Cadillac Repair: Ignition replacement, cadillac eldorado, ohmeter

Question
How would you replace the ignition switch cylinder in an 88 Cadillac eldorado v-8....We have spent several hours trying to fix it to no avail... or if it would be possible to wire the switch externally...have already bought new parts...All help is greatly appreciated

Answer
Hi Mark,

      Not knowing where your problem in the procedure is what you can do is go to autozone.com  where they have a repair guide. Enter your Eldo information. Click on steering and then ignition lock cylinder. It gives the basic procedure but unfortuneately doesn't show the steering wheel remover or lock plate compressor tools and how to use them. Those can sometimes be gotten as loaner tools from autozone or other such parts store. Or you can subscribe to all data from that website and have all the info you need to repair this problem. Unfortuneately I can't send copywrited repair info so those 2 options will have to do.

     The other thing that can be done is to use your ohmeter to measure the resistance of the key pellet. Put a meter lead on each side to get a resistance reading. Then go to radio shack and buy a 1/4 watt resistor closest to the reading that you got. Under the steering column you will see a 2 wire connector with 2 white wires with an orange covering  over them. Cut the wires aprox. 3" to the steering wheel side of the connector and attach a white wire to each side of the resistor and tape them up. When the key is turned the engine should start.

     Hope that helps get the car started. Bill