Need some Help With my steering column

1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88, Steering column assembly

I need some major help reassembling the steering column ( top half). I took the Wheel off, then the lock plate, then the turnsignal housing, then the ignition cylinder, then I took off the Metal black piece that covers the tilt steering bolts ( this piece has two pivot pins you must take out to take it off). Tightned the bolts, now I'm putting it back together. I reinserted the pins into that metal housing. So I figured out how the dimmer switch works (high beams) and thats not a problem now.

I'm having troubles with the installation of the key cynlinder (lock cylinder perhaps) I get it on, but I can't turn it far enough to lock the steering wheel (taking out the key) nor can I turn it down to the aux. power setting. I was looking at how the locking mechanism works, and it seems to look fine. The teeth on the circlular piece that acutally works the steering wheel locok, are lined up right I think on the metal piece that looks like a key loop on one end, with teeth on the other that meet that circular gear (that moves the actual steeriing wheel lock pin, in and out).

I know my description is horrible. But I was wondering if there were any books, or pictures I could look at out there, that would help me with doing this, or if anyone has some way of telling me to do this the right way :)

How is it going with your steering problem. I think I am about to have the same problem myself. I lost the only key to my 1972 Delta 88 Royale and need to replace the ignition cylinder.did you get your ride going? I read somewhere else on the web that you need to move the dash alittle... I read it here...
http://www.nichols.nu/tip041.htm
I hope you got it going because I am about to embark on this adventure myself tomorrow...

Well it turns out, I took apart my entire COLUMN for nothing. The tilt steering wasn't causing my cars problems. But I did manage to put everything back together...took a few weeks though. We had some serious cold weather here, so I coudln't do it for a while, and 15inches of snow didn't help. To take apart the column, you have to take off the bottom dash on my car. I don't know how the 72's are though.

But since you are just replacing the iginition cylinder, you don't have to do that. All you have to do is pull the steering wheel, then the lock plate if you have one. After that, you may or may not have to undo the turnsignal housing. I'm pretty sure you will though, but its no problem, only 3 screws on mine. Once all of that is off, there will be one torque screw holding in the ignition cylinder. if there is a clip over that torque screw, turn the key to the on postion, then pull out that clip with a pair of needle nose. Then undo that screw, and the cylinder slides right out. put a new one in, and reassemble. Its really not hard to do all that. That was the easy stuff.

My problems were that I had to break down the entire column....because I didn't know that I COULD JUST TIGHTEN TWO of the tilt bolts...I tightened all four down. And I bent the dimmer switch bar, so I had to do a lot of tinkering to get that right. Right now though, I had to replace other engine parts, oxygen sensor and igntion control module, to fix my cars dying problem. And I'm still putting the dash together....totally different dash than what I had on my 1989 delta 88....no clue how the shit goes together.