Cleaning and maintaining ignition switch from a Series IIa

[andrewMcF]

I have had one Rover for most of my Rover life and have had 2 ignition switches both have died a slow and failing death, I know find myself in possession of a third ignition switch and I'd like to keep it in good working form... Do I lubricate the hell out of it? I am open to tips and suggestions.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q5 ... GP0013.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q6 ... GP0014.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q7 ... GP0015.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q8 ... GP0016.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q9 ... GP0017.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q- ... GP0018.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TTfL08X-4xs/Ss1q_ ... GP0019.JPG

Don't tell my wife I was working on her dinning room table!!

[tony]

Make sure you use electrical grease of some sort.

[Greg S]

The lock portion with the little springs and wafers needs a dry lubricant on it like graphite, not gobs of it so it is jamming it up, just a dusting on all the moving parts. Then don't have a heavy key ring hanging off it as this REALLY does screw them up. The switch part wants a grease type lube that will stay there and not go hard or run off (or into other parts like the lock). There are many lubes that fit this description, a silicone grease would work. So would Vaseline for that matter but I don't know what Vaseline would do to the plastic parts.

I know more about the lock part than the electric part. It's rumoured that I'm a locksmith but I'm in denial.

[tony]

Hi Greg S, I was told from what I thought was a very reliable source that graphite was a conductor, wouldnt that cause problems in that case?

[Greg S]

Yes, graphite is a conductor. It goes into the key part of the lock, and sparingly. Don't use it on the electrical switching part of the lock.