hood help!!!!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: st simons island ga
hood help!!!!
good morning- i hope someone can help. the hood cable on my 90 c4 convertible has either streched out or snapped and i can't get the hood open to charge the battery (it's been sitting about 3 months). is there a manual or alternate release latch or another way to get it open? thanks for ANY help,
mike-ssi.
mike-ssi.
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,440
Likes: 19
From: SW Chicago Burbs IL
Mike -
This is pretty common, and the question comes up quite often. Unfortunately, there is not an alternate release. Many guys (myself included) have put in an "emergency release mod" which is essentially a couple of cables attached to the latch that you can get to near the wipers - but that won't help you now. There is a hood release tool that some guys have had success with, although it apparently takes some practice (I've never tried). I heard of one guy removing the plastic wheel housing and reaching up there and pulling on the latch, but that's also time consuming (again, I've never had to do it). Have you tried pushing down on the hood while pulling the handle and then getting it open? That's how my hood is, and I've never adjusted it. I just pop the lever, push down on the hood and then lift up. You might want to play with it a while. If you search the old posts you can probably find better info than I've given - I'm no expert.
Good luck,
Matthew
This is pretty common, and the question comes up quite often. Unfortunately, there is not an alternate release. Many guys (myself included) have put in an "emergency release mod" which is essentially a couple of cables attached to the latch that you can get to near the wipers - but that won't help you now. There is a hood release tool that some guys have had success with, although it apparently takes some practice (I've never tried). I heard of one guy removing the plastic wheel housing and reaching up there and pulling on the latch, but that's also time consuming (again, I've never had to do it). Have you tried pushing down on the hood while pulling the handle and then getting it open? That's how my hood is, and I've never adjusted it. I just pop the lever, push down on the hood and then lift up. You might want to play with it a while. If you search the old posts you can probably find better info than I've given - I'm no expert.
Good luck,
Matthew
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
This is the tool but you can make one out of an old coathanger or something.It slips in under the hood from the back over the top hinge and the idea is to hook the little latch and release the hood. If you can look at another vette and see what you're trying to do it makes it a lot simpler.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,408
Likes: 3
From: Bel Air Md
Two more thing to try, first, have someone grasp the hood and shake it from side to side as you pull the release. Or, pull the release handle and try to grasp the wire with a vice grip and pull just a bit more. These were two suggestions I read in Corvette Fever magazine. Good luck.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 53,776
Likes: 5,623
From: Plantation Florida USAF(Retired) 1966-1990
U.S. Air Force
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
You Can Try This, And Good Luck.
Take Coat Hanger And Bend It To A Loop, Than Slip The Hanger From The Windshield Area Under The Seal, And Sort Of Fish For The Latch Carefully, You Might Be Surprised Cause That Is How I Got My Hood Open With No Damage, Not Even To The Seal. I Won't Tell You How Long It Took, But Gm Service Manager Was The One That Told Me What I Just Told You. Ok, It Took Less 5 Minutes If You Need To Know.
Like I Said, Good Luck!
Take Coat Hanger And Bend It To A Loop, Than Slip The Hanger From The Windshield Area Under The Seal, And Sort Of Fish For The Latch Carefully, You Might Be Surprised Cause That Is How I Got My Hood Open With No Damage, Not Even To The Seal. I Won't Tell You How Long It Took, But Gm Service Manager Was The One That Told Me What I Just Told You. Ok, It Took Less 5 Minutes If You Need To Know.
Like I Said, Good Luck!
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
From: Flint MI: Birthplace of the Corvette
This is the tool but you can make one out of an old coathanger or something.It slips in under the hood from the back over the top hinge and the idea is to hook the little latch and release the hood. If you can look at another vette and see what you're trying to do it makes it a lot simpler.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,845
Likes: 30
...after you get the hood open......go to this link and read post #5
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1372483
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1372483
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: st simons island ga
Hi Matthew-
thanks for the post. ecklers has a tool for this-probably the same one in the picture- for $20 plus another $15 to ship it. i'll let you know how it turns out. i was born & raised in brookfield and lived in riverside before i moved to saint simons island in southeast georgia. just curious- what suburb are you in?
thanks again,
mike.
thanks for the post. ecklers has a tool for this-probably the same one in the picture- for $20 plus another $15 to ship it. i'll let you know how it turns out. i was born & raised in brookfield and lived in riverside before i moved to saint simons island in southeast georgia. just curious- what suburb are you in?
thanks again,
mike.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: st simons island ga
thanks for all the responses!!!!
i'm sort of new to the forum- this is my second post- but it's amazing the help and responses i've gotten- thanks to everyone for the input!
best regards,
mike.
best regards,
mike.
[/IMG]Its a zip tie.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
Don't waste money on the tool just bend some wire up.Looking at the photo you need to go in to the right of where the hood catch would be and snag the bare wire that operates the catch and pull backwards.It should pop.Having said that ,no one has suggested first taking a pair of pliers to the cable where it goes into the hood release catch(by your left knee) and giving it a tug.If it's just loose and not broken that often works.Good luck.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: st simons island ga
zip tie fix
thanks again for all the responses!
the zip tie looks like a great idea. as for turning brittle, use black ties. they will last a lot longer since they're made to take the heat and even hold up better under sunlight and UV rays.
the zip tie looks like a great idea. as for turning brittle, use black ties. they will last a lot longer since they're made to take the heat and even hold up better under sunlight and UV rays.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,845
Likes: 30
.....zip ties don't take the heat or the weather although the whites last a bit longer....the wire will never break, is impervious to the weather and is encased in tubing to sheild from rust....(and you can encase the wire in any colored tubing ya want...