What is it that "goes wrong" with the 2 key system?

[DeLorean]

Mines working perfectly still, however I do only have 1 single set of keys for the car, I would prefer to have a spare. Is there anywhere I might get a replacement for my door key? I have an extra blank for the ignition I won at the DMC fall foliage tour raffle, but it was said the door keys for the 2 key system locks are not easy to find, true?

Do the lock cylinders typically have problems? Aside from the annoyance of only being able to put a 2 sided key in the door one way, it works just fine. :eek7:

[DMCMW Dave]

Mines working perfectly still, however I do only have 1 single set of keys for the car, I would prefer to have a spare. Is there anywhere I might get a replacement for my door key? I have an extra blank for the ignition I won at the DMC fall foliage tour raffle, but it was said the door keys for the 2 key system locks are not easy to find, true?

Do the lock cylinders typically have problems? :

Blanks are not all that hard to find. We stock them but you can get them at most "real" locksmiths.

http://dmcnews.com/Techsection/keys.html

http://dmcnews.com/Techsection/keylock.html

The difficulty is that there are no spare locks, and they are sort of fragile (plastic). Very hard to remove without breaking them. Once one goes bad, it's generally best to convert to the later locks.

Don't wait for the second one to go bad. Kind of like the plastic door handles.

[David T]

The other big thing about the door lock cylinders, especially the 2 key ones, once they wear a little, it is very easy to jam the key in off-angle and it makes the cylinder wear even faster. Has to do with the way the key is made, it's profile and the internal parts of the cylinder are a zinc casting (pot metal) which is very soft and wears quickly. A lot of lubrication will help it to work and last longer. Use powdered graphite. It is a dry lubricant and will not hold any dirt or moisture which will accelerate wear. Be VERY careful to insert the key as straight as possible. Don't jiggle or wiggle the key. Figure on updating the locks eventually. A remote door locking/unlocking system can help the door cylinders last longer too.
David Teitelbaum

[Farrar]

My (August 1981) car has the two-key system and I have noticed the "door" key is cut differently from side to side. I noticed one day that when I put it in with the "longer cut" side up, it turns without resistance -- other-way-up, it will still turn the lock but there's resistance. I have since made a note to never insert the key "upside-down."

Perhaps those of us with two-key systems may be causing premature wear by inserting the door keys "upside-down"...?

Farrar

[David T]

Years ago keys were made out of softer materiel than the locks. The theory was it was better to wear out the key which was more easily replacable than the locks. The problem with that was that most people keep their keys in their pockets and with the rubbing against other keys and things in the pockets the keys wore out too fast. They also broke too easily. Now the keys are much tougher and actually wear the locks way before the key gets worn. Especially the thin ridges that make up the blank profiles on the sides. By not inserting the key perfectly straight those ridges disappear quickly. When those ridges are gone there is nothing to hold the key straight so now you have to wiggle the key to get the lock to work. That wears the lock even more. Add a lack of lubrication and some dirt and you can see why the locks don't last. Too add to this if you are using a copy of a copy you lose some accuracy in each "generational copy" so they don't work as well they should. The "best" advice is to always keep one original key out of use so it can be used to make only 1st gen copies or only make keys using the code.
The main reason you should change to the 1 key system is because it can no longer be serviced with parts. If and when you have problems with your 2 key system you will have to convert anyway. The 1 key system is handier anyway and now you can get a lighted head 1 key blank. If you still have a fuel tank locking gas cap you will still have a "2 key" system anyway! Adding a remote locking/unlocking system will also help reduce wear on the door locks.
David Teitelbaum