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i have to pull the release handle inside with my right hand, while lifting the hood with my left to pop it out of the latch. then i have to tippy toe around the door to make sure it doesn't re-latch by any movement! :lol: :banghead:
i have to pull the release handle inside with my right hand, while lifting the hood with my left to pop it out of the latch. then i have to tippy toe around the door to make sure it doesn't re-latch by any movement! :lol: :banghead:
Sounds like your cables are stretched or your need to grease the latch.
i have to pull the release handle inside with my right hand, while lifting the hood with my left to pop it out of the latch. then i have to tippy toe around the door to make sure it doesn't re-latch by any movement! :lol: :banghead:
Try and stand on the front side of the door while it is open and reach down for the release. That way you won't have to walk around the door. :thumbs:
Re: When you pop your hood..... (_freakmonkeydogboy_)
My '95 goes up with no problem :withstupid: but certainly not all by iteself, i have to lift it, but it's not like it's hard... :D
:withstupid:
'pops' unlocks and sits there. I have to lift it entirely. But its very easily one with one hand. Strange. If its supposed to go all the way by itself, and it doesn't, I would expect it to hard to lift, but its not... :confused:
I am not sure I would want mine to pop open all by itself, could be a safety hazard. Hard to see around that big hood, ya know? If you were moving along, the windstream would most likely keep it down, but I would think it a bit embarassing if it popped up at a stop light.
:iagree:
Isn't this why all normal cars have a safety latch for the hood?
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Re: When you pop your hood..... (JasonL)
Hmm. So I guess the vette doesn't need one because the wind will hold it down?
I had my hood come unlatched on my ford while cresting a hill at 80+ mph. scared the hell out of me, and made a hell of a wind break. :eek: Of course, the latch caught it, so it only went up a few inches. Musta just barely been on there, and the chassis flex caused it to unlatch. I've since adjusted it of course!
My brother had his hood come all the way up on his 71 land cruiser while on the freeway. It did a number on his windshield and windshield frame. Not to mention the hood, which folded up like wet toilet paper.
Im guessing by the responses the gas strut leaks over time. Now that i think about it when i first bought my car i used only a finger to open the hood. Now i kinda have to give it a nice lift halfway but i can feel the strut helping. I dont mind it really... imagine having a strong strut and youre driving in slow traffic and all of a sudden... 'Lift! .. hood goes all the way up by itself.... :lol: :lol: :lol:
No 'automatic' full-open without special modifications?
Correct, that is the way it should be from '88 to '96. In '84 to '87 it won't really pop up at all as there is no hydraulic assist. I wouldn't want that big hulking hood flying up on its own either. Last thing I need is it ripping off the hinges and crashing to the ground. :D
I call it "Corvette Elbow" and it partly from polishing and waxing.
My '94 has just the one cylinder and it is quite easy to open, but it does not open by itself. My '85 had the two little cylinders up front and the scissors arrangement. It was a bear to open. But it always popped up.
If they don't at least pop up, I think you should adjust the pins or check the cable like Scorp says.
From: Sacramento, CA Money can't buy happiness - but it's more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than a Yugo.
Re: (scorp508)
According to my 84-91 GM Parts & Illustration dealers guide there was a small gas strut available for the 84 -87 vettes the same as was used on the 88s and similar to that used on the 89-90s. They were listed as:
#14043065 ROD, OPEN ASST 84-87
#14043065 ROD, OPEN ASST 88
#14104067 ROD, HOOD OPEN ASST 89-90
These are small ($14 at NAPA) gas assist rods that fit on the hood hinges at the very front of the hood. (I'm not talking about the long hood gas strut that replaced the sizzors units used on the 84-87s.) These units are about 6 inches long. Look closely at your hinge brackets and see if you have the attachment points. I replaced my single old one on the right hinge and added one to the left hinge. That helped a lot. It doesn't go up by itself, but I no longer need a Gold's Gym membership to lift it.
It is my understanding that the hood should pop up 3~4 inches on its own when released due to the springs at the rear latch points. If it doesn't, the rear latches need adjustment. MidAmerica had a free fax for hood adjustments that covered this which was available from their website in the past. I used this fax a few years ago to adjust my hood latches and it worked for me.
John, great thread! I did not know about this!
Opening the hood on mine is excersize! Any pics of this lift set-up? Anyone? Everyone:
I forgot to close my hood fully(it was just resting on the pins and I was in staging lanes waiting) before a 1/4 pass. At the top end, the hood did lift! There is enough vacuum at that speed to suck the hood up about 6 inches!!
Scared the crap outta me! Had to let off and luckily no one saw it as Los Angeles County Raceway is barren on the top end.
I forgot to close my hood fully(it was just resting on the pins and I was in staging lanes waiting) before a 1/4 pass. At the top end, the hood did lift! There is enough vacuum at that speed to suck the hood up about 6 inches!!
Hi Paul :seeya That's interesting that the hood lifted at speed. I bet that was a little nerve-rattling :lol: I was cruising home from work a couple weeks ago, and had this punk kid in a beat up broncoII behind me. We got to a spot where he could pass me, and of course he tried too. As he approached my drivers rear quaterpanel, we went over a bump. His hood unlatched, and it flew up. It looked like tin foil, wrapped around the windshield, lol. I turned around and went back to offer my cell phone, but he already had assistance. I did get to see that his windshield was completely gone, not a shred of glass left. It was scary, and it wasn't even my vehicle, lol.
Thanks for the tip about the helper struts at NAPA Mike 88Z51:cheers:
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