Ignition Switch/ Cylinder Jammed Up/ Bad Connection

[popsthebuilder]

Been some time. I'll get right to it. My 73 C20 wont stay running. Since I bought the truck I could always remove the cylinder from the truck even with it running. Then the indicator lights started to stay on even once the key was in the run position. I would have to turn the key back to get the indicator lights off. I could feel a click once that started happening. It stopped doing that and I began having to keep the key turned almost to the start position to keep the truck running.

So since I could just slide the old cylinder out I took it out and replaced it with a new one without inspecting the hole or checking proper procedure and presto! The new one is jammed in and doing the same thing. How can I get this thing out? I removed wheel and turn signal switch. I removed 4 bolts that seemed to hold the outermost part of the steering column together and the cylinder but nothing comes all the way apart.

Please help! What can be done at this point? What am I doing wrong? Any useful insight is appreciated.