Steering Column Repair: Chevy Cylinder Lock Removal Problem, phillips head screwdriver, turn signal switch


Question
I have a 1989 Chevy Beretta V6 Automatic Trans.  Tilt steering wheel.  Yesterday when I tried to turn the ignition key to the OFF position I found that it was stuck ON (The car wouldn't shut off# and my key pulled right out of the lock.  I am not able to turn the cylinder lock to turn off the car #I had to disconnect the battery).  I have a replacement cylinder and have disassembled everything down to removing the cylinder.  I don't know how to get the cylinder out of the steering column.  I have removed the steering wheel and all parts as directed by Chilton Manual.  How do I get the cylinder out?  The manual says to put cylinder in the ACC position, but I can not turn the cylinder at all.  Thanks for any help you can give me.

Answer
Hi Kevin:
You have gone almost as far as you need to go.  The repair manual is wrong.  The cylinder can come out in any position once you remove the retaining screw.
If you have the turn signal switch out of the way, in the bottom right corner of the housing is a tension spring for the tilt that needs to come out.  I use a large phillips head screwdriver and insert it into the square hole of the spring cap.  Push down and rotate 1/4 turn left and the spring will come out.
Once the spring is out, you can look down the hole and see 2 things:
the wires and contact for the key warning buzzer and just behind that is the head of the 20 torx screw holding the lock cylinder in place.

With a right angle pick, pull the contact and wires up and towards you gently but firmly and they will slide out of the hole they are in revealing the screw completely.  Once they are out of the way, take a punch and hit the head of the screw before you try and take it out.  The screw is steel and the casting is aluminum, causing them to fuse together over time.  Once you hit it, you break it loose so it can be removed easily.  Have a magnet handy so you don't let the screw fall into the column by mistake.  
After the screw is out, the lock cylinder will slide out freely.
When you install the cylinder, make sure you put it in in the same position as the old one or you will lose positions (like start or accessory).
Good Luck