The right hood latch will not release on my 86. I saw an "emergency hood latch tool" advertised sometime back but can't find it now.

All it looked like is a piece of flat metal, bent at 90 degrees with a notch.

Does anyone know who sells this goodie?

If you have one and can provide dimensions and/or a pic I am sure I can make one.

Thanks Everyone...


[Modified by myblack864+3, 7:36 PM 9/27/2002]

 

I think the MAD or Ecklers catalog has them.

But if you reach under your dash where the hood release is you can feel the cables. If you pull really hard on the cables while someone lifts that corner of the hood I bet you can release it.

Unless of course the cable is broken.

 

Someone must have the dementions ...you can make one...its only a 90 degree hook on the end of a rod.

 

the "business end" where the cable attaches to the release mechanism has a little stamped steel spring clip that (for me) has proven unreliable. mine has broken twice in 6 years so i've a stock of them and replace them annually now.

as stated before, the tool is/was available from mad or ecklers. yes it is a piece of rod, intended to slide between the weather strip and hood and with it you engage the arm of the release. i've got one and have never mastered the technique. i've removed the innder fender pieces and have a "modified" screw driver to reach in and grab the lever - works fine but is a pia to get to.

 

Are you sure the cable is snapped and not stretched? If it is just stretched, it might release if someone is pulling the release while someone else is putting a little pressure down on the hood loosening up the grip and lessening the friction between the latch and the hood. Mine was stuck on the driver's side once and this did the trick. Also, I've noticed depending on how you park it can flex the frame and create this situation so try moving the car to a different spot. Mine have never broken and are the originals. Hope this helps.


[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 3:08 PM 9/27/2002]

 

92TripleBlack is the Man... :cheers:

The car ws parcked on uneven pavement, on an uphill driveway at that.

Moved the car and "Pop" the latch released by itself....

I will make the tool, this is just to scary..

Thanks Every one

 

Just an FYI, my cable was stretched (hanging up on driver's side) and we took it to a friend's house who had the tool. We got it open, (not easy) rigged it and drove home. When we put the new cable in, my husband closed the hood to test before he tightened everything (don't try this at home kids!) and it stuck on the passenger's side. We COULD NOT get it open with that tool from the passenger's side. It's supposed to work but it didn't, so we took the wheel well apart and I reached my skinny hand up in there and pushed it open with a screwdriver. :crazy:

 

Use a length of coat hangar (or something similar that has stiffer/heavier gauge wire) with a hook fashioned onto one end. Reach the cable from the outside of the car going between the area of the rubber hood seal and firewall/cowl.

I've done it this way lots of times.

Even if the cable is completely broken, you can still hook the mechanism that releases the hood, give the hangar a yank and the hood will pop.

I did it just this way a couple of months ago when my cable broke. I reached the driver's side release from standing on the PASSENGER side and, using a heavy gauge wire, hooked the mechanism. I got to the passenger side mechanism from standing on the DRIVER'S side of the car.

It will take a while to hook the mechanism because you can't see what you're doing, but with persistence you will eventually hook it.

Just turn your radio to a station you like, listen to your favorite tunes while you search for the right spot.

Just be patient and don't give up; you'll get it open. Might take a half an hour or so to hook it.

When I had to hook the mechanism during my last use, I found that a coat hangar wire was too weak and the "hook" end would straighten out as I pulled on the hangar and would not release the mechanism. So I switched to something with a heavier gauge wire and found that the handle from a 5 gallon bucket (the kind with the heavier gauge wire and plastic hand hold) worked perfectly. Bing, bang, done.

Each time I have to do it this way the time gets shorter and shorter, so if this is your first time it will probably take longer. But, like most other things, the more times you do it, the easier/quicker it becomes.

Hope this helps.

Jake





[Modified by JAKE, 3:57 PM 9/28/2002]

 

AFTER you get your hood unlatched, fasten a length of durable twine, wire, cord, etc. (2'-3' long) to the latch (the piece that is activated by the cable) and just lay it out of sight along the screen under the hood, so that it can be reached by your fingers, if you develop this problem again. Pulling on the "cord" will unlatch your hood, if your cable fails.


[Modified by Oldman, 3:17 PM 9/28/2002]

 

Yep, yep. Excellent advice.

I used a couple of plastic cable ties and did exactly that.

Jake

 

My solution was to take off the wheel and inner wheelwell on the stuck side, reach up and release it. Took about 15 minutes.