As you are aware, both the door and ignition these vehicles are operated by the same key. The first six depths from the bow of the key operate the door, and the last six operate the ignition. Both the door and ignition share the fifth and six depths, which is what allows the key to work both locks.

1 discoverer this recently, when I was called out to unlock a new Lincoln Town Car. When I approached the car with my opening tools and wedges, my customer began to get hyper and literally began squealing frantically. I realized that if I were going to open this car without my customer getting hysterical, I would have to find a less physical method of doing so.

That’s when I thought about the ignition try out keys. I inserted the first key in group A all the way to the stop, and as I slowly withdrew the key, I rocked it gently to the left and right.  Then I turned the key gently to the left and right. Then I turned the key over and repeated the process (remember: these keys are cut differently on each side).

The keys in group Ag didn’t open the door but, the third key in group b turned the lock without a hitch.  Apparently, by pulling the key back four spaces, the six cuts that would normally turn the ignition can come a tryout key for the door.

Since, I have used the ten cut tryout keys as a shortcut for fitting a key to the door lock on Ford and Mercury products that utilize the ten cut configuration in their locks.

First, I find the key that will operate the ignition. Then, I start over with the keys on the door.  When I find the keys that operate both locks, I have all the cuts required to make a operating key for the customer. Twice, I have found that the reverse of the key that operated the ignition operated the door on the same car. I feel this was probably coincidental and not indicative of a pattern.

Remember most tryout key sets use half cuts, so you may still have to do some impressioning or progressioning to make a proper operating key.

I’ve found that on the Taurus, it is easier to impression the trunk release mechanism inside the car, and just below the front driver’s seat. These wafer locks impression far more clearly than the trunk lock pins do.

Once I have obtained my initial marks from the trunk release lever, I fine tune the key on the trunk if necessary.

Also, if the car is equipped with Ford’s electronic push- button lock feature, the code can be found in the trunk, behind the rear seat carpet. Look for a 6” long, black box with a white tag imprinted with the code.

Unfortunately, my experience has been that by the time I’m called to do the service work, the customer their friends and well- wishes have all tried to extract the key. Unfortunately this typically has done nothing but compress the brass actuator into the back of the keyway, preventing the key from entering and seating completely.

To help overcome the problem and remove the ignition without drilling the majority of the time, I’ve come up with the following:

Once you found that your half key will not allow you to turn the ignition, remove that key and set it aside. Now, take and uncut H60 blank, insert it in the keyway and lightly tap the bow with a small hammer.

That right! You are going to compress the actuator even more. When the h-60 will not go in any farther (Please! Don not pound on the blank, you only want to compress the brass actuator as much as possible, not destroy the ignition), remove the blank.

Now modify your half key as shown in illustration 43 and use it to turn the ignition to the removal position. Because you cut the tip of the key off, you may have to work the key in and out of the ignition slight to line up cuts properly I still have to drill a Ford ignition occasionally but, I’ve found this trick keeps me from doing it as often as I had to before. Which is fine by me?

Simple Huh!

I was about to remove the old ignition start the van with a screwdriver so the customer could get the van off the street and come back the next morning with the proper ignition switch for the vehicle.

After removing the old ignition, I compared it with an all lock 1407 that I had on my truck. The only difference that I could see was the buzzer unit. I decided to see if I could re-engineer the 1407.

I cut the piece of copper off where the pigtail is attached and then trimmed back the plastic on both sides to match the #1406 buzzer unit. Bingo it worked fine! Buzzer and all.

First remove the interior panel as you normally would. Then remove the screws that hold the door handle assembly in place. Tilt the bottom of the assembly out, but don’t try to force it further then it wants to go.

Disconnect the lock from the linage 9 use forceps or small vise grips to hold the linkage while you service the lock).

Service, rekey or repair the lock.

To replace the lock you first need to make a copy of the working key. Grind both sides of the head down even with the blade of the key (see illustration 40). This allows the key to pass through the hole in the handle assembly.

Now put the key in the lock and turn it 90 so it can’t be pulled out. Start the lock into the handle assembly and connect the lock to the linkage. Now using you vise grips or pliers pull on the end of the ground down key blank until it snaps into place in the handle.

Replace the retaining screw, and the interior door panel and you are finished!

Here is a simple test that is and inexpensive alternative to pick set available for GM for the purpose of testing the airbag system when you don’t have a key.

You will need a 3’length of wire with sharp probe at both ends ( I use alligator clips on eash end of the wire with an upholstery needle in each of the clips).

At the base of the steering column you will find a square wiring harness. Locate the PINK wire. Don confuse it with the red wires!

Once you have located the pink wire, insert you probe though the insulation, into the copper wire itself. Run the other end of your probe to the number on fuse on the fuse block, touching the end of the fuse where it plugs into the block.

The inflatable restraint light should come on and blink about seven times and go out. If it remains on, there is a problem with the airbag system and you should refer your customer to the dealer for service. Don’t attempt to service the airbag as you could be held liable for the repairs to the system.

What you accomplished with this test was to bypass the ignition and light up the idiot light on the dashboard. This procedure is completely safe, but for those of you who are afraid of vehicle electronics, you can put a fuse between you test probes.

On some Gm vehicles, you may have to remove the panel under the dash to gain access to the harnesses.

I have only tried this procedure on the caprice but, after discovering it, I consulted a professional Chevrolet master mechanic that the pink wire is consistent with all Chevrolet vehicles utilizing this type column. He also verified the procedure’s safety.

Other dealer mechanics (Buick, Pontiac, etc.) would not give me any information when I asked them about the test. I’m not sure if all gm vehicles are the same, but it is worth looking into. I have used this test several times and have demonstrated it to others. It is a time saver.

I think tryout keys have their place under certain circumstance (especially with GM sidebar locks).  Unfortunately, many people experience difficulty processing a working key from a tryout key. I have found that the following method (which is just a twist on the Gm Progression Method) eases the transition from a working tryout key to a working customer key.

Let’s assume that a tryout key with the following biting works the lock that you are trying to generate a key for: the first cut is a 1-1/2, the second cut is 3-1/2, the third cut and fourth cuts are a 5, the fifth cut is a 3-1/2, and the sixth cut is 5.

That leaves you with the following possibilities:

Cut number one can be a 1 or a 2.

Cut number two can be a 3 or 4.

Cut number three is a 5.

Cut number four is a 5.

Cut number five can be a 3 or 4.

Cut number six is a 5.

Now, on a piece of paper list the possibilities in the following manner

The possibilities for cut:

123456 are;

135535 or

R455450r

235

245

Now eliminate all the combinations that cant work because that don’t add up or conform to the rules of progression.

Key one is 135535. Possible, it adds to even number (22). Key two is 135545. No! it adds up to an odd number (23). Key three is 145535. No, it exceeds the maximum adjacent cut specification (MACS) of two (1 depth next to a 4 depth). Key four the MACS. Key five is 235535. No, it adds up to an odd number (23). Key six is 235545. Possible. Key seven is 245535. Possible. Key eight is 245545. No, it adds up to an odd number (25)

As you can see, you now have three possible. Keys 1,6 and 7. You should be able to easily progress to a working key in two keys by doing the following:

Cut key #1 a follows: 135535. If that does not then re-cut your first key to the following depths: 235545. If those cuts did not work then your next key which will be cut 245535 has to work.

This has worked will for me for many years. I hope it will make someone else’s job easier.

1. A vats ignition with the wafers taken out
2. One piece of balsa wood 5/54 thick, by 13/16 wide and 5/8 high
3. Two pieces of 1/32 diameter piano wire, by 2-1/2 long.
4. One 1” piece of heat shrink tubing cut to a length of 13/8”

First super glue the two pieces of wire to the balsa wood. Glue one piece of wire to each side of the wood parallel to the 5/8” measurement. Leave approximately 5/89 of each wire sticking up from the top of the wood this is to connect the dummy lock to. You should now have about 1-1/4” wire sticking out beyond the bottom of the wood this wire will lay alongside the mechanical key.

Now slide the piece of heat shrink tube over the balsa wood (leaving the wires at the top exposed) with the excess tubing hanging over the long ends of the wire. Insert a mechanical key( such as llco 1098 av) into this end of the tubing.

Heat the shrink tubing that goes over the balsa wood until it fits very tightly. Lightly heat the tubing that goes on the key blank until it fits just tightly enough to allow you to remove the blank easily. Trim off the excess tubing. When you are finished you should be able to easily remove or insert a key blank into the tubing and between the two long pieces of wire.

To use the tool, simply remove the ignition to determine the code and cut a mechanically correct key on a vats key.  Replace the ignition in the housing. Now, before going any further, you must put a small piece of electrical tape length of the wire on’ one side of the mechanical key to keep the wire from shorting out against the blank.

Install your mechanically correct key into the tool and into the customer’s ignition. Now take your un-combinated VATS ignition and plug it into the two wires that stick out from the top of your tool. Insert your first uncut VATS key blank into your dummy ignition.

Turn the customer’s ignition to the start position. If the car starts, cut the VATS blank to the code you found and you are done. If the first VATS key does not work, wait four minutes and try the next key. Continue until you have found the proper resistance code.

After bending and grinding a giveaway key ring as shown in the illustration, I insert the pointed end of the modified key ring in the hole and apply a little bit of pressure on the sidebar. That allows me to pick each wafer as the key ring slides down the edge of the sidebar.

When the key ring is all the way down, use a key blank to apply turning pressure to bind the side bar. Then remove the key ring while continuing the turning pressure until the lock opens.

When drilling you  hole, make sure that you drill only deep enough to expose the edge of the sidebar. Once opened you replace the scalp. The entire process should not take you more than five minutes.