VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 electrolock on 1930 4 door Sedan

My electrolock is in the out position and pops in and out easily, but it will not turn to the left or right and the key will not come out? Any suggestions on what is wrong and whether it will be difficult to fix?

Try PB Blaster (penetrating oil). A little bit several times a day for several days. If you can get the key to rotate even a tiny bit the lock cylinder may be saved. Else it is junk! Take it easy and slowly as the two internal parts are die-cast (or pot metal or white metal) and can easily be destroyed. I have been able to save a few but also have several that I have not bee able to free up.

I have the lock cylinder out of my electrolock key still in cylinder but I cannot get key to turn in either direction in the cylinder. Does anybody have a replacement lock cylinder with key for a 1930 Chevrolet Sedan or are they available new?

You can try Don Rossi. If you do find one, NOS or not, it won't be cheap. I have had good luck using Jarvis Erickson for my lock and key problems. He advertises in the G & D. Give him a shot at it.

Thank you for the suggestions I will run them both down.

Follow up on the electrolock. I was able to ultimately get it loose. It was not without using a significant amount of force using a punch and hammer carefully. It does not seem that any amount of lubrication would have been able to free it. I was able to finally get it apart and I could not find anything functionally wrong other than the cylinder was just too tight in the bore. It did not appear corroded just seemed the bore shrunk or the cylinder expanded. I am sure thatnis not the case. I used a dremel type drum cylinder sanding disk then polished the bore and cylinder and reassembled the unit. it works like a charm. Thank you for help and information.

Actually, that probably is the case. The pot metal cylinder and/or the pot metal plug tend to expand with age and very often the lock cylinder will become stuck due to the swelling of the pot metal.

Well that answers the mystery then. Thank you for the clarification.

You bet!

You did exactly what is necessary to save the original lock cylinders. The pot metal expands with age (not equal in all directions) and taking off a bit so the parts slide and rotate easily will restore function for a long time. If you get any binding then take it apart and dress it up a bit. As you know it may be difficult or impossible to get them apart once they start to stick.

29Dallas, Congratulations on getting your electrolock apart. I have exactly the same problem on my 1930. I have the cylinder out of the electrolock, but I can't get the inner cylinder to turn, and I can only move the key out about 1/8th inch. Can you be more specific as to where you used the punch and hammer on the lock cylinder? That is, did you tap the inner cylinder on the front or from the rear? And did you use a penetrating oil on the cylinder for a few days before you attempted to tap the cylinder? Thanks for any help that you can provide.

I did indeed use a penetrant. I used a product called Kroil, I also tried PB blaster neither were successful and neither penetrated to the cylinder until I was able to free it a bit first. The method I used was to remove the spring and retaining button on the top of the cylinder by basically unscrewing the small spring from its position and dropping the button and then in my case I was able to remove the slide plate up through the top of the cylinder. Once it was out of the way, I carefully used a flat punch next to the key and using successively harder taps I was able to free the cylinder from it's position while bracing the sides of cylinder by placing the cylinder over the top of the jaws of my vise. As others have mentioned, you have to be very careful because the pot metal is very brittle. Whether or not the process I used can be employed in your specific situation you will have to be the judge. I wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions I will am willing to share with you what little experience I have. I am sure there are others who have significantly more experience than I do and can either add additional color, caution, and clarification.

29Dallas, Thanks very much for your detailed explanation. Now I feel confident that I can do the repair. I took another lock cylinder to a local locksmith, he got frustrated with it, and promptly destroyed it. Thanks again for you help.

This dude is definitely not a locksmith and he probably shouldn't even be in business as a "locksmith".

29Dallas,
You did exactly what was needed. I have saved several electrolock cylinders with that technique. After you take one apart you understand how they work. What most locksmiths don't understand is the type of construction so they destroy it. Most modern locks have a more substantial construction so will take more abuse.

The key to getting one apart is to get the two die-cast cylinders to move independently. Once that is accomplished either by wiggling or light tapping, liberal use of light lubricating or penetrating oil will facilitate more movement and then finally permit separation of the cylinders. Filling or sanding down the high spots will restore easy movement between the cylinders and an operational lock mechanism.

One caution, the wafers must be in the retracted position (correct key in place) for the back retaining plate to be removed and it must be removed to separate the cylinders.

Chipper,

Is it posible to remove both Cylinders without a correct key?.

I also noticed that a 1929 electrolock has a larger key cylinder than a 1931 cylinder (tiny).
thanks, jack

The 1929 lock cylinders are the same size as the 1930-32 lock cylinders. The difference is that the 1930-32 lock cylinders have a nickel plated cap over the front of the lock cylinder and the 1929 lock cylinder does not. Other than that the lock cylinders are interchangeable.

Thanks, I can see the nickel plated cover now, and the plain die cast with traces of nickel plating directly on the 1929 cylinders.

I also seem to have different length lock assemblies for the 1930-32 assemblies that i have. One is just under 3 1/2" long ., and the other is just under 4" long , with a bigger spacing between the wiring contact screws.

The 1929 lock assembly is also just under 3 1/2" in length.

Yes, the lock assemblies are different lenghts depending upon the year, the type of plunger used and the type of terminal block used as well.

jack39rdstr,
Yes it is possible if the lock cylinders are free to rotate. I often have to pick the locks to remove the two die-cast cylinders and then read the key cutting code number on the side of the outside cylinder. Once I have the code I can cut a key. Or I can take the cylinders apart and change the wafers for any key code I want.

I have rebuilt many of the electrolocks as has Skipper. They are a real challenge until you understand how they are built and work. I also helps to have a bunch of spare parts.

There are at least four different '29-'32 electrolocks. Most were made by Briggs & Stratton but Yale also made some and maybe some other company. As Skipper wrote depends on plunger and terminal block and also the lock pawl. Some lock pawls are flat and others have an offset.

Thanks Chipper,
That also explains the original key that came with the 1929 electrolock , Yale Junior, made for delco remy electrolock.
Unfortunately it has a stuck cylinder , and the 1930-31 complete electrolock also has a stuck cylinder.

I don't very often see the Yale Junior locks. Must have been a 10%-20% supplier. Just a guess on those numbers as I have never kept an accurate record on how many of each I have seen.

I probably have at least 1/2 dozen frozen electrolock lock cylinders. Don't want to count. Have passed on buying another bunch that had frozen lock cylinders and sent a few back that claimed to be okay but were not! I sure would like to find a source of repop cylinders.

A little know fact is that the lock cylinder is the same as the Model A. Bought a bunch of original electrolock keys from a Model A guy that stripped out Chevy locks to replace those in the As. Wish he had saved the other parts but junked them.

How did you get it apart? Is the key code present once dismantled?

If you have the key or can pick the lock and the cylinders are free to rotate, it is easy to take apart. Just turn the key to "pop out" the lock mechanism, push down on the button on the outside of the steel cylinder and the two lock cylinders can be removed. The key code is stamped in the outside cylinder. If you can't get it done, don't take it to a locksmith or other person that is not familiar with the electrolock. They will destroy it.

My electrolock is frozen. The keys I have insert easily, and I can feel the tumblers doing what they should over the teeth, but there is no rotary motion. Yesterday I put the electrolock in a small ultrasound cleaner I have and did get some residue from inside the mechanism. I am using Sea Foam as a cleaning agent in the ultrasound cleaner. Is there any way to disassemble the electrolock when it is frozen like mine? It seems to me the only hope I have is the keys are not the right ones. Thanks, Dan