Hey guys, I bought a 1986 IROC Z back in October. I have had the 305 TPI rebuilt and it runs great. My uncle is an awesome body man and he is going to re-paint it for $2,000. However the hatch motor didn't work when I got the car. I ordered a remanfactured hatch motor assembly off of eBay. I followed the manufacturers instructions when installing it. However, it never pulled down like the instructions said it just latched. I got in the car tonight and wiggled the wires and it pulled down. However it will not release when I hit the switch on the center console or use the key in the lock on the hatch. Do you all have any ideas as to what is causing it not to release or unlock? I greatly appreciate your help in advance.

Nick

 

Well unlocking with the key, there is a plastic part on a cable from the latch assembly that snaps of the lock cyclinder. Did you snap that on and correctly?
If so then it may be the cable inside broken or you got a faulty "rebuilt" assembly.

Now with the switch, Do you hear any click, not only from the latch but from a relay? Is this an OEM replacement hooked to factory wires? Automatic or manual? Manual you will need to have the parking brake on. Automatic has to be in park or neutral.
More importantly though is it connected to factory wiring? If not, how will anyone else here know how that is hooked up.

 

Yes, I attached the snap on part of the cable correctly. I replaced the switch too. When I pull the switch down to release the hatch I hear it click in the back. Yes these are factory wires. It is an automatic and I had it in park.

 

A loud click like a solenoid or soft like a relay.
If it the solenoid its unlocking but not moving. A weakness is a small swicth on the latch assembly. The latch and switch moves and it works on the wire making them weak. You stated you wiggled wires and it worked. Perhaps that is where your issue is.
As to why the key wont work and the part is snapped on correctly, that is something your eyes are going to have to see. Maybe too much play in the cable.

 

I just went to the garage. The switch click is a loud click. You can tell it is wanting to unlock or release when pulled. I tried the key again and there is what I call slack in it. When you turn the key to release, it doesn't snap back it just sits in the position it is in. I think the cable is junk. By the way thanks for your help.

 

No prob with the help!
Is the hatch closed now? I wonder if its just misadjusted and binding, or, are the struts strong? The weight of the hatch (I swear its got to be like 400+ pounds!) may be holding it from coming up.
Have you had someone hit the button while you lift the hatch?
I clicked open a hatch on a Firebird one time and it did not come up. I reached under and grabbed the hatch and it closed and pulled down on my fingers trapping me there!

 

Yeah the hatch is closed and locked! I can't get it to open. I have had my wife hit the switch button while I lifted the hatch and it didn't help. Actually the struts on the hatch and the hood were the first things I replaced when I got the car. After I put them on the hatch it stayed up because I didn't have a working hatch motor to hold it down. I thought first it was because the previous owner broke the switch off of the console to release it and maybe there was an open relay causing it to not to pull down. I bought a brand new OEM switch and put it in the console and that over rode my theory. So, I got another hatch motor assembly out of a junk yard and it was junk. So I saved the $170.00 for the remanufactured one and put it on last Friday and like I said it just latched when I shut it following the directions. I gave up and then tried again tonight. Thats when I wiggled the wires and it pulled down. It still won't release though.

 

It may be binding along with a short keeping it from raising up. When its pulled down its tight!
Maybe try to push down on the hatch, have the wife hit the switch and hold it to keep power to the unlock solenoid, then lift.

 

I'll try that. I'll post the results tomorrow.

 

Last night, I had my wife hit the switch and hold it as I pushed down on the hatch. It still wouln't unlock. I'm really at a loss. This is the only thing keeping me from getting my car painted. My uncle says he needs to take the hatch off to do the paint job right. I don't want to waste my time or money taking it to someone who might not be able to fix it. Really, really frustrating. Thanks for your suggestions and help though! If you or anyone else has any more suggestions please post them!

 

I'm at a loss as well. If you hear the solenoid click it should unlock. Did you put your weight into it while the wife held the switch?
I assume the panel is on to where you cannot unbolt the latch or even see what is going on.

 

Just a guess here but did you put the latch in too far down causing it to get tight and bind before the motor trips the reversing switch? Also being that tight could cause problems getting hatch to open.

 

What a guess! I only pointed that out a couple days ago.

 

Sorry, was trying to help OP. Didn't read most of your posts.