I did the ignition actuator repair. Labor intensive job but not too bad overall. I took the tilt column out to bench repair rather than fiddle in the cab. My back thanks me. The column is bolted back in, all connections made. The problem is that I found a spring on the floor of my truck 🤦🏻‍♂️. If it’s from the column assembly, it happened during removal. I did the tear down in my garage so it’s not internal to the column. I’ve poured over diagrams and can’t connect it to the removal/repair. These are the springs I know about that are all accounted for...

Small spring inside lower ignition actuator

2 small springs for the tilt locks

Upper bearing Spring (holds suspension height ring near shaft u-joint)

Tilt steering position spring

any thoughts? The photo of the culprit is attached. Cork to show size

Thanks in advance.

 

Read these pages:

(click this text)


(click this text)


BTW
The expression is "pored over".

 

Those are the diagrams I pored over (hat tip, I learn something new every day). I’m not seeing the spring in question in those. But I do miss things on occasion, like proper spelling of idioms and the occasional Oxford comma. It’s definitely not the tilt spring. I zip tied it to the column (so it would be less dangerous and I wouldn’t have to hunt for it) and then popped it out. I left the zip tie on it for designation. Anyway, thank you for responding.

The real disappointment is that after replacing the ignition actuator (it was broken), ignition switch, and the starter solenoid...it still won’t start.

 

You're sure it's not 11 or 23? On a computer, go to that first page, hit CTRL+F, type "spring", and then use the keyboard arrows to browse each instance.

Why would you replace 3 such distinct parts for one symptom? And which actuator did you replace - upper or lower? It's usually just the roll pin that slides out. What test did the original ignition switch fail? Same question for the solenoid (which is a component of the starter - most people mean the RELAY on the fender near the battery).

(click this text)


If neither failed any test, I'd put them back in. It's more likely you didn't rebuild the column correctly. It's very complicated.

 

Thanks Steve. I’m not a mechanic, I just fix things out of necessity and most of the time come out on top. Lots to learn for sure. I replaced the upper actuator and yes the pin slipped out. That didn’t work so I thought I would grab two other cheap parts, replace them one at a time, try to start the truck and see if any solved the “no start” problem. Trial and error, experience under the hood, getting my feet wet and hands dirty, and learning stuff. I’ll check out the diagrams on my desktop and get a better view. No kidding about the complexity of those steering columns.

When I let the truck sit for a few days it will briefly activate interior lights/dash when I slightly turn the key, but when the ignition cylinder is turned past the accessory position, all power goes off and no start. But usually I get nothing when turning the key. That’s what it did before taking the column out and replacing upper actuator. When I saw the pin out, I thought the problem would be solved by replacing it based on the various message boards etc. on the inter webs. Nope. So I looked at other options. Anyway, any other advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Read the 2nd link in my first reply, and if you're not sure you did it that way, re-do it. The upper actuator's gear rack must be "timed" to the lock cylinder drive gear for the ig.sw. to respond correctly to the key position. A quick test is to pull the ig.sw. off the column and operate it manually. If everything works (including cranking), then the actuator timing is probably off by a few teeth.

Option B is to just swap in a later column. It's much easier than rebuilding a column, and you can gain features like backlit buttons & controls for a radio.

(click this text)

 

Thanks Steve! I’ll look at the write-up closer on the position of the upper actuator teeth. And putting a different column in there is a good idea. I appreciate it.

 

Reading this with dread. I replaced the actuator in my 87 F150 and it went well after all adjustments were made, but I bought my 93 F150, which had belonged to a couple of construction crews before being given up for dead, and it had NO key, ignition switch was dangling. One day I ham fisted a drill in the keyhole out of frustration and gutted a bit of it, but it still isn't obvious to me how to proceed without destroying everything. Maybe replacing the column is the right solution.

 

I’ve been eyeing rebuilt columns. My truck still sits in my driveway. No time to continue battling it right now. I got quoted more $ to fix mine than a rebuilt would cost. The column swap is pretty simple. Probably going to pull the trigger on it in a few weeks.

 

Keep drilling larger. If the chrome or black bezel is still on it, break it off first. When the wafers & tiny springs come out, the inner cylinder will turn as if the key was in. Rotate it to the RUN position, press the release button through the hole in the bottom of the shroud, and pull the wrecked lock cylinder out. Then put another one in with a key, and re-install the ig.sw.

If you want the ignition to match the doors (as it should), either build a new ig. cylinder to match the original key (if you have it); OR, buy a matched pair of new '96-04 door cylinders with new keys, and build the new cylinder to match those. That's what I did to my '93 F250 using these.