Hi all this is my first post and sorry but it's going to be a long one.

I recently had issues with my 1990 f150 4.9l manual (non tilt column). I was pulling out the driveway and shifted her I to first and then it stalled out. When I tried to start it up it started for a while then failed. I ended up having to let her roll backwards and stopping her on a safe part on the side of the road. I dont know if it was because I was turning the steering wheel with the engine off but for some reason the key got stuck in the ignition. I tried to wiggle the steering wheel like others suggested in previous posts but that did not release the key. So I took apart the steering column to swap in a brand new key cylinder I had in the parts closet. Even with a brand new cylinder the key is still stuck. If I take both cylinders (new and old) out I can easily remove the keys and they function as should. However everytime it's placed back in the steering column it stops allowing me to remove the keys.

After research I found out about some people having the same issue when their actuator fails so I decided to break it down a bit more and check the actuator out. Online I could only really find much about the tilt actuators and they differ drastically from the tilt setup. I scoured the web for forums or YouTube videos that would help me figure out how to remove the actuator but I could not find any good resources. So I took my time and took it apart as best as I could but got stuck when I could not figure out how to remove the bearing from the shift. But after breaking it down and dropping the column i could see that the actuator looked fine and all intact it seemed to move the ignition switch fine as should but still the key was stuck even if I pulled on the actuator and made sure it was in the off locked positionWring...

I also had a extra fender starter solenoid lay8ling around so I installed that as well just to test if maybe the fender solenoid went bad. After putting the new one in no change.

I eventually tested my starter which I had replaced 3 or 4 months prior and it turned out to be bad so I got a new starter under warranty and since I had the steering column dropped and the switch off I popped the switch into the start position and jumped her from the fender solenoid and she fired right up like a beauty.

So problem solved it was the starter right? Wrong... after installing the starter and sucessfully starting it by jumping the fender solenoid I began to put back my steering column and hoped that the power steering kicking on because the truck is now running would solve my issue with the stuck key and the key no longer starting up the car (seems it doesn't push the actuator out far enough to switch it to starting position). So I adjusted the switch and when I tested it before bolting it down it worked fine got into the start position and the off position just fine. But when I held it in olace and bolted it down it started to act up when I remounted the column and tested it. Off turned on the accessories and it refused to be pushed into the start position. So now I just start it from the switch itself and left the switch hanging in the foot well. Not ideal. I also noticed the switch when placed in the off position all the way back it turns on the radio. I have a new switch coming tomorrow which I will change out just in case as the key did lose its spring back action from start to run.

Another issue I'm trying to figure out is the darn steering column seems unsteady and like I improperly reassembled it because now when I use the blinkers it turns the shell that holds the ignition cylinder and blinker/steering wheel assembly. There is two parts to the shell one holds the internals for the horn and blinker assembly and the other shell it connects too which seems to only hold the actuator and where the automatic shifter would be can rotate as well. My truck is manual so I don't have a auto shifter installed on the column. From. What i can tell when I drop the column the two shells are separate and don't connect with eachother but I did notice 2 bolts with rectangular ends and nuts that seem like they would hold the two halves together. However when I felt inside the auto shifter half I could feel no way to get them two bolted together and the rectangular bolts with nuts seem to hold nothing down.

So now I have a few problems:

- The key won't start the car.
- The steering column shell rotates when I use the blinkers and it can be rotated along with the auto shifter half by hand which seems to be hindering the function of the ignition actuator
- The key won't release from the cylinder.
- The switch needs to be adjusted.

Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated and thank in advance!