Hot Key Ignition or sun?

[pixelpadre]

I have noticed my key is too hot to touch on occasion when I pull it from the ignition. Is it the sun or something else. 89 Celica. Also, I need new exhaust. Catty is cast iron on block. Anything wrong with replacing OEM with regular pipe after cat converter?

[Doctor J]

If the ignition switch gets hot, the heat will be also sensed on the opposite side of steering column, where it is actually located.

[pixelpadre]

Ok I bought the new switch, but I can't see how the cowling comes off. My eyes aren't that good. Does anyone know how many screws and what kind of screws. I saw a bunch of holes but no screws.

1989 Celica ST

[Noobified]

Im not sure about the ignition problem, but a new exhaust at a shop will work the same if not better than OEM! you can do a cat-back system for a few hundred. Get stainless steel, it might weigh a lil (not a lot ok.. its not much piping) but then you wont have to deal with rust for a long while, if not the rest of the cars life. I have NO rust on mine after 2.5 years. 2.5" cat-back on my mazda protege. You sound like your an older fellow, so I dont think you want a loud exhaust, so get a nice muffler (lil bigger than stock, allow more flow, meaner growl) and put somthing slightly larger than whats on the car now. Like 2.25" or 2" seems to be common.

[pixelpadre]

I put a new ignition switch in because someone told me that a hot KEY is a sign of a bad ignition switch. well...the new ignition switch was never attached to the steering column yet and the key still gets hot from the sun and ambient temps inside the car. I have to put the key in the cylinder in order to unlock the steering wheel.