Hoping someone can ease my concerns here. I just dropped the engine into my donor, which had a tranny and t case that I was told both were in working order, but am still working on getting things buttoned up under the hood. I was gonna drop it into neutral to roll it backwards, but when I put the key in the ignition it won't turn at all. Is this maybe because I don't have all the electrical hooked up yet? Or could there be possibly an issue with the lock cylinder in the steering column? Help please!

 

Saying the key won't turn?
Just guessing here but thinking it should without the electrical hooked up yet.
I can dig out an old ignition switch and see if that would turn.
Assuming I can find it.

EDIT: Sure the tranny is in park?

 

Yeah can't get the key to turn at all. I also replaced the PS gearbox, so I tried jerking the wheel around thinking maybe that it wasn't locked in the right position for me to turn it, but that wasn't an issue.

 

Well the old ignition will turn pretending to start.
Getting into accessory is hit or miss. Not sure why.
Also this switch was replaced cause the key could be
pulled out no matter what position it was in.
Jeep started fine but kinda thought that it might get
to a point when it wouldn't so I replaced it.

Thinking this is not helping you at all.
Sorry.

 

Gives me an idea that I may have to look at swapping the cylinder. Thanks!

 

Getting at the cylinder might be problematic - IIRC it has to at least turn to one position (ACC I believe) to get it out without breaking stuff. I may be wrong, just something to at least confirm.

I'd get a really good lock lubricant and give that a whirl. It could be a sticky pin in the lock itself and have nothing at all to do with anything else. The hatch on my 95 has this issue. The key inserts no problem, if it's unlocked, the release button works just fine, but I've had issues getting the lock to turn to lock/unlock it and have to lubricate the lock every so often to get it to work.

For rolling it backwards, have you considered just throwing the transfer case into neutral (assuming it's 4wd)?? The transfer case neutral should disconnect everything and it's purely mechanical.

 

I did that to move it, but was still concerned with the cylinder. Ill try to lube her up and see where that gets me

 

It's been a while since I dealt with the ignition lock cylinder - it was my 00 TJ, I've never touched my 95 XJ - but I'm pretty sure that I had some troubles with the lock cylinder and had to lube it. I was able to pull the key out on that Jeep but never cared or replaced the cylinder - my troubles were with the ignition switch and the "actuator" - damn thing snapped in 2! For a while I was literally using a screwdriver for my key.

It certainly can't hurt to to try lubing the lock (just stand by with paper towels.. lol).