Re: How to clean and reuse an ignition switch.

On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:15:19 +0000, Sam Nickaby wrote:

> I have a 1988 Honda ignition switch that I have opened up. It's full of
> harden grease. I believe this is causing the car to stall when it loose
> momentary contact.
>
> What kind of solution should I use to clean the parts and what kind of
> grease or solution should I put back inside the ignition switch?

If you have the switch in your hand, with the key in it, so you can
freely switch it back and forth at leisure, then any old solvent
will do - 70% isopropyl alcohol springs to mind. If you splash a
little isopropyl and it doesn't loosen the crud, soak it overnight.

If that doesn't work, try increasingly aggressive solvents - mineral
spirits (turpentine), benzene or toluene, MEK (but be extremely
careful - it will attack the plastic), and as a last resort, acetone.
If you're impatient, you could pay a seriously inflated price for "contact
cleaner", which you could probably get at Radio Schlock or its equivalent.

To lube it, get some dry graphite-based lubricant. The car parts store
should have someting along those lines.

Good Luck!
Rich

.

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