1998 Ford Expedition Remote start

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR VEHICLE

IF IT USES A CHIP, OR WHETHER THE "TRUE" IGNITION SWITCH IS OPERATED BY A ROD (AS IN WITH MY '77 CJ-5 AND OLDER FORDS)

I HATE KEYS!

DID I SAY I HATE KEYS?

SOMETHING TO HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH, GRIND ON YOUR LEG INSIDE YOUR POCKET, SOMETHING ELSE THAT WILL MECHANICAL TO WEAR OR BREAK

WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY! YOURS MIGHT REQUIRE A DIFFERENT APPROACH

I CANNOT LOCK MY STEERING W/ THIS MOD, SO WHAT!

I DO HAVE THAT "MASTER" HIDDEN KILL SWITCH, THAT WILL KILL MY ENTIRE MODIFICATION, SHOULD I DEEM THAT I MIGHT BE PARKING IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT (BEING IN A JEEP CJ-5, W/ A SOFT TOP I TRY TO AVOID THAT SCENARIO ANYWAY) BUT STILL, THIS "KILL SWITCH" IS WITHIN EZ REACH, AND HIDDEN WELL. IN FACT, I CAN SECRETLY BUT CASUALLY "UN-KILL" IT WITH SOMEONE RIGHT THERE WITH ME!

MY MODIFICATION CAN BE REVERSED 100% IN MAYBE 30 MINUTES TIME, THAT IS BY REMOVING THE HOSE CLAMP THAT I INSTALLED THAT HOLDS THE IGNITION ROD STILL (PREVENTING THE STEERING FROM ACCIDENTALLY LOCKING). THEN BY INSTALLING A NEW (UNMODIFIED) IGNITION SWITCH (SCREWING IT BACK IN PLACE IN THE TIGHT SPOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DASH IS THE HARDEST PART). DONE/ STICK ME WITH A FORK/ BACK TO ORIGINAL. SEE THIS LINK

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1977-cj5-in-need-of-an-ignition-pushbutton-modification-like-cj-medevac/page/2

NO WIRES WERE CUT OR SPLICED ON THE JEEP, EVERYTHING REMAINS AS IT WAS. THE OLD IGN SWITCH WAS THE ONLY MODIFICATION. IT'S AN AUTO PARTS STORE ITEM, SHOULD I REVERT BACK.

I DID GO ONE STEP FURTHER. IN THIS LINK, THIS IS YOUR SWITCH, LOOKS TO OPERATE SIMILAR TO MINE.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/carquest-by-bwd-ignition-switch-cs287/18970026-P?searchTerm=ignition+starter+switch#

YOU WOULD HAVE TO STUDY A WIRING DIAGRAM TO SEE WHERE THINGS GO, THIS IS A NEWER COMPUTERIZED VEHICLE, MAYBE THERE IS CRAP IN THE COLUMN THAT MY "SIMPLE JEEP CJ-5" AIN'T GOT?

I SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS (OFF AND ON), A LOT OF DIAGRAMMING, AND SOME TESTING BEFORE I STARTED MY MODIFICATION

WHATCHU THINK?

THE MEDIC

I SAW SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON A 70s FORD LTD WHEN I WAS A KID

THIS FELLER HAD PULLED UP IN MY GRANDPAS DRIVE (FARM) GRANDPA TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HUNTING OR FISHING, I KINDA WAS BEING NOSY FROM THE PASSENGER WINDOW!

THE "EARS" ON THOSE LOCK CYLINDERS WERE FLATTER AND MADE OF METAL

THE "EARS" DID NOT SURROUND THE KEY, THEY WERE JUST ON EITHER SIDE OF IT

FROM WHAT I REMEMBER (THIS WAS ONLY A FEW MINUTES OF OBSERVATION) THE MAN HAD RUBBER STRIPS AND MAYBE SOME SHIMS IN THERE SO THAT HE COULD STILL REMOVE THE KEY (IT WAS NOT SQUEEZED INTO THE MODIFICATION)

HIS "KNOB" WAS A WOODEN THREAD SPOOL, LIKE MY GRANNY HAD SO MANY OF! (THAT'S WHAT DREW MY INTEREST TO THE MECHANISM)

I GRABBED A PIC FROM AN ONLINE PARTS STORE, TOOK IT TO "MICROSOFT PAINT" AND ATTEMPTED TO SORTA MIMIC THE MEMORY.

SEEING THE "OVALIZED" OPENING FOR THE KEY AND IT MAY BE MADE OF PLASTIC, SHIMMING, SET SCREWS, OR CUSTOMIZING THE "EARs HOLE" MIGHT BE NEEDED TO PERFECT IT SO IT WON'T FALL OFF OF THE LOCK CYLINDER.

YOUR TURN TO FIGGER THE REST OUT!

PARDON MY CRAPPY PICTURE BELOW! GREEN WAS STEEL STOCK/ RED ARE BOLTS, IMPROVISED ON THE SPOOL

THE MEDIC

OTHER OBSTACLES TO TO CONSIDER ARE

INSURING THE STEERING WHEEL/ TILT/ DASH WON'T BE IN THE WAY AT ANY POSITION OF THE LOCK CYLINDER

FINDING "OFF" MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE IN THE BEGINNING, MAYBE A PAINTED, "STAND OUT COLORED" LINE PAINTED ON THE COLUMN LINING UP WITH ANOTHER MARK ON YOUR "CJ MEDEVAC INFLUENCED DEVICE" (CMID) LOL, BUT EZily SEEN BY THE DRIVER'S POSITION.

MIGHT EVEN LEAVE OFF THE KNOB AND JUST LET IT BE A LEVER?

JUST MAKE SURE MOM APPROVES THAT YOUR PROTOTYPE IS REALLY USER FRIENDLY.

ALONG WITH ALL OF THIS

I WILL BE EXPECTING YOU TO RETURN TO THIS VERY THREAD WITH A CLOSE UP PIC OF YOUR CONTRAPTION, AND ONE OF MOM FIRING UP THE FORD, WITH A BIG OLE GRIN ON HER FACE!

COOKIES/ CAKE/ AND CANDY WORK TOO! LOL!

SO LET'S NOT FORGET OUR PASSWORD!

THE MEDIC

AIRBORNE!

THE MEDIC

DID YOU GET SOMETHING INSTALLED YET?

THE MEDIC