<E30> re:Frozen Locks

[Christopher Pawlowicz <chrisp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Larry sez
>My '90 325ix has to sit outside and with the weather turning wintery last
>week the drivers side lock has frozen. Should I use lock de-icer -- which
>seems to be nothing more than rubbing alcohol, or use that in combination
>with a shot of graphite lubricant?
>

to unfreeze the lock and get going two things work great:

lock de-icer - leave a bottle at work and one at home or carry one with you
 during the winter

hair dryer - hey! it even works when temperature is 30 below! those things are
 great.. especially useful for opening an E30 trunk lock which seems to attract
 moisture real well and freeze good and solid


graphite lubricant won't make any difference.. you need something to MELT
the water, and also something which will displace the water..
Graphite won't do either.


note that many BMWs came/come with built in lock heaters..
(often either a lock heater OR an interior light delay circuit, one or
 the other, but not both)

lock heater works by lifting the handle and hold it up (grounds a circuit
which flows current through a big resistor attached to lock cylinder)

note that many BMWs with lock heaters also had them stick ON and burn out
or catch fire :)

chris pawlowicz
'89 325i
'74 2002

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