Re: Driver's door lock stiff (87 e30)

["Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

You need to replace the lock cylinder.  It's not a difficult thing to do, 
but it will take 2-3 hours to open the door, remove the lock cylinder, 
properly key the replacement cylinder, reinstall, and reassemble the door.

Keying the replacement cylinder is an easy job.  You will need to take apart 
the old cylinder, and write down the number of the tumblers, in the proper 
order.  There are four different tumblers (numbered 1 through 4), and there 
are a total of eleven, I believe.  The replacement cylinder comes with more 
than enough to key it for any possible combination.

I replaced the lock cylinder twice on my former E30 318i.  In fact, I still 
have the old lock cylinders kicking around here somewhere!

Ron Buchalski
BMWCCA #76387
1995 E36 M3
1993 E34 525iT
1999 Mazda Miata

>
>Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 13:06:29 EST
>From: JHahn22@domain.elided
>Subject: Driver's door lock stiff (87 e30)
>
>Hello all,
>The car in question is an 87 325i 4 dr.  The all the gizmos in the door 
>locks
>seem to work electrically. However, unlocking the driver's door has always
>been very tough.  Sometimes you have to wiggle the key the other way first,
>and even then, there is a lot of resistance to turning the key, and the
>action feels very "heavy".  It feels like something is too tight or needs
>lubing perhaps.  That was when it lived in texas anyway.  The car is now
>living in NJ in the cold.  My dad broke off one key in the lock before it 
>got
>real cold, and then he said that yesterday it froze up completely.  They 
>were
>able to unlock the other doors from the trunk lock or passenger door, but
>until it warmed up the driver's door lock wouldn't budge.  They said they
>couldn't even unlock it from the inside.
>I can't do the work on this from TX, so I need to tell them what to lube or
>replace in there.  They have the bentley, and I can walk them through 
>dis/ass
>of the door, but what are they going in after?
>Thanks for the help as always,
>Jake Hahn
>95 318ti
>College Station, TX



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