I don't know if my cable finally gave out or my latch finally broke but I can't open my hood. How should I go about opening her up? I need to change fluids and clean up the bay!

I've neglected this car too long, time she gets the attention it deserves.

 

While I cannot off-hand tell you what the solution is, I am suggesting that you make certain this cannot happen again. You ask how.
When I 1st got my car, I fastened a length of braided [stainless]steel cable to the latch. It dangles a few inches. In an emergency, I can pull on it to release the hood.

Seth

 

If you didn't positively feel the cable break then I'd think it's just the latch being in need of a good lube job. The GM latches depends on low friction for their operation. It would be beneficial if you are at all able to reach up in the vicinity of it with a spray can of WD-40 or something and soak it. Then put a constant pull on the handle while you repeatedly slam the hood near the latch with your fist. This should (hopefully) work the latch loose. This happened to me and worked out nice once I figured out what was going on, gave it a few drops of oil afterwards and haven't had any problems with it since.

 

i use to be able to punch the hood and it would pop up but this is getting ridiculous!

 

Heh, this seems to happen on every old GM vehicle I've ever been around.

I love watching the mechanics in the shop deal with it. They reach in and pull the lever inside the car, then walk around front and give it a whack. They've done it a million times over the years, as have I.

So, one day I decided to find out why mine did it as well. I pulled the latch assembly out of the car and cleaned it up. I noticed that the area where the hood catch sits on the latch gets worn and creates a very slight indention. This, along with the pressure of the hood spring, seems to hold enough tension to keep the hood closed. A quick whack on the hood jars it off enough to let it pop up.

So, I took the Dremel to it and smoothed that indention out and haven't had a problem since.

I know that is hard to explain in words, but if you take the latch out and examine it closely, you'll see what I'm talking about.

As for your current problem, when you hit the release inside the car did you get that familiar clunk from the front end? Or, did the latch just pull with no force?

 

Go underneath the front bumper, and see if you can reach the latch with your hand. If you can, stick a wide-ish flat screwdriver in the latch hook, where the hood 'clicks' into, and try to pop the latch hook - pull to the passenger side, or if the blade is wide enough, just twisting may do it too.

You'll want to put some weight on the hood right above the latch though, to take the pressure off it - make it a bit easier to pop it.

 

...Trick414 for sharing that great tip.