Help I messed up my ignition lock cylinder

[rsr911]

OK Kinda funny story. I don't have a hitch on my van and had to haul my car trailer tonight so I took my Expedtion. I had to move the van out of the way and set the keys on the trailer and forgot about them. Suffice it to say they are somewhere between Akron and Canton! I can't find my extra set anywhere. At least the van was unlocked. Anyway I called several locksmiths and they wanted more than I wanted to spend, especially when a new cylinder from autozone is less than $20. Well I tried to jam a screwdriver in there and force it to turn so I could pull it in off the street so I could plug the block heater back in and well I broke the lock. I figured I didn't have much to lose at that point so I kept trying, well I've "dug out" enough of the lock that now I'm down to a plate held in by a snap ring and I still can't get anything to turn. I did get the pin out that locks the steering but the gearshift is still latched. So what do I do now? I'm gonna get another cylinder in the morning, any tips, suggestions?

[cdnsarguy]

To remove key cylinder

1 Disconnect battery grounds x2....
2 Turn lock cylinder key to run position......
3 Place a 1/8 diameter pin (drill bit) in the shroud under lock cylinder.
Depress retaining pin while pulling out on lock cylinder to remove it from the column housing.

To install key cylinder

1 Instal lock cylinder by turning it to run position and depressing the retaining pin. Insert lock cylinder into lock cylinder housing. Make sure cylinder is fully seated and aligned in interlocking washer before turning key to off position. This will permit cylinder retianing pin to extend into cylinder housing hole.
2 Rotate lock cylinder, using lock cylinder key, to make sure of correct mechanical operation in all position.
3 Connect battery ground cables

[Inger]

As a locksmith, I am constantly amazed what guys will do to avoid having a job done properly.....

Some problems by force rotation are----

1) There is a green lockplate on both the Ford 8 cut (post 96) and Ford 10 cut ignition (pre 96) and if you break off the tip of the sector gear it is a pig to extract out even with forceps or tweezers as the lockplates purpose is to prevent anybody from stealing it by..well..screwdrivers .

2) And so know you replace it with your so called $20 ignition from "Happy Harry Parts Store" you know have an ignition cylinder that has its own non matching bitting (ie. seperate key key from the door).....a lose situation right out of the chute for me.

Not trying to put a stick in your spokes there pardner, just that when you consider all your downtime with your screwdriver "repair" and the wasting of your time hundreds of miles away from home I see it as a lose situation all around when people take the miserly repair approach.

I like to save a buck when I can but sometimes.........

Darren