C 2500 Truck 2WD V8-305 5.0L VIN M SFI (1997)
Door Lock Cylinder: Service and Repair
Binding Lock Cylinders
Binding or sticking door lock cylinders and keys that are hard to insert or remove may be corrected in many cases by applying the proper lubrication.
The recommended materials for lubricating these components are (in order of preference):
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Lubricant GM P/N 12345120 (or equivalent).
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5W 30 motor oil.
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Silicone spray GM P/N 1052276 (or equivalent).
Penetrating lubricants (such as GM P/N 1052949 and WD-40(R)) are NOT recommended because they wash out the original lubrication and eventually
evaporate, leaving little or no lubricating material. However, if these materials are used to unfreeze or loosen lock cylinder components, refer to Steps 2
through 4 below for proper methods of lubrication.
Frozen lock cylinders due to cold weather may be repaired using the following procedure:
1. Apply heat to cylinder with a heat gun while being careful not to damage the painted surfaces.
2. Hold the door shutter open with a paper clip (or similar item) and force air into cylinders using compressed air and a blow gun attachment.
3. While holding the shutter door open, inject a small amount of lubricant (refer to above recommendations) into cylinder.
4. Work the key into the cylinder several times and wipe any excess lubrication residue from key.
