1992 Escort. central locking/keys

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Fri 1 Oct 2004 00:54
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - escort man
Hi,

hope someone can help.

thought i would get a spare set of keys cut as ive onlygot the one set.

went to the boot menders to get it cut,all fine and dandy until i tried to use them and they dont work.

took them back and the man said they are an exact match for the original but he cut some more, these too dont work.

his explanation was that the original kets and the lock have worn to their own pattern so a new key is the wrong pattern (hope that makes sence!)

is there anything that can be done to \'reshape\' the new cut key to match to lock, or is there nothing that can be done?

cheers.
Dave
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Fri 1 Oct 2004 10:10
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - Number_Cruncher
Hi Dave,

I have had a bit of trouble with our Escort being intolerant of supposedly similar keys. I gave all the locks a good dose of WD40, and then squirted some oil in. After a bit of working the troublesome keys back and forth, it worked, and has done since.

number_cruncher
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Fri 1 Oct 2004 10:41
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - Carse
Dave,

Surely if he used your original key to make the copy then he is matching the wear of the key and therefore his explanation does not hold water. I suggest that the equipment he is using is either not up to the job or his skills are put in question.

Carse
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Fri 1 Oct 2004 19:51
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - Simon
I agree with the the post Carse made above, but saying that the 'older' style Ford keys and locks are notorious for wear problems and could well have something to do with why your new keys are not working.
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Fri 1 Oct 2004 21:54
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - none
Assuming that the key has sloping edges at the operating end. ( I forget the make, might be Teves)
Do the new keys lock but not unlock ? If they do they're probably the wrong keys. If they don't, it could be seized barrels / mechanism.
The best bet is to have new keys cut using the lock number, not copying the old key.
With a new key it's easy to read the number by judging the steepness of the six slopes on the key, and numbering from 1 - 6. With a part worn key, it's not so easy, and with a badly worn key, nigh on impossible. Maybe the locksmith has tried the impossible. The only way is to dismantle the lock and note the order of the numbered wafers, then cut a key to fit.
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Fri 1 Oct 2004 23:37
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - Ford Dagenham
Hello.

Doesent the escort/fiesta/sierra etc from that ere use tib keys.

At least that is what i think they are called.
--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Sat 2 Oct 2004 00:19
1992 Escort. central locking/keys - big davey
Hi there, Ford keys are shocking for wear, also the tumblers inside the barrel. I retumble 3 or 4 a week from fords. car will lock but will not unlock. When you buy a build up kit, you get spare tumblers left over after making the lock to the key. after a few locks, you start to build up a collection which allows you to retumble worn locks. If you go into a ford parts dept. Iam sure one of them can build you up a barrel to fit your key, up north here, the lads charge £8. Its fiddely and you need to know how it works. The key you have had cut should be ok if you get the lock retumbled, as the tumblers have worn to the old key.
Hope this helps,
Big Davey.
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