How To: Early Delorean Keylocks (EKL) Maintenance

[skill]

Hi All, I took sometime today to clean a set of 35 year old early Delorean keylock set. Here are the steps I took and you're welcome to use, print and comment. Of course, the PDF is below! Have a wonderful Sunday, and keep livin' the Dream - Drive Stainless!

DeLoreanEarly Keylock Maintenance

Early DeLorean Key Locks (EKL) found on the Stainless Steel Gullwing Doors. DeLoreans up to VIN BD04200 utilize a 2-key system (1 for doors, 1 for ignition system). Photo Credit: B.Pereyra

LABOR: 1.5 - 2HRS

The first generation, DeLorean Early KeyLock (EKL) system is a delicate mechanism piece of hardware found on the stainless steel gullwing doors of DeLoreans up to VIN BD04200. Installed over thirty-five years ago, EKL’s may now need a very small attention to maintain its unique look and feature. Below you’ll find a simple Hot-To tutorial on to keep your EKL’s in tip-top operational shape.

Necessary Tools of the Trade

Tools and supplies used are: Graphite Lube (Dry Powder), extra fine. Can be found at your local auto-parts store or online auction website. A paper clip. A few cotton swabs.One sheet of white copy paper as your work place mat. Two different colored zip-ties and latex gloves. No need for the WD-40 unless you plan on polishing up the face of your EKL’s at the end after install.

Open the Sliding Door and Investigate


After removing your EKL’s from your doors. Open up the paper-clip and investigate to see how much build-up there is on the entry way of your EKL and the spring action metal sliding door. Look at the tract and see how much grime and or debri is in the way. Use a very good light to see what’s inside before applying any graphite into the door tract and or mechanism inside.

Light Pickin’, No Scrapin’


Carefully lightly pick out as best you can any debris or grime inside the tract of the sliding door. Some build-up can go a little deeper into the path of the key way. Make sure not to let the removal fall back into the key’s path towards the mechanism. Flip your EKL downward so gravity helps you remove it. Don’t compress air it out because it will go deep into the mech and make things worse for your key.

Please, No Cake!

In this photo a novice will cake a key with graphite and insert it into the key path towards the mechanism. This is an absolute, NO, NO! Don’t do this! Cause: Could cause the graphite to cake inside, jam up-against the mechanism and solidify. Only way to un-cake is to fish out graphite with a thin zip-tie. Worst case caked up job would be to use compressed air carefully to remove any build-up.

No Oil, Yes Graphite!

I can’t stress how important that you do not use “WD-40” or other liquid to loosen up such a delicate key mechanism. Using oil is basically calling for disaster and loosening up the internal parts; such as springs and pins. Be smart; Tell a friend, “Use powder graphite!” I’ve seen so many newbs use WD-40 on house entry doors and then they wonder why in a couple of months why there key jams and pieces of metal are coming out or their door remains shut and no bueno entry.

Apply Dry Powder Graphite on Key
No need to blast the inside of the EKL with dry graphite powder. Simply use a clean swab, mound up some dry powder graphite on your white copy worksheet… roll your swab over the graphite mound and apply on the key and insert into your EKL. Repeat this step carefully until you feel the EKL and the key communicate. You’ll notice the key just goes in smoothly. Don’t over do it!

Zip Under Back Remove Debri

Zip-tie under the rear of the whitecaps. The teeth the zip-tie do an excellent job fishing out all dirt and grime freeing it up for a nice puff of dry graphite.





Apply Graphite Powder to Back - NO WD-40!

After cleaning out the back white cap with a zip-tie. Use your swab to clean out any remaining grime. Apply dry powder graphite here as well. You’ll notice a difference in the mechanism and the rear of the EKL smoothly opens with the turn of the key. Repeat this step if necessary.

More Cleaning Details Please

I wasn’t to happy with the early cleaning so I went at it again. Removing more little grime pits. End result it left the spinner tract clean and ready to apply the dry graphite powder shots. Notice the whitecap has the markings, “LH”. In most cases, your LH EKL will need more cleaning and work to detail because this is your driver-side (which experience most of the action, open-close, open, close, etc.)

Lookin’ Good! Ready for Shots of Graphite Powder!

Fantastico! Apply some dry-graphite shots to the rear of your EKL. A cleaned RH EKL pictured above.

Polish and Tie - Zippity Zip!

An ugly look is okay in the final process. After you’ve removed all debris, old gunk in the backs of the EKL’s it’s okay to powder it up with graphite and install back your keylock set. No need to cake it up with powder graphite, just smooth it over with your fingers and or cotton swab. No need to use WD-40 on your final step. No need to remove the rear whitecaps marked, “RH” (right hand EKL) or “LH” (left hand EKL) or the black cylinder seals as they may be too brittle and break or snap. The purpose of zip tie is so your EKL’s don’t get lost for storage or if you plan on upgrading to the latest Keylock systems provided by DeLorean Motor Company (www.delorean.com). A zip tie says, your EKL’s are ready for install!

This tutorial can be used on later keylock system as well.

(end of tutorial)

[Morpheus]

Great tutorial, but how do you get the locks *out* of the car without destroying them?

[skill]

Great tutorial, but how do you get the locks *out* of the car without destroying them?

Thanks Brandon! I enjoy making these tutorials and any way I can contribute to the dmc community.

Best Practice Approach on Removing EKLs: Being the car is 35 y/o clean and maintain your keylocks where they are. Don't remove them unless you have serious mechanical issues with your key entry.

Graphite the key cylinder with your keylocks still installed. Taking them out is a real B$@#&%. If you have to remove them, you have to remove the inside door panel. Pick off the white spinner cap as seen in the photo marked LH or RH. You have to remove this white cap super careful as it can result in splitting this plastic piece or breaking it off and there is no return because this part can't be found anywhere... i've searched and searched other makes and model keylocks and nothing comes close. You will have to lube this white plastic peice to take it off towards you. It's clipped on like a claw over the cylinder. Next, is a black plastic piece which keeps the key cylinder connected to the gullwing doors. Samething, it's clawed around the key cylinder like plastic tabs around and comes out your direction. The metal key lock cylinder comes out towards the outside the door away from you. Again, i don't recommend taking out EKLs for sake you may break either or the white plastic rotating caps marked LH or RH and the black cylinder seal for the key cylinder. Just clean connected and use a bright light. Do use the dry powder graphite when working on your EKLs or other key systems.