which got a coupe answers that I expected - I gotta get this cyl to turn so I can replace it. So I got back to jiggling and whatnot, eventually I broke the trim thing with the tabs off, and saw the bar that was preventing it from turning. So with the key in I jammed the pick into that bar and got it to release, turned it to the start position and pulled it out (channel locks were needed for some reason).
Long story long, I had to drive it home so I just ground that bar down on the bench grinder with the key in until it was flush, miraculously it actually functions normally now and won't turn with a screwdriver. It's just missing that trim piece with the tabs. What are my options here? I see that rock auto has them but will I lose the VATS? Can I get one from a junk yard and retain VATS? I'm so used to my GTO which none of that stuff would work on, but I don't get how this system works because there's no chip in the key. Anyone wanna educate me on this?
(Sorry if this is in the wrong subforum, I can never figure out where a thread should go on here)
My truck doesn't (didn't) have cruise control, which I admit has spoiled me in all my other vehicles. So I wanted to add it, super simple right? Just get a turn signal switch with the controls, and add a CC module from a junk yard.
Well I watched a couple good videos showing how to swap the turn signal switch, all of which said you had to remove the ign cyl to get the upper column cover off. Again seemed really easy- stick a pick in the little hole while you have the cyl in the start position, pull it out, then return to run or whatever position to pull out the rest of the way. Well mine wasn't coming out. So I instinctively started pulling on the keyring because I couldn't get a good grip on the cyl tabs. A nanosecond before I realized that was probably a bad idea the key came out. I knew this wasn't a good thing, so I put the key back in and it seemed fine, but here's where the problem started.
When I turned it to the off position and removed the key, the key no longer worked. It didn't matter how much a jiggled it or what I tried. I jumped on facebook and made a post, which got a coupe answers that I expected - I gotta get this cyl to turn so I can replace it. So I got back to jiggling and whatnot, eventually I broke the trim thing with the tabs off, and saw the bar that was preventing it from turning. So with the key in I jammed the pick into that bar and got it to release, turned it to the start position and pulled it out (channel locks were needed for some reason).
Long story long, I had to drive it home so I just ground that bar down on the bench grinder with the key in until it was flush, miraculously it actually functions normally now and won't turn with a screwdriver. It's just missing that trim piece with the tabs. What are my options here? I see that rock auto has them but will I lose the VATS? Can I get one from a junk yard and retain VATS? I'm so used to my GTO which none of that stuff would work on, but I don't get how this system works because there's no chip in the key. Anyone wanna educate me on this?
(Sorry if this is in the wrong subforum, I can never figure out where a thread should go on here)
