Hood Adjustment
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Oita, Japan
Hood Adjustment
How do you adjust the height of the hood at the cowl end when the hood is closed. Are the latch pins adjustable or do you have to shim something? Also, is there a trick to getting the latch pins centered to the latches on the hood?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 6
From: 68 427 4.11s Roadster
IF you have the pin kind they work just like screws for height. Turn them in or out. Also check any rubber bumpers. Do this last.
First find the access holes to release the hood latches.
DO THIS FIRST!!!!
The hood release in the car only operates the drivers side, if it pops first then there is no activation of the passengers side latch and now you have to figure out how to release it. Finding them with the hood open and trying it will save a lot of grief.
I finally used this procedure. But first look at the hood and cowl halves of the latch and understand whats happening. Hood latch drops on pin, expands and then contracts to lock.
I left the cowl half loose so the hood when lowered, but not latched, would shift the pins into the center of the hood half. Front and back, side to side. Its still not right but close. Bounce the hood a bit to shift them.
Open hood.
Shift the cowl half about a 1/4" towards the moving part of the latch, the part on the hood. Tighten, both sides, and try it. From there you should be able to tell which way its getting knocked over if its off a bit.
There is one more adjustment and is best done first. The hood hinges do throw the hood around so you want them to be adjusted first for a good seam all around. And height in the front. Don't do it unless its needed though.
First find the access holes to release the hood latches.
DO THIS FIRST!!!!
The hood release in the car only operates the drivers side, if it pops first then there is no activation of the passengers side latch and now you have to figure out how to release it. Finding them with the hood open and trying it will save a lot of grief.
I finally used this procedure. But first look at the hood and cowl halves of the latch and understand whats happening. Hood latch drops on pin, expands and then contracts to lock.
I left the cowl half loose so the hood when lowered, but not latched, would shift the pins into the center of the hood half. Front and back, side to side. Its still not right but close. Bounce the hood a bit to shift them.
Open hood.
Shift the cowl half about a 1/4" towards the moving part of the latch, the part on the hood. Tighten, both sides, and try it. From there you should be able to tell which way its getting knocked over if its off a bit.
There is one more adjustment and is best done first. The hood hinges do throw the hood around so you want them to be adjusted first for a good seam all around. And height in the front. Don't do it unless its needed though.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Oita, Japan
Thanks, I'll give that a try. I have a new hood and new latches on the hood. Right now, when closed it is about 1/4'' too low and when I try to open it, the drivers side pops first so the passenger side won't open without a little help. The hinges seem to be aligned OK though.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
On our cars there is a lock nut that needs to be loosened in order to adjust the height of the hood near the wiper door grill. The lock nuts can be seen in the bottom pic in the lower right hand side. Loosen them by striking the nut on the parts that are sticking up, then you will be able to adjust the hood height by adjusting the screw in the center.
