The lower bowl, or the piece closest to the dash has a pretty sizable portion broken off facing the drivers door. Just big enough to stick your two index fingers inside and pull back on a little cube shaped metal block which gets the engine cranking. The mechanic next door to my brothers shop has the column at the moment. If I catch him Monday I’ll ask him if I can snap some pictures of it.
New guy 79 factory 4 speed wagon.
- Thread starter Mighty
- Start date
Was going back through my Wagon pictures on my phone and found a few pictures of the column when I still had it in my possession. Here you can see the broken section and I zoomed in on the “little cube shape block” I had to pull back on with my fingers to start it in the past. Forgive my ignorance on not knowing what the parts are called.
This is broke too but I’m pretty certain I remember my brother saying that at least this piece wouldn’t be hard to replace.
I had forgotten you had a tilt column; I included an exploded view of the nontilt column...sorry.
That shroud is unique to the 1978-1981 A body and the AMC Spirit. On the custom columns I made, I used one from a 3rd gen F body because it was available new in the aftermarket. It is shorter, but so much of it is buried beneath the dash, I didn't think it would be noticeable. The place I used to get my parts from for a reasonable price went out of business.
Here is an exploded view of a 1980-1981 Citation tilt steering column with key release. It is the closest representation to the one you have.
Are there only 3 parts needing replacement?
36 rack
63 lever
65 shroud
Do you have the spring (37) for the rack?
That shroud is unique to the 1978-1981 A body and the AMC Spirit. On the custom columns I made, I used one from a 3rd gen F body because it was available new in the aftermarket. It is shorter, but so much of it is buried beneath the dash, I didn't think it would be noticeable. The place I used to get my parts from for a reasonable price went out of business.
Here is an exploded view of a 1980-1981 Citation tilt steering column with key release. It is the closest representation to the one you have.
Are there only 3 parts needing replacement?
36 rack
63 lever
65 shroud
Do you have the spring (37) for the rack?
I’ll run next door on Monday and go through the little bin full of parts if the shop owner is there when I get there after work. I’m fairly certain the non tilt exploded view you posted was emailed to my brother from his buddy that works at a GM dealership close by and my brother said it wasn’t right. I literally thought the busted bowl was just a hollow piece of trim but my brother showed me the inner workings of it and now I’m grasping why it’s so complicated. I’ll ask my brother today if he can remember if we have the rack spring and if he can’t I’ll go over Monday and check. My brother had it all disassembled in about 5-6 minutes and is pretty familiar with older GM steering columns but obviously mine is an oddball
Here are the GM part numbers to help with your parts search. Results came from my Chevrolet parts books unless I noted otherwise.
Lever: 7815896
1976-1977 Vega, 1975-1981 Monza, Chevette, Citation, 1982-1990 S10, 1982-1986 3rd gen F body (I don't know why 1987-1992 F body is different).
According to GMPartsGiant.com, "This part fits specific Buick Century, Skyhawk, Skylark models. It fits Cadillac Cimarron. It also fits Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, P30. This also fits GMC C2500, Suburban, Yukon."
According to GMPartsWiki.com, this lever also came on:
1982-1986 J body (book published in 1989, 1992, 1993)
1992-1993 J body (book published in 1993)
1985-1986 N body (book published in 1991)
1980-1984 CK1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1984, 1987)
1985-1986 CK1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1990)
1983-1984 G1, 2, 3 vans (book published in 1984, 1987)
1987-1991 RV1, 2, 3 (book published in 1990)
1990 M1 van (book published in 1992)
1978-1981 Corvette (book published in 1981)
Shroud: 7828403 (1978-1981 A body)
Measure the length of yours so you can compare to others you may find.
I think the Monza shroud is way too short. It is almost 40 years since I put a Monza manual transmission tilt column in my Vega.
I have never seen one from a Citation (X body): 7839625
Chevette may also be too short, not sure: 7827922.
Third gen F body up to 1989: 7839625 (same as the Citation)
1982-1985 S10: 7839625 (same as Citation and 3rd gen F body) I don't know how this one differs from the later years.
1986-1990 S10: 7846295
According to GMPartsWiki.com, this shroud also came on:
1979-1984 CK 1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1984)
1979-1983 CK 1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1987; why does it disagree with the older book?)
1978-1980 Corvette (books published in 1980, 1981, and 1983)
Rack: 7844651; only sold as part of a kit
Make sure the rack you buy has the same number of teeth as your original one.
According to GMPartsGiant.com, "This part fits specific Buick Century, Lesabre, Regal models. It fits Cadillac Brougham, Deville, Fleetwood. It also fits Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, P30. This also fits GMC C2500, Suburban, Yukon."
Don't over pay for this kit. Here is are 2 examples of a good price, but I don't know about shipping on the first one (JCA Parts). There are also eBay and Amazon listings that may have shipping already included. I have included an example eBay listing.
jcaparts.com
Lever: 7815896
1976-1977 Vega, 1975-1981 Monza, Chevette, Citation, 1982-1990 S10, 1982-1986 3rd gen F body (I don't know why 1987-1992 F body is different).
According to GMPartsGiant.com, "This part fits specific Buick Century, Skyhawk, Skylark models. It fits Cadillac Cimarron. It also fits Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, P30. This also fits GMC C2500, Suburban, Yukon."
According to GMPartsWiki.com, this lever also came on:
1982-1986 J body (book published in 1989, 1992, 1993)
1992-1993 J body (book published in 1993)
1985-1986 N body (book published in 1991)
1980-1984 CK1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1984, 1987)
1985-1986 CK1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1990)
1983-1984 G1, 2, 3 vans (book published in 1984, 1987)
1987-1991 RV1, 2, 3 (book published in 1990)
1990 M1 van (book published in 1992)
1978-1981 Corvette (book published in 1981)
Shroud: 7828403 (1978-1981 A body)
Measure the length of yours so you can compare to others you may find.
I think the Monza shroud is way too short. It is almost 40 years since I put a Monza manual transmission tilt column in my Vega.
I have never seen one from a Citation (X body): 7839625
Chevette may also be too short, not sure: 7827922.
Third gen F body up to 1989: 7839625 (same as the Citation)
1982-1985 S10: 7839625 (same as Citation and 3rd gen F body) I don't know how this one differs from the later years.
1986-1990 S10: 7846295
According to GMPartsWiki.com, this shroud also came on:
1979-1984 CK 1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1984)
1979-1983 CK 1, 2, 3 trucks (book published in 1987; why does it disagree with the older book?)
1978-1980 Corvette (books published in 1980, 1981, and 1983)
Rack: 7844651; only sold as part of a kit
Make sure the rack you buy has the same number of teeth as your original one.
According to GMPartsGiant.com, "This part fits specific Buick Century, Lesabre, Regal models. It fits Cadillac Brougham, Deville, Fleetwood. It also fits Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, P30. This also fits GMC C2500, Suburban, Yukon."
Don't over pay for this kit. Here is are 2 examples of a good price, but I don't know about shipping on the first one (JCA Parts). There are also eBay and Amazon listings that may have shipping already included. I have included an example eBay listing.
Column Ignition Switch Rack & Sector Gear Kit w/Tilt Wheel Chevrolet 77-95
If your ignition lock cylinder wont return to the run position after you turn it to start, then your ignition rack gears are most likely stripped out. The gear is plastic and wears over time which in turn, will not be able to actuate the ignition switch when you turn the key to the start...
jcaparts.com
GM GBODY OLDS BUICK TILT STEERING COLUMN IGNITION LOCK ACTUATOR RACK KIT RK100 | eBay
IGNITION LOCK ACTUATOR. FOR TILT STEERING COLUMNS ONLY! IGNITION GEAR. 1982-87 GRAND NATIONAL. 1982-87 REGAL. 1978-81 CEN TURY. 1978-88 EL CAMINO, CABALLERO, MONTE CARLO.
www.ebay.com
Did catch the fellow that has my column last night. Instead I started screwing around with my tailgate that’s completely disassembled. I bought a NOS key lock cylinder on eBay months ago and my brother took the original one apart to get the spring/clip and one other part off of it to install on my new one. Hopefully I can have the tailgate all back together tonight. He did say that the key release lever on my column is not broken, the lever that you press on with your hand is just very bent from whoever tried to steal it. It’s probably noticeable in the picture. He just wasn’t sure if it would snap if we tried to bend it back into place or not
If you compare your lever to a good one, yours looks like it has a piece broken off where you press with your finger. There is a soft pad that pressed on in some cars, but not all. There is still a pad to press that you no longer have.
I just remembered that the parts you need are also used in Jeep tilt steering columns up to about 1995, though the part numbers will be different.
www.moparpartsgiant.com
Here is an eBay listing for a good used lever with a soft pad attached:
An NOS lever sold in February.
If you feel bold (and you should), here is a good detailed guide to assembly of a GM tilt steering column with a key release lever. Contrary to internet gurus, please don't use Loctite on the 4 bolts that screw into the lower housing bolting plate. In my opinion, they don't loosen up on their own; the jacket is soft and the plate is hard. The jacket wears and then the plate becomes loose and then the bolts get loose. If the bolts are Loctited in, it will be very difficult to retighten them when the jacket wears and the plate gets loose at a later date.
I just remembered that the parts you need are also used in Jeep tilt steering columns up to about 1995, though the part numbers will be different.
J8128154 - Genuine Mopar Lever Key Release
MoparPartsGiant.com offers the great deal for genuine Mopar parts, J8128154. Lever Key Release for $42.09. All parts are backed by the Mopar's warranty.
www.moparpartsgiant.com
Here is an eBay listing for a good used lever with a soft pad attached:
1977-1982 CORVETTE TILT & TELSCOPIC COLUMN SHOE KEY RELEASE LEVER | eBay
1977-1982 CORVETTE KEY RELEASE LEVER
www.ebay.com
An NOS lever sold in February.
If you feel bold (and you should), here is a good detailed guide to assembly of a GM tilt steering column with a key release lever. Contrary to internet gurus, please don't use Loctite on the 4 bolts that screw into the lower housing bolting plate. In my opinion, they don't loosen up on their own; the jacket is soft and the plate is hard. The jacket wears and then the plate becomes loose and then the bolts get loose. If the bolts are Loctited in, it will be very difficult to retighten them when the jacket wears and the plate gets loose at a later date.
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