hood popper snapped

[cb1101]

Not on my firebird but on my sable.

it was freezing last friday and i wanted to pop the hood to check my oil. ( bad move) I reached for the hood popper and tried to pull it out and noticed it was stuck. I gave a little more pressure and it finally popped the hood.

I go to shut the hood,and it now only latches on the top latch, where it releases by hand after the initial pop. So i'm like wtf? i go back inside and try to push the release back in and it would'nt budge? i pull out again and it snapped off where it attaches to the cable.

What is the best way to tackle this? I am worried that the top latch will let loose and I will pull a Tommy boy seen which will not be good.

Any good ideas on how to fix this?

[ellik]

on the bright side, at least the cable didnt break w/ the hood completely closed. ive never changed one, but ive heard friends that are mechanics say they are a real b!tch to feed the new cables. are you sure that the cable snapped, or just froze/ salted up in the release position? if the hood wasnt catching then it sounds to me like the mechanism is stuck/ froze in the release position. did it release the latch when it snapped?

[ January 12, 2004: Message edited by: ellik ]</p>

[cb1101]

oh it snapped alright...the actual handle was in my hand. At first i though it was frozen, and it did pop the hood. when i went to close the hood i, it wouldn't close, but would latch on the 1st latch. so i just figured it was stuck/frozen and when i jiggled the release..that damn thing broke off.

I actually tried to take the bracket off where the release broke off..major p.i.t.a.

Maybe if I could just grab the cable(its so damn close) i will be able to pull it out a little so the hood will catch?

def is a pain though....If anyone has ever done a cable run or has experienced this 1st hand, please lend some advice.

thanks

[ellik]

but wouldnt you have to push the cable in to get the latch to grab again. maybe you can reset it under the hood w/ a screwdriver the way you reset a door lock mechanism. same type of principle i think.

[John D.]

Sorry, no advice on running the cable. I do however have advice on the cable itself. I have heard of people using cables from bicycles, used for the brakes. It is MUCH cheaper than getting it from a dealer.

[cb1101]

ellik- i thought about taking the cable off from the latch itself and push the cable forward so i can grab it from inside the car but not successful. you are right in saying that i would need to push back in, but everything is so lodged in, i cant even get a hold of the cable.

The cable broke off right at the handle which is about 6 inches long. the rest of the cable is in one piece and I can see the cable inside the little tube where the handle goes but I just cant reach the f*cker.

right now i just wire tied the hood down just incase the ltch releases on me while driving...may be a job for the mechanic!

[ellik]

just check my haynes manual... should have done that in the first place (f-body, but principle will be the same). it tells you to disconnect the existing cable at the mechanism under the hood and attach a thin wire or string. disconecct clips holding cable in place in engine compartment. disconnect the release lever inside the eingine compartment and remove the cable by pulling it through (forward). to install new cable, attach it to same thin wire or string and pull it through to position new cable. re-attach.

your only saving grace might be if you can disconnect the cable at the mechanism and find where it goes through the firewall into the passenger compartment and give it a little push there so you can get at it from inside. then use the string or wire method to pull a new one through. if not, make somebody else fight w/ it.

[ January 13, 2004: Message edited by: ellik ]</p>

[cb1101]

From what it looks like, the cable is ran along the drivers side?

From inside the car, i believe i would have to take out the e-brake to take out the platic tubing where the cable is ran.

I dont know? I think I will just take it to my mechanic...he gets paid for crap like this!

When he is finished, i will ask how big of a p.i.t.a it really was.

Thanks for the info though [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[CanesCamaro]

Make sure he puts some grease on the cable, it will make opening the hood easier and last longer before drying out and snapping again.