Frozen door lock

[Jimb]

Hi all again from Jimb (Jim)
I am not expecting any positive replys to this however I will give it a try.
The central locking on my W116 does not work.I have decided I can live without it for two reasons firstly I do not want to take off the door trims, my attempts in the past on other cars has always resulted in broken clips and or damaged door cards. The door trims are good and I do not want to risk damaging them. The second reason is the expense of the rubber bellow units for want of a better name. I would be a lot happier with this decision if I could lock and unlock the passenger side door with a key. Because the lock may not have had a key used in it for years and is frozen solid .I have tried WD40, circuit board cleaning solvent , oil and any number of other lubricants squirted into the key hole with no success. I am not sure what metal the lock barrels are made of The outer barrel housing is probably die cast alloy and I am guessing it has become oxidised jambing the internals. I do have have a spare Handel however it has broken parts on it they are not very robust. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Regards Jim.

 

[Patrick_R]

Jim,

This car may have a different door lock on the passenger side.
This may be due to the ignition barrel, and drivers door barrel being replaced and supplied with a new key set at some stage, due to a lost or broken key.

You said it’s frozen solid, but can you get the key all the way in but it can’t turn?

Another possibility is:
If the car is very high mileage, the key may have worn in the drivers door, and ignition barrel, so they are all working ok, as they have all worn together, but the wear on the key, may now not work in accordance with the un worn barrel pin tumblers on the passenger door??

 

[Jimb]

Hi Patrick.
The key enters the lock ok but won't turn.
I have tried two other keys that fit the drivers door with the same result.
I guess the ignition barrel and right hand door lock may have been replaced.
I can't find a locksmith that shows any interest in it and I don't want to remove the door Handel and give it to anybody.I guess I will just have to put up with it.
Regards Jim

 

[Patrick_R]

It’s not cheap mate, but a mobile lock smith can make a key for it.

 

[Jimb]

Thanks Patrick.
I still think it is seized.My mate has a Damiler ex wedding car , it never had the doors locked and it suffers from the same problem I think the tumbler housing is dicast. Dicast plus dampness plus age makes oxide deposits. I actually found another key I had and it fits the right hand door and ignition barrel.
If I was confident that a new key would fix it I would consider the mobile locksmith .
Regards Jim.

 

[Jimb]

Ok I fixed it!
Many will not approve of my repair but it suits me.
I removed the door handel and removed the roll pin that secures the lock barrel shaft to the screwdriver shaped blade that engages into the mechanism of the plastic updown button on the inside of door. The lock barrel shaft which is about 5mm in diameter was completely seized in its housing .I had to drive it out with a drift and a hammer as I thought this was the cause of the problem.This is the bit some will disapprove of,some of the tumblers fell out during this process so I decided to remove all tumblers and springs then I cleaned out the rubbish binding the shaft to the housing and buffed the lock barrel to remove the oxidation the I applied lithium grease to the assembly and refitted the screwdriver shaped shaft and Spring assembly to the lock barrel shaft. The trickey bit is refitting the door Handel so the screwdriver shaped shaft reengages back into the correct position to operate the plastic up down button inside the door. It now works perfectly. yes the down side is someone could operate the lock with any key or screwdriver. I think this is very unlikely to happen everything looks normal I doubt anyone would try. I live in a gated security estate the car is in a carport just outside the lounge room window . It will keep out the honest crook and I can now lock and unlock the passenger side door from the outside and the cost was zero $$$. What more could you want!!
Kind Regards.Jim

 

[Patrick_R]

It’s good you have added some experience to the forum for others to learn from.

Good stuff mate.

 

[Jimb]

Thanks Patrick.
I thought nothing ventured nothing gained .
Kind Regards Jim.

 

[Pete49]

As you removed the wafers to the lock its no a big problem but you should never grease a lock as it will collect dust and create abnormal wear. It wouldn't have been to hard to place the wafers in the correct order as you had the key.
I hope when its parked up at the coffee shop or wherever someone won't attempt to try the lock and snaffle anything left in the car by accident.
My motto is if needs doing do it right but then that's me others are not.

 

[Jimb]

Hello Pete49.
What you said makes sense about the Grease it was full of grease plus contaminants not been a locksmith I assumed it should have had grease in there. It might have been apart before I only saw one spring in there.I understand what you are saying about the wafers I could have trial fitted them and moved them around until they were flush with the barrel when the key was in the vertical plain. I will keep that in mind if I have to repeat the process.
Kind Regards Jim.

 

[Michel]

You’ll find a lot of older cars have their locks so worn that almost any key with the right pattern would open them up.
If you are going to use your car for shopping and have it parked in public places for a long time, then you might have to seriously consider ‘fixing’ the wafers’ problem.
In any case, it was quite an interesting story.
Thank you

 

[Jimb]

Thanks Michel.
I don't use it for shopping and seldom far away from it.These days the preferred method of entry seems to be just break a window.
Kind Regards.Jim.

 

[Pete49]

Thanks Michel.
I don't use it for shopping and seldom far away from it.These days the preferred method of entry seems to be just break a window.
Kind Regards.Jim.

Ah yes the Plan B solution

 

[Patrick_R]

On older cars grease in the locks is fairly common, and as these cars are older, and usage is down, wear really isn’t an issue, but grease on your pants or shirt from a greasy key is the bigger problem here

 

[BenzBoy]

On older cars grease in the locks is fairly common, and as these cars are older, and usage is down, wear really isn’t an issue, but grease on your pants or shirt from a greasy key is the bigger problem here

Powdered graphite is the only recommendation - or if you are out of that a squirt of silicone.
I once locked my wallet and phone in the centre console of the Spirit and then discovered the key I locked it with would not open it. A competent locksmith failed to resolve the issue so I sought professional assistance from an expert. I was advised that if I went for coffee for half an hour, the expert would call a mate who could pick any lock and sure enough, after coffee the console was open. I was never privy to the identity of this person who, for reasons of his own, wanted to remain anonymous.
Needless to say, I replaced the lock.
Regards,
Brian

 

[abl567]

M. O. T. S.

 

[BenzBoy]

M. O. T. S.

No: cad and bounder though M.O.T.S. might be, he has never been a petty safe cracker as far as I am aware.
No, this was a well-established service department of a large and well-known brand in Alexandria who resorted to desperate measures.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Michel]

M.O.T.S. hasn't been around for a while.

I wonder if his health is OK or is he just gallivanting around the world.

 

[BenzBoy]

M.O.T.S. hasn't been around for a while.

I wonder if his health is OK or is he just gallivanting around the world.

I am informed he was in Budapest in July for the World Fencing competition but I have not seen him since. I'm sure he is fine. He's quite a hardy bloke you know; just don't leave your wallet on the bar of Raffles when he is around.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Patrick_R]

I have it on good authority, that the below spy image from Caen, France contains,
BenzBoy
&
M.O.T.S.

But who is who, only they can tell us.
(The 2 with normal ties are obviously not Brian.)