E30 Zone

Can you buy a lock kit for an E30?

I have a different key for everything on my car. Keyring weighs a tonne!

Look out for someone selling a lock set in the Parts for Sale section. Going rate is around £40.

You can recode door locks, you can't recode the boot or ignition. So, if your ignition and boot work, you can take a door lock apart and shuffle the tumblers about until it matches. It's not hard, just fiddly.

Easiest option is to buy a s/h lock set,it needs to include both front doors,boot,glovebox and ign barrel.You will find that the driver's door lock will be buggered,so buy a 'lock repair kit' from your local dealer....this will give you a bag of goodies to build a new door lock to fit your new key.At the end of your hard work,you will find that your E30 has just one key and locks perfectly from the driver's door.

I have one key for ignition, one for doors, and one for the boot!!!

Won't ever use the boot, so if the ignition and doors worked of the same key i would be living the dream.

How do you recode the door locks then?

Door locks come apart by removing the roll pin on their inner side,you need the thing out of the door first.

Pound to a pinch of shite you find that the L shaped part that engages the door latch is broken,you can only really find the break when you dismantle the little bugger...best bet is the lock repair kit....honest!

The kit comes with a bag of tumblers so that you can assemble the barrel to suit your key,once you have taken the old one to bits(to see how it works )you will be able to assemble the replacement.

I have done it(twice)so you can as well.Kit of bits cost about £20.

Cheers man i'll have a look into that. Sounds fiddley

The less fiddly option is taking my advice. Your call.

daimlerman wrote:Easiest option is to buy a s/h lock set,it needs to include both front doors,boot,glovebox and ign barrel.You will find that the driver's door lock will be buggered,so buy a 'lock repair kit' from your local dealer....this will give you a bag of goodies to build a new door lock to fit your new key.At the end of your hard work,you will find that your E30 has just one key and locks perfectly from the driver's door.

Doh!

I got key with my shell but no glove box How much of a job is it to swap ignition barrels? I have a code to get keys made for the one in my old touring, which has a glove box. Can the boot lock mech be rebuilt as well?

I'd look into rebuilding the door locks, 2nd hand ones might be worn out a bit and prob just as cheap to rebuild, more hassle though?

Jozi wrote:

daimlerman wrote:Easiest option is to buy a s/h lock set,it needs to include both front doors,boot,glovebox and ign barrel.You will find that the driver's door lock will be buggered,so buy a 'lock repair kit' from your local dealer....this will give you a bag of goodies to build a new door lock to fit your new key.At the end of your hard work,you will find that your E30 has just one key and locks perfectly from the driver's door.

Doh!

I got key with my shell but no glove box How much of a job is it to swap ignition barrels? I have a code to get keys made for the one in my old touring, which has a glove box. Can the boot lock mech be rebuilt as well?

I'd look into rebuilding the door locks, 2nd hand ones might be worn out a bit and prob just as cheap to rebuild, more hassle though?

Ign barrels 'pop' out with a suitable drift poked down the tiny hole by the key slot.I have never dismantled either an ign lock or a boot/tailgate lock.
But the best way to get one key is a s/h lockset,BUT(there's always a bloody but)the driver's lock will be buggered,it will not be obvious until it's pulled to bits,but the L shaped arm breaks making it's operation 'hit and miss',so replace the driver's lock barrel when you fit the s/h lock set.
This way,you still end up with one key operation,and a driver's doorlock that works perfectly,every time.

eddybear wrote:I have one key for ignition, one for doors, and one for the boot!!!

Won't ever use the boot, so if the ignition and doors worked of the same key i would be living the dream.

How do you recode the door locks then?

Two words, eddy. Spare Wheel.

daimlerman wrote:
Ign barrels 'pop' out with a suitable drift poked down the tiny hole by the key slot.I have never dismantled either an ign lock or a boot/tailgate lock.
But the best way to get one key is a s/h lockset,BUT(there's always a bloody but)the driver's lock will be buggered,it will not be obvious until it's pulled to bits,but the L shaped arm breaks making it's operation 'hit and miss',so replace the driver's lock barrel when you fit the s/h lock set.
This way,you still end up with one key operation,and a driver's doorlock that works perfectly,every time.

I'll be rmoving the ignition and boor lock barrels then so, doing away with the door locks so no need to mess with them.