Electrics: 70: Knackered barrell, replace with an alternative?

[mud]

Hi everyone, after a couple of years with lesser brands I've seen sense and bought another V70 T5 from 97. The key has started spinning quite frequently and you have to force it to turn far enough to start. Obviously the barrell is really expensive and there doesn't appear to be a simple fix. Does anyone know if any other type of barrell fits? I was thinking of taping up the key to fool the immobiliser and fitting an alternative barrell, but I have no idea what would fit? Alternatively can someone send me a knackered one so I can compare without taking my car off the road. I'll happilly cover the cost through papypal. I've only got one key, so I reckon it would work out cheaper to fit an alternative rather than buy a new barrell and 2 keys. I might lose the steering lock, but I'll live with that. Any thoughts?

cheers Mud

[Rick Barton]

I've got a used lockset you could buy; I am not giving it away though as they are darned expensive new.

[mud]

Thanks for the offer, but I'm wondering if this would do the trick?

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...nuine+Volvo%29

Cheers Mud

[SHI]

I think your problem is the mechanical barrel, not the electrical bit that sits on the end.

[tagbartok]

Originally Posted by SHI

I think your problem is the mechanical barrel, not the electrical bit that sits on the end.

You're right. It's the lock barrel itself that fails and causes the key to spin. Sometimes the return spring fails too which I know from painful experience can cause the key not to return from the crank position and burn the starter motor out. I was lucky it didn't take the flywheel with it!
The lock assembly is paired to the ignition key, the dealer will ask you for the chassis number. They did warn me that if the key and lock are not the original ones the car came out of the factory with the new lock won't work and they won't accept it back.
Actually fitting the new lock is a lot easier than I had anticipated once you can get at it after removing the airbag, steering wheel et al. If you decide to replace it let me know and I'll give you some tips that will save a lot of effort.
Don't waste your time with the electrical switch as SHI says. Replacing it won't solve your spinning key problem.
Cheers.

P.S. You could try this http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=74924

[Jod T5]

Originally Posted by mud

Thanks for the offer, but I'm wondering if this would do the trick?

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...nuine+Volvo%29

Cheers Mud

This is the electrical portion of the ignition switch...When these start to fail, you will notice that your lights and indicators will become intermittent and your ABS light will come on...

Jod

[Andy Northface]

Originally Posted by Jod T5

This is the electrical portion of the ignition switch...When these start to fail, you will notice that your lights and indicators will become intermittent and your ABS light will come on...

Jod

Bloody hell.where did you spring from??

[mud]

Crikey, I thought you'd vanished Jod?

Funnily enough my ABS light does come on and my indicators do stop working every now and then and seem to start again for no reason?

Cheers Mud

[Jim314]

In my experience with other than Volvo, the return spring from the start position is in the electrical switch. However, if the lock cylinder gets sticky, then the spring is not strong enough to return from the start position and this is what leads to the starter motor staying on.

Or the spring may be strong enough to turn the starter motor off, but not strong enough to get to the run position. In this case the car will drive but certain electrics will not be energized because the (electrical) switch is not making the contacts for things like the a/c fan, lights, radio, etc which are switched on in the run position but off when the electrical switch goes beyond the run position.

In your case it could be the electrical switch which is not working. I don't fully understand what your symptoms are, but it sounds like you can turn the lock cylinder around and around. Is this right? If so, it would indicate to me that the fault is in the electric switch. In my experience, the stops are in the electrical switch

But the first thing to try is to lubricate lock cylinder with a graphite lock lube product. These can be dry powdered graphite or powdered graphite in a very light petroleum base.

I have fixed a sticking cylinder on a Jeep by lubricating the cylinder lock with a liquid product called Lock Eze or Lock Ease. I first tried to do it through the key slot, but this didn't work and I removed the lock cylinder, which is very easy on a Jeep, but hard on a Volvo. On a Volvo I would try to lube the lock cylinder in place.

[mud]

Thanks for the reply Jim. Just to clarify my symptoms. The key sometimes spins around and does not make contact. After a bit of fiddling I can get it to switch on but to get it to start you have to force the key, it's very stiff, and it can take a second or 2 of holding it on before she triggers the starter. The ABS light is on and off intermittantly, and the indicators have failed a couple of times for no reason, the start to work perfectly again? I need to take it on a trip at the end of the week and don't want to get stranded! Any help is much appreciated.
Cheers Mud