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Anyone done it ? Been cheap stubborn enough to pit your intellect against the eight little slotted wafers (and weeny teeny springs)...

It looks like there are four wafer versions, numbered 1,2,3,4, eight of which are in the lock cylinder. ( If there are 5,6,7's...I quit.)

Provided I can come up with enough of the correct # wafers, is there a code anywhere to tell their insert order ? So far I've had some success trying each number, inserting the key to see what it does.

Maybe cheat, pull the tumbler out of a door or the trunk to copy. All of which can't be what a locksmith does. They must have the code book and a little teeny drawer full of wafers, right ?

I love locks. I have keyed all my e12 locks. It has been a while ago, but I'll give it to you like I remember:

Look at the key - the deepest cut is a #4, shallow most cut is #1. By looking at the wafers you have, try to match them to the profile of the key.
Numbers are repeated in order. Said another way, each cut in your key will operate on two adjacent wafers of the same #... example - if the wafer on the end of the cylinder is #2 then the next wafer (inserted into the opposing side) will also be #2. For any wafer, there will be a twin next to it that is inserted into the opposite side.

New wafers are available at a locksmith who deals with car locks. They are very cheap. The locksmith may be incredulous when you ask to buy them. Do it anyway

I hope this is more helpful than confusing. I hope I remembered correctly.

Great ! Thank you.

Another thing lost in the years gone by. A call to a local BMW shop could only refer to a dealer for keys. No locksmith they use, nothin'.

Your advice: wafers across from each other are the same number sounds logical as the keys are symmetrical; no up or down.

The lock I carefully took apart and noted the wafer order and slots: 2-4,1-1,3-2,1-3. Put back together that way,...it works. Go figure. Old keys aren't exactly precision cut any more, who knows who's been in there.

The object of the game (besides not losing a little spring) seems to be having the wafer retract to just the right place, close to the cylinder body, with the key inserted.

Now all I need is a local locksmith to sell me an assortment of wafers.

T.Hanson wrote:Great ! Thank you.

Another thing lost in the years gone by. A call to a local BMW shop could only refer to a dealer for keys. No locksmith they use, nothin'.

Your advice: wafers across from each other are the same number sounds logical as the keys are symmetrical; no up or down.

The lock I carefully took apart and noted the wafer order and slots: 2-4,1-1,3-2,1-3. Put back together that way,...it works. Go figure. Old keys aren't exactly precision cut any more, who knows who's been in there.

The object of the game (besides not losing a little spring) seems to be having the wafer retract to just the right place, close to the cylinder body, with the key inserted.

Now all I need is a local locksmith to sell me an assortment of wafers.

Doors are easy, trunks are tricky and ignition is somewhat challenging. I may have some, how many of what do you need? Also, if you end up with only 3 or 3.5 in a certain door or glove box, it's not a big deal, not many people trying to pick locks on E12s these days.

Thank you for your offer, if I ever need to get that far. Funny you noted the partial wafer option. My rusty logic thought of it, or wondered if just the glove box lock would care if a few were missing. I was going to try it and see.

Just for education, do you agree the wafers on each side are the same numbers across from each other ?

When I hated math in school I remember a numbers multiplier (4x3x2x1) to get the possible combinations. That would be way fewer if both sides are the same number wafer.

I wonder if/when our old cars might get valuable just for parts.

T.Hanson wrote: Just for education, do you agree the wafers on each side are the same numbers across from each other ?

Been too long, I don't remember. I do however clearly remember that little detent ball in the trunk lock flying across the garage never to be seen again.

From my just completed glove box lock, the wafers are not the same side to side. In the infinite mathematical possibilities of eight, no doubt it happened, but not as the standard rule of assembly.

For the next stubborn boob, insert a (1, 2, 3, 4) wafer, then the key. The correct wafer will pull in to the cylinder just right, both sides, to slip into the glove box handle. Trial and error.

Mike is right. All eight are not necessary for the lock to function.