URGENT!! Need help with hood (trunk?) latch!

It seems that, after fighting to get the hood (trunk?) closed after the last fill-up, I now can't get it to open. Since I am low of fuel this is an urgent problem. I reeeeeally don't want to have to resort to cutting the body to get to the latch. Any ideas are welcomed. HEEEEEEELP!!!!!

try having someone push down on the hood while you pull the latch inside, this might help.

Jerry

If you had trouble getting it to shut, it may be the hood post that goes into the receiver hole is misaligned. Try looking up from underneath the car and see if you can find the where the post is coming through the hole. Have someone hold the release open and watch to make sure the catch is pulling away from the post. Thats the first thing, and if it doesn't you need to get a hold of the cable right up next to it and pull and see if it will release. Sometimes if the hood is not adjusted down to tightly you can actually have someone push down on the hood while you pull on the cable right up next to the hardware under the hood and it will make it easier to get it to release. If it still won't pop get a screwdriver up insided the hole and try to wedge the post into the center of the hole while doing all of the above. I'm betting you will find the problem somewhere in this area. If it is a misaligned post then loosen up the hardware holding the post and move it to make sure it is centered as it is going into the hole and tighten it down.

The hood latch is not accessible from underneath the car as that space is occupied by the spare tire well. In fact, it's only accessible from inside the trunk. Hence the probability that some cutting will be involved.

As for having someone press and/or push from side to side, tried already without success.

Lane; sorry I can't help with any other suggestions for getting it open but once you open it you'll need to adjust the spring thingie on the hood. You probably need to loosen it down a little (which you can do with a regular blade screwdriver). I had that problem in my car and it was difficult to shut and open; after doing that it works like a charm. Also don't forget to lube that latch every once in a while.

Have someone pull the hood latch handle, while you push down on the hood in front, push down and wiggle the hood side to side.

Lane. If nothing else works you might try accessing the hood hinge bolts from under your dash.

Thanks guys. I've tried all the press and wiggle things with no success. Jim's suggestion has been echoed by several folks, so that's next. If that doesn't work, I've identified a place inside the fender well that I can cut out to gain access. I can refiberglass it in and repaint without any visible damage from topside. I just hope it doesn't come to that. Wish me luck. Once more into the breach...

Lane,

....before you slice and dice, how about giving Carey a call . I am sure that at one time he has run into this.

The hood hing thing didn't work. The hing pins are permanent, so the only thing you can do from inside the car is to unbold the hing plates from the underside of the dash. Doesn't do any good. Carey suggested a large screw driver wrapped in electrical tape and used to attempt to pry it up (!). Didn't work either. And the latch release bracket that was attached to the steering column broke from all the pulling. I jacked the car up to get better access to cut. While attempting to remove the lug bolts (that I put on and torqued to only 75 ft lbs) the only socket that I have that fits the lug bolts split - and it's a Craftsman! I'm stepping a way from the car for tonight as I am likely to lose my temper entirely and do some damage if anything else goes wrong. Tomorrow I perform surgery.

I've asked Carey to send me another release handle assembly.

Check with Carey first. He may have a better trick.

But if he concurs Try this drill a 3/8 hole behind the driver side head lamp tub up in the wheel well and go coat hanger fishing for the latch thats your best bet

Make you best guess to get it just below the latch cable on the trunks side wall.

IF the headlight Tub is in your way .You may even have to remove the head lamp and drill from within the tub itself back into the trunk side wall. Good luck and take your time.

PS I have found that sometimes it needs a womans touch also a picture of someones latch would also help you feel for the catch.

I like going the through the headlight bucket surgery , easy to do ,if you dont want to go through repairing the drilled hole with fiberglass you can get a large rubber plug from the Help Rack at an Auto Parts Store...... I would get the rubber plug first and then a hole saw that will fit the plug.

Problem solved via the access hole. The spare tire was what made it difficult as it means you have to squeeze your arm in some funny angles to get to the latch from the side. The latch plunger was adjusted too far down, allowing it to go all the way through the latch and hang on the underside. I probably did that when I was fighting the opposite problem of it not wanting to latch at all. Carey tells me that was probably due to cable stretch allowing the striker plate to block the opening. I will be doing some adjustments to the whole assembly tonight, with the hood mounted portion separate from the hood to make it easy. Whew! What a pain THAT was. If I'd called Carey in the first place and asked why it wouldn't latch, I'd probably have avoided all of this.

Lane,
Add a short piece of wire to the latch where the release cable attaches to, put a loop on the end of the wire and let it hang down a few inches, this way should this happen again a you have a emergency rip cord.
I do this on electric solenoid door releases and tuck the wire just under the door panel.

I plan to do that, but I'm not sure it would help in this case. I could get the latch mechanism to move just fine, but the plunger was hooked on the bottom plate of the mechanism, a part that doesn't move. I am still trying to come up with a way to handle that, should it reoccur. My best bet is to make sure that it doesn't by ensuring that the plunger isn't long enough to go all the way through.

Hey Lane!

Glad to hear you're back in business with the latch! As with all your experiences with the Speedy (good & not-s0-good)- you're that much the wiser!!

Now you can tend to those scratches and abrasions on your arm!

Peace - Out!

Great news Lane! One more thing; just make sure you don't tighten the plunger too much; I think that was the problem with mine. If you think about it if you tighten the plunger you're making it shorter and thus harder for the latch to catch it (you have to push the hood down further for it to close) and when it finally does it's so tight it's harder to open too.

Very good sir.