hmm.
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.
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bit puzzled.
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Had some time to really look at this properly this afternoon, restarting over and over with cooling down time in between.
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I got the light rigged up
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& illuminating off the starter relay output to solenoid wire in the M2 connector just fine.
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Managed to catch the fault red-handed a couple of times and the result was, the light stayed illuminated even when the key was released, for 3 seconds or so until the starter finally dropped out each time.
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So, I thought, righto, it's either the relay or the ignition switch.
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Located the relay, sticker was missing off the relay box cover but a quick google sorted that, and the relay is a pretty distinctive green one that actually says
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"starter relay" on the side so I'm reasonably sure I picked the right one.
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It's absolutely pristine, and the cover comes off easy so a look inside confirmed everything to be bright
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& shiny clean with absolutely zero
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'stiction' or burning apparrent on the contacts
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- I'm pretty sure now I did replace this relay a year or max 2, ago.
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So.
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.
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I figured, right, it's going to be the key barrel
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/ key barrel switch.
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I have got a spare on a different car, but it's bugging me because, the fault is repeatedly, only ever apparrent on the very first turn of the key after the car has been left to go stone cold for at least a good half hour.
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Once the key has been fully turned once, however briefly, regardless of whether the engine fired, you'll never be able to invoke the fault again until the car's been left completely alone for another good long rest.
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So I'm still kinda split between, is it the starter motor or is it the key switch
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/ key barrel!
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Logically I think the answer is
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'deffo the key barrel' because of the light staying on.
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Wondering does the key switch get hot inside or something when the fault occurs, loosening it off for a bit or something.
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How easy is it to strip down the ignition switch, do I need new bolts with breaky-off heads etc.
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.
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Is it the sort of thing a spray of WD40 in the right place would sort? or is the whole thing too
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'sealed' to be able to get any in without dismantling?
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The spare barrel I have is okay but, I only have one key and it's orrible and rusty.
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Would I be able to get copies at a reasonable price?
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Would I even need to change the barrel, would changing the switch alone be possible and a likely remedy?