So thinking that I could take this switch apart and see if anything was wrong with it. 2 tiny little cylinders fell out of it. I can't find anywhere on the internet where it shows a breakdown of the inside of one of these switches. Has anyone ever ripped into one and know where these little pins go or does someone have a picture of the inside?
no, but if you take it apart and take some good pictures of the parts, we might be able to help you figure it out. My guess is they might be part of a detent, or something similar, perhaps they fit inside small coil springs? it's been a while since I've wanted one of them in a car of mine....
Done that, probably with similar results to you. As far as the switch goes I'd just get a new one ... but that's without knowing any other details.
I've taken apart a few switches (but not that particular one) to clean up, reapply the dielectric grease and put back together. So far full success, but even with a lot of care, it is easy to have a tiny spring or pin or two go astray and result in a fair bit of time finding it. You'll typically find a couple copper or silver (if it's really old) contacts that are dirty and corroded. I clean them up with a piece of Cratex or fine sand paper, then clean the whole works with solvent before applying the new "grease" and reassembling. A difficult, challenging but rewarding job.
If you disassemble it in a big bag it's easy to find springs or pins that could fly out. I use a clear 2 gallon zip lock bag when doing lock cylinders.
Just a side note: With that style of GM ignition switch you have to have the correct switch for a tilt wheel column or a non tilt column. They don't swap and I am thinking that they work backwards from each other although the wiring connections to the pigtail are the same.
Exactly. One is a pusher and the other is a puller. It all has to do with where the rack was positioned (above or below the pinion of key tumbler) up higher in the column that the rod connects to.
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