401/403 door lock mechanism

[zbigmak]

Does anyone have any experience in adjusting the push button door locks on a 401 or 403.
For some unknown reason I cannot get the mechanism to work. We have stripped down and reassembled the lock and I am wondering whether we have made an error during reassembly or have failed to adjust it properly.
Any advice welcome.
George

[Geoff Kingston]

George,
Have you reconnected the lock to the cable to the internal release button as it is the adjustment of this cable that controls operation of the lock pulling a lever in the mechanism into position so that it will engage with the lever in the pin lock, there are other frustrating issues relating to cable adjustment but I may be able to expand more if you tell me where you are at, set up procedure is in the workshop manuals which should be available on both owner club websites.
Geoff.

[zbigmak]

Geoff.

I have a problem with the drivers side door. I can open the door from the inside by pulling on the lever which is supposed to be attached the the cable which runs inside the door. (see photo - Cable has been removed)

Unfortunately I cannot open the door when I depress the outside plunger. The mechanic who dismantled the lock has long gone. I am therefore wondering how the mechanism works as I am not sure if he has reassembled it correctly or has the mechanism in the horizontal tube failed?

Do you have any suggestions
George

[mikebro]

George, this may be obvious, in which case I apologise in advance. Turning the key in the drivers side door lock to the "locked" position provides the situation you have ie. pressing the button, it goes in but does nothing. Turn the key in the lock to the "unlocked" position - then pressing the button will try to open the door (or actually open the door if it is adjusted correctly). If you have no keys, or the lock won't turn, your lock may be permanently in the "locked" position. I had to have my lock dismantled and rebuilt because neither of the two keys would turn. But in my case the lock was permanently in the "unlock" position.

Just a thought.

Mike

[zbigmak]

Mike
I have a key and the key turns a full 360 degrees.
In some positions it locks the door mechanism but regardless of the key position pushing the plunger on the outside of the door makes no difference - it will not release the lock :-(

[Geoff Kingston]

George,
The photograph shows that the lock is in the unlocked position, when the button is pushed in the arm on this should engage with the alloy lever in the lock mechanism shown to the right of it in the picture.
This is obviously sitting in the wrong position which would happen if the wire in the cable to the internal door release broke or as in your case the cable is disconnected. On a couple of my locks some years back I actually put some wire around the mechanism to stop that happening if the wire in the cable broke.
I suspect your lock may be perfectly OK but until you connect and adjust the internal release cable the arm and the lever are not going to engage to open the door.
If you move the alloy lever in the lock towards the front of the car so that it can come into contact with the arm you may be able to use a cable tie to hold it in the right position to open the door until you fit and adjust the internal cable.
Hope that makes sense.
Geoff.

[zbigmak]

Gentlemen
I believe that with your assistance we have now got the door to open. I still have the problem that the key in the drivers door rotates 360 degrees.
I assume that on the inside of the lock there should be some sort of stop that only allows the key to turn through 180 or 90 degrees.
Does anyone have a photo that they can share of the mechanism

[mikebro]

Originally Posted by zbigmak

Gentlemen
I believe that with your assistance we have now got the door to open. I still have the problem that the key in the drivers door rotates 360 degrees.
I assume that on the inside of the lock there should be some sort of stop that only allows the key to turn through 180 or 90 degrees.
Does anyone have a photo that they can share of the mechanism

It doesn't matter if the key goes through 360 degrees. The important thing is that the key can be removed at each 180 degree position (one is unlocked and one is locked). The big striker on the back of the lock needs to be horizontal, pointed to the rear of the car for unlocked, and horizontal to the front of the car for locked. The key should be horizontal and free to be removed at both these points.