Key Won't go into "Start" Position

[m1ghtymaxXx]

Today I came out of a work at lunch and found my I couldn't turn my key to the "start" position in my 1977 manual trans 280z. The key was stiff turning from Off to ACC, but wouldn't go into "start" at all. Luckily I was parked on a slight incline and had space to bump start the car in reverse.

 

I'm currently at home on my lunch break with wheel off and the steering coulumn plastic off.

 

Just some relelvent back story: I installed a grant steering wheel about 2 weeks ago. To make the horn work I had to bend the little copper contact, since the contact wheel on the aftermarket steering wheel sits abouty a 1/2" further back that the stock one. The passed few days there has been a slight "crunching" noise when turning the wheel, but mainly turning it in one direction (can't recall which direction), but it seemed to stock today en route to work I had previously attributed this to the reshaped horn contact, but never got around to taking it apart to verify. It is also important to note that there has never been any sign of a steering lock on this car, though I understand they were all equipped with one.

 

Anyways I'm sitting here with the column plastic apart and there's a bunch of finely broken glass sitting in the bottom piece of the steering column cover. This wasn't there last time I had it apart 2 months ago, but I did find a mysterious chunk of broken glass in the footwell a few weeks ago. Could the glass be related to the steering wheel lock (or lack there of)?. I gave the cylinder a shot of WD40 and it made turning the key from Off to ACC much smoother, but it still won't go into start.

 

If I can't figure it out it wouldn't be terribly difficult to wire in a start button (i did this on my 83 when the ignition cylinder wouldn't close the starter contact, though the key turned), but I'd prefer not to if it's an easy fix.

 

Can anyone offer some insight?

 

 

 

 

[BluDestiny]

Glass? There is nothing glass in the steering column.....but it sounds like there was something stuck in there.

[Miles]

Does the "glass" resemble fine copper dust? If so, it is coming from the copper horn contact you bent so it would work. Seen it before with after market steering wheels. The crunching noise is most likely the copper contact rubbing on the contact patch of the steering wheel.

 

On the ignition switch you have two options:

 

   1- You can replace just the ignition key switch module. Source: MSA, Black Dragon, Autozone etc.

 

   2- You can replace the entire ignition switch/locking assembly. Same sources as above. 

 

 

The problem could also be due to either a worn key or tumblers in the key switch module. You may be able to have the ignition key switch module serviced  by a locksmith, but then you would still have a 40 year old switch.

 

 

Missing steering lock?   some people remove the steering lock for a variety of reasons such as if they are going to race the car.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

The glass is definitely glass, some bigger chunks look to have corners as though it was from a bottle or jar. Well who knows how that got there, but maybe it's responsible for the crunch I was hearing when turning the wheel. The copper horn contact looks fine, though I could stand to grease the contact wheel.

 

Anyways last night I got impatient and wired in a start button. I used a relay so that it will only fire with with the key in ACC, and the button is actually a momentary toggle switch with a guard mounted in a knockout int the center console. I gave it a test fire before soldering and it worked perfect, but I must have melted something in the switch when I soldered it since it behaved like an on/off switch after but wouldn't make contact. Should be good to go once I replace the switch, and maybe I'll get the the ignition cylinder rebuilt this winter.