engine and drivetrain today's engineering tidbit: key shape.

[KFunk]

This cold morning, I was starting the 02 and cranking it a little extra. I don't have a choke cable connected to the DCOEs, so it takes a little extra work this time of year. I don't mind at all.

Anyways, as I held the starter cranking, I then realized why the BMW key is shaped in such a strange way, with the big offset lobe on the top, heh. I wonder why only 02 keys are like that. (are later bimmer keys shaped like that?)

Just one of those tiny german engineering tidbits that must've fallen by the wayside.

[jerry]

as i recall, my old '68 VW Bug keys were similarly shaped.

must be a german thing....

[RoyG74tii]

I think the "LOBE", as you call it, was used to allow extra leverage when turning and holding the key in the Start position. The newer cars don't require that much effort to turn and hold the key, so no "LOBE".

[Guest]

ALL my aircooled VW keys were like that . Not sure about E21 but the E30 and E28 had different keys.

[KFunk]

I think the "LOBE", as you call it, was used to allow extra leverage when turning and holding the key in the Start position.

Yes, exactly. I didn't explain it in my original post, as I was hoping to confuse people, then get them to walk outside and start their car, and notice that their thumb rests right on the lobe and gives them leverage to put it into the starter position.

Newer EFI cars probably don't require much effort to start them, and maybe they've came up with new lock cylinder designs as well. I've noticed some cars like my miata just have a gigantic key, which makes it easy to get leverage.

[Napes]

My son's 2000 328i just has a fat-headed symetrical key cause it has to contain the battery & electronics for the automatic door lock function. I wonder if our key shape is as much to add a little added leverage for cold German winter door unlocking.

Bob Napier

[Marty]

I think that it's shaped that way so that the bulk of the key in the running position is up out of the way of your knee in case of collision, both the 02 and the VW had key slots on the steering column.

[jgerry2002]

A lot of those modern big keys contain microchips for the various antitheft devices (code matching etc).... hence the size.

Still wonder why BMW moved to push button starting on the new cars.

[KFunk]

Still wonder why BMW moved to push button starting on the new cars.

Honda is probably to blame for starting that trend with the S2000. It suddenly became the cool thing to have....

[_z_]

A lot of those modern big keys contain microchips for the various antitheft devices (code matching etc).... hence the size.

Still wonder why BMW moved to push button starting on the new cars.

our 52 willies jeep had that push button start when I was a kid. I got in big trouble one time cos I sat out there pushing the button like a little kid would when my dad was away from the truck.

but it was a button !! you gotta push it!

so true about the bmw key shape -- your thumb rests on it just right when cranking. cheers to those barvarians and their comfy keys!

[ray_]

I thought it was that way to make it easier to break the door lock tumbler.

;-)

Ray

[c.d.iesel]

....and the 'folding' key is better

in the event your 'package' is passing quickly

over and out the front window after sudden impact.

Your 'bits' will remain intact.

That's also the reason for m/c gas caps folding

forword, or in BMW's case - flush mounted screw

on caps.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[_z_]

they did good on ignition but the trunk key sucks!

it goes in either way (on mine at least) so its a 50-50 chance you've put it in upside down

[KFunk]

they did good on ignition but the trunk key sucks!

it goes in either way (on mine at least) so its a 50-50 chance you've put it in upside down

That's true, but ever since I thoroughly cleaned up my trunk lock's tumblers and graphited them, my trunk lock works like a charm. There's no force required to turn it at all. You just put it in there and it spins around.

So if you haven't yet, take it on apart and shoot it all over with brake cleaner, file down the tumblers so they don't stick out too much, and fill it full of dry graphite powder. I've already done that to my door locks of course. I only did all that after those locks finally failed on me. So, I encourage people doing it before they accidentally lock something in the trunk you can't get out (like i did), or break the door lock cylinder in half (like i did).

I haven't done anything yet with the ignition cylinder, perhaps I should!