I'm having trouble with the drivers side door lock. I can lock it using the key but I can't unlock it. Any thoughts on what to look at first. Also, if I get in on the through the other side on the same door the lock button is next to impossible to pull out. It takes me about 10 minutes to get it open. 

 Thoughts?

 Jim

Also, if I get in on the through the other side on the same door the lock button is next to impossible to pull out. It takes me about 10 minutes to get it open.

Could you restate this for clarity?  I'm not sure what you're saying.

Thanks

Yup, I read that 2 or 3 times myself...sorry.

 In other words, if I'm in the car and try to unlock the door, it's damn near impossible too. So it's not just the tumbler that's not right.

 I apologize. I was writing that at the job and was rushing...

On the famous last ride about two weeks ago, on the way home from the party, the passenger door would not stay shut. Blu had sat outside in the 10 deg weather for the first time in probably 5 years, scared the wife to death. Between the ignition problem ( not fixed yet ), and the door just bouncing off the latch post, she won't ride in the car again. (seat belts broken too ) Got it shut after the heat was on a few minutes.

So, I am figurin' that the door latches are gunked up with 33 year old grease and dirt causing it not to latch in the cold. I knew problems like this were on their way....so I guess it's time to pull the door panels and yank out the mech.....only one way to fix this right - clean, degrease, lube and hopefully get them back in and working ok. I haven't got to anything on the interior yet, just thankful after 2 years it rolls under it's own power.  

[QUOTE=vettedreams79]Sounds to me like you're going to have to take the door panel off and get inside.  Maybe spritz it all with WD 40.[/QUOTE]

 It's amazing what WD40 and White Lithium Grease can do to a lock mechanism... works pretty good now.

Bad News... now in the spring I'm gonna have to pull the doors and sand the metal guts to get rid of surface rust... Glad I saw it now and not in a year...

Oh and I broke the cable to the right side hood latch while open it to do the timing..damn plastic clip snapped. Had to reach all the way through from bottom to top of the engine compartment to get ahold of the latch mechanism. And of course it was snowing and don't have a garage so.....I got that fixed...temporarily, had to order a new one.

Take the door panel off first before spraying anything inside the door!! Some cleaning and lubrication with a white litium grease is what's needed on the moving parts of the latch mechanism more than likely.

As for the difficulty with the keys turning and the efforts to pull out the button manually from inside, it could be a couple of things. Had the same problem with my 79.

First, do you have power locks? If so, you may have a bound actuator. You can remove the retaining clip and temporarily take the connecting rod out of the actualtor which will at least let you manually operate the locks more easily until you replace the old unit. I paid $25 for a brand new replacement part from a parts place by me.

If you don't have power locks or the actuator moves up and down freely, you'll need to look at the rods that connect the lock cylinder and the manual interior lock button as well as the small hinge that connects them both. A couple of clips and bolts later, you can remove it as an assembly and look at whats happening if it's not evident while in the door. Good idea to get some extra clips  - they go flying.

I've fixed mine and 2 doors for friends and in all 3 cases, the hinge was bound from the actuator being bound. New actuator and some gentle bending on the hinge, all 3 came out like new.

Good luck.

Luke

Thanks Luke !

 Glad to hear it's not just mine that did it- e-locks even work great now that I did all that. The door grip was tough to open too and that even loosened up. I had envisioned it being more complicated in there than it turned out to be.

I just got back from Iraq in December.  Spent 7 months in Baghdad. Sucked....  Glad I had already retired from the AF after 22 years and was a contractor and could leave when I wanted to.

 You still in the Army? I'm gussing you are at Fort Dix now? If so, I wish you all the best.  And as a vet myself from one to another, Thanks for keeping me safe now too !

Jim

Still in the Army and back to being a part time soldier until the next round..... We deployed and re-deployed at Ft Dix.

I spent a year in Balad running supply convoys for the 101st 3X a week to Mosul and back straight up and down Highway 1 (MSR).

Thanks for your thoughts Jim, and likewise, WELCOME HOME!

Luke