Door Latch Will Not Unlatch
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Oroville CA
Door Latch Will Not Unlatch
I have greased and the door was working properly. With door open then set to lock, when the door is closed and unlocked with the key the door will not unlatch to open........any ideas.
Last edited by darocha; Feb 22, 2010 at 01:56 PM.
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Oroville CA
It is a 1976 Stingray. I have checked the rods and they are connected. I will check the possiblity of the rods needing to be adjusted. I do not know much about the latch mechanism. Like I said I can get to work properly to open, the problem begins when I lock the door and close it, I cannot unlock/open the door to get in. I am still all ears to any sugestions.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 441
From: Denver CO
If it works OK unlocked ,I'd say its the long rod(s) from the latch to the inside door lock that need adj. I just did mine. After 30+ yrs I think they become worn and sloppy,hence one day it works the next day not!
Last edited by gjohnson; Feb 22, 2010 at 05:42 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 10
From: NorCal
I had a similar problem that just drove me nuts 'till I figured it out. There's a tiny spring in the mechanism itself that wore out (the end snapped off) and it caused the same problem. I worked the lock quickly from the inside at the same time I pulled the door release and got lucky and the door opened. Once I got the mechanism out I simply bent a new "hook" on the end of the spring and I was back in business. It's been a while, but I remember it was not a common size spring.
Hans
Hans
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Oroville CA
I think you are right with the spring issue. Never having worked on this assembly before, I felt myself it could be the spring you are talking about or something up in there. Did you have to take the whole addembly latch out from within the door?
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Brett Foote
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Redondo Beach, California
Some background info about the door latch mechanism. The mechanism itself is just stamped steel parts, with the "works" sandwiched between outer stamped steel covers. The parts are lubricated when manufactured. Various shafts and moving parts have no bearings. Just metal to metal. With grit entering and years going by, tolerances get sloppy. The critical levers in the mechanism are just 0.070 inch stamped steel. When something binds up, it's easy to give a little forceful attempt to open the door that will end up bending the 0.070 inch lever. GAMES OVER.
Buy a new latch at the first instance of a problem. You don't want to have to try to open the door with a fully failed mechanism. (See copious threads on how to do this.) 69 and up C3's can buy new repro latches at reasonable prices. If you've got a 68, ....this is another conversation. I've been there with the 68 latch.
Buy a new latch at the first instance of a problem. You don't want to have to try to open the door with a fully failed mechanism. (See copious threads on how to do this.) 69 and up C3's can buy new repro latches at reasonable prices. If you've got a 68, ....this is another conversation. I've been there with the 68 latch.
