Ignition is a significant section of a car, and you have to face some particular problem related to it. If your ignition lock cylinder ford gets damaged, you may need to drill it out. But before doing it yourself, it is convenient to know how to drill out ignition lock cylinder ford.
In general, you have to remove the ignition lock cylinder with an ignition key. But if it is not possible, drilling the lock is the last option for you. Also, You have to remember one thing, and if you see that the ignition switch and lock cylinder are in different positions, it would be risky. You may damage both your car’s ignition switch and the lock cylinder. In this situation, take some precautions.
Necessary Tools for the Task
Before starting your work, it is essential to assemble all the necessary accessories for drilling. It will make the task easier to do.
- WD-40
- Acetylene gas torch,
- Tiny drill bit
- Center punch
- Needle nose pliers
- Hammering block with anvil
If possible, you can wash down the car engine bay with dish soap by mixing water before going to begin working. It will help not to contaminate the workplace. Sometimes the oil can produce residue from hand during drilling. As the ignition lock cylinder is soft aluminum, the residual oil can easily damage it. However, protective gloves are a must to wear
A Step to Step Guide on How to Drill Out Ignition Lock Cylinder Ford
Okay, let’s know how you will solve this problem by drilling it out.
Accordingly, you can successfully drill out the ignition lock cylinder following these helpful instructions.
STEP 1
First, you have to choose the appropriate bits for your drill. The rigid bits and more challenging drill with variable speed but high would suit the drill. With rigid bits, you can drill more effectively than ordinary bits, which can cause destruction.
It happens because of the interaction of drilling metals and ordinary bits.
One thing to keep in mind is that the bit should be smaller than the cylinder. So, check whether the bit fits the cylinder or not.
STEP 2
Now place the bit in the chuck of the drill. Here you need to lock a bit to the chuck because sometimes bits come out during the drilling. To avoid this happening, it is better to tighten the chuck appropriately.
STEP 3
Now You are ready to drill your ignition lock cylinder. When you start your drilling, in the beginning, do that at low speed. First, make a small starter hole or groove in the lock cylinder with a hammer and center punch. It would be best to have a tiny drill bit to do it here.
The groove you make is a small but not a deep hole. It would be helpful because a minor groove doesn’t allow the drill bit to move while drilling at high speed. In this step, you should be careful. Either nearby components could be damaged.
STEP 4
After grooving, you are ready to drill out your lock cylinder. But this time, you have to speed up your drill. One thing to be careful of is not to force the drill machine more while drilling.
It will ruin your work because the rotor could be burnt for applying more force. The rotor exists inside the drill machine. For this reason, you should drill out at high speed but not with extra force. The drill machine will do its job as usual.
Step 5
Applying WD-40 inside and on top of drilling holes would be convenient to loosen the grips. It will be easy for you because you can loosen it from one side if you need to remove it through needle-nose pliers. After that, make holes at every corner of the cylinder with a tiny bit.
Step 6
Here pry out one hole by using nose pliers so that you can see inside. Do it in four corners without breaking any wiring or components lying under it.
Step 7
Now you should clean all burrs and scratches with the metal file set left while drilling. Also, you can use an acetylene torch to do this but be cautious about applying too much heat to protect from melting anything.
Wash all the components before reinstalling and placing the new Ford ignition lock cylinder back. Finally, after reassembling all, check if all the operations of turning the key or door locks are functioning correctly or not. Try to maintain all the above steps to do the task more successfully.
Read More: 5 Best Drill Bit for Drilling out Broken Bolts Reviews
FAQs
Can I drill out my ignition cylinder?
Yes, why not? When you notice that you can not remove your ignition lock cylinder with an ignition key. In this situation, you can drill out your ignition cylinder by following some steps.
Which is an ignition lock cylinder?
It is an essential cylindrical component of the car that helps start your car and control its engine. You can get it welded onto the steering column, placed on the right side but back of the steering wheel.
How do I understand that my ignition lock cylinder needs to drill out?
If you see that your Ford ignition lock cylinder gets stuck and does not start or turn, then you need to drill out. Sometimes it needs a little bit of drill. But, it depends.
To Wrap Up
Drilling out a Ford ignition lock cylinder is not difficult if you do that accordingly. Also, this work is not so time-consuming. It just needs 15 to 20 minutes. If you want, you can drill your Ford ignition lock cylinder by replacing it with a new one.
But if you don’t know how to drill out the ignition lock cylinder ford, you can even break the drill bits, and your arms can get sore from drilling. Also, the components may get damaged behind the cylinder.
So, you have to be more cautious while drilling. Moreover, following the above steps for drilling the ignition lock cylinder, you will get a good result. Hopefully, your car will face no damages.
