XF ignition barrel stuck

[Travo 1]

Hey guys. 
 

My 87 xf has a stuck ignition. It’s stuck halfway between off and accessories. You can still pull the key out. The steering lock is engaged. I’ve tried wd40 to clean out some crap and lubing it with graphite. Still no luck. The car is a 4.1 fuel injected with a 5speed behind it. It locked up when I tried to get the car running. It’s been parked up for 14years. Spins over freely just the ignition is jammed. Thanks for any help.

[Outback Jack 6,352]

Try rocking the wheel backwards and forwards, might be the steering lock.

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[gerg 10,871]

My XE wags does this occasionally (and freaks me out when it does). I jiggle the key up and down/in and out while trying to turn it gently, it eventually comes good but I do spray some silicone spray in there from time to time to try and help it stay working reasonably.

I think one or two plungers get a bit lazy and stay pushed out instead of springing back when they need to. If you look up how a lock and key work, you'll understand what I mean.

I'm not a locksmith so I don't know the correct lingo but a key has high and low bumps on it that match the height of the plungers in the barrel, which if they're too high or too low, will stop the barrel from turning. If one was to be pushed out but not spring back, it would become stuck. You can also get stuck with a worn key being able to turn the barrel, but with a plunger still half-engaged, which may have you stuck in limbo like you are now. A worn key or barrel might also allow you to turn it before it's fully engaged, again leaving you in a pickle.

If you can get the key out where it is, and maybe get another one cut or if you have a less-worn spare, you might get it back to "off" again. These locks were notorious for doing what you described though.

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