MarieKaramazov
XS650 Addict
Welcome to another episode of weird, unexpected problems on my bike. For today's feature, we have: being unable to turn the ignition key.
I went out to do the test ride about 2 hours ago--I finished everything up yesterday as it got dark and left it ready to ride today, or so I thought. The key wouldn't go all the way in the ignition at first. I wiggled it, put the key in both ways, etc. After a good 10+ minutes, it went in more, but still seemed shy of being completely in and it wouldn't turn. I looked online. Saw graphite (or dry lube if you have it available, which I don't on hand) from a pencil being recommended put down the slot. I put some shavings in and put pencil on the key as well. Still at this point:
Perhaps that is all the way, but it looks like it should sink a bit deeper to that faint brownish line, and at an angle you can still see some of the key shape showing. Even if it is all the way in fact remains it won't turn. I pushed, wiggled, jiggled...housing got stuck in the depressed position for a bit but I got it back up. I cleaned the key and tried again. Same. While I read from one that WD and the like could gum it up, I was feeling desperate and put some on a rag and wiped the key gently with it. Same. Won't go down further/won't turn. Looked at the key for bends--for a minute I thought it might be a wee bit curved at the top, but I think it may be a bit of an optical illusion due to the way the key is cut when you look at it from that angle.
Note that it will turn a TINY bit, but clearly not to on position, and it's slight enough it could even been me jiggling the key in the housing that I'm feeling. Not sure yet if we're dealing with the ignition being stuck, the key not going fully, or both. I'm thinking it's just the key as of now as I feel like it should go down more.
I also tried blowing some compressed air in there. No results.
The last time I put the key in--a few days ago when the tire was being a stiff--it took one or two tries to get it in but it worked.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated. I'm going to keep looking online for ideas and silently screaming. It's dark now so anything elaborate is a bit unlikely tonight, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a tiny miracle solution so I can ride tonight.
(Sorry I haven't caught up on your responses and torque convo since my last post yet--I was going to do that and let you know how the wheel situation went--which in short is that it seems fine now; I think it just needed more grease and loosening of brake adjuster. It wasn't rubbing on anything, chain certainly wasn't too tight, and it didn't move significantly more smoothly when loosening the axle nut so it doesn't sound like a spacer/bearing issue. I can share more details later)
EDIT/ADD: I have penetrating oil, lithium grease, regular grease, motor oil, 3 in 1 oil...if any to these sound like a wise thing to try let me know. Doing research so I don't just throw things down there or on the key as I'm seeing it may either causing gumming, leave water residue, or some things don't interact well with the plastic one post was saying
I went out to do the test ride about 2 hours ago--I finished everything up yesterday as it got dark and left it ready to ride today, or so I thought. The key wouldn't go all the way in the ignition at first. I wiggled it, put the key in both ways, etc. After a good 10+ minutes, it went in more, but still seemed shy of being completely in and it wouldn't turn. I looked online. Saw graphite (or dry lube if you have it available, which I don't on hand) from a pencil being recommended put down the slot. I put some shavings in and put pencil on the key as well. Still at this point:
Perhaps that is all the way, but it looks like it should sink a bit deeper to that faint brownish line, and at an angle you can still see some of the key shape showing. Even if it is all the way in fact remains it won't turn. I pushed, wiggled, jiggled...housing got stuck in the depressed position for a bit but I got it back up. I cleaned the key and tried again. Same. While I read from one that WD and the like could gum it up, I was feeling desperate and put some on a rag and wiped the key gently with it. Same. Won't go down further/won't turn. Looked at the key for bends--for a minute I thought it might be a wee bit curved at the top, but I think it may be a bit of an optical illusion due to the way the key is cut when you look at it from that angle.
Note that it will turn a TINY bit, but clearly not to on position, and it's slight enough it could even been me jiggling the key in the housing that I'm feeling. Not sure yet if we're dealing with the ignition being stuck, the key not going fully, or both. I'm thinking it's just the key as of now as I feel like it should go down more.
I also tried blowing some compressed air in there. No results.
The last time I put the key in--a few days ago when the tire was being a stiff--it took one or two tries to get it in but it worked.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated. I'm going to keep looking online for ideas and silently screaming. It's dark now so anything elaborate is a bit unlikely tonight, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a tiny miracle solution so I can ride tonight.
(Sorry I haven't caught up on your responses and torque convo since my last post yet--I was going to do that and let you know how the wheel situation went--which in short is that it seems fine now; I think it just needed more grease and loosening of brake adjuster. It wasn't rubbing on anything, chain certainly wasn't too tight, and it didn't move significantly more smoothly when loosening the axle nut so it doesn't sound like a spacer/bearing issue. I can share more details later)
EDIT/ADD: I have penetrating oil, lithium grease, regular grease, motor oil, 3 in 1 oil...if any to these sound like a wise thing to try let me know. Doing research so I don't just throw things down there or on the key as I'm seeing it may either causing gumming, leave water residue, or some things don't interact well with the plastic one post was saying
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