Anyone know any tricks for popping the hood?

One end of the cable is still attached to the hood mechanism, from what I can see. If I can get the car up in the air so I can get underneath it fully and reach up, I might be able to grab the end of the cable with a pair of pliers and pop it open.

Any other ideas?
Thanks,
T

 

Man that sucks! I am always getting scared of this! Other than what you said about getting it open, I can't think of anything. Sorry!

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1992 Polo Green RS 3.1L K&N conical and working on the ram air....

"Yeah, it's a V6 SO WHAT!?"

 

besides cutting a hole in the hood... try lifting it like you said and sit cross legged so u are basically sitting between radiator and engine... then u can see and reach your hands around... i think you need either vise grips or needle noses.. whatever piece of wire (if any) is left, just give a yank with the tools. Good luck

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1972 Chevy Malibu
Hooker Headers, Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, accel 8.8 wires,Edelbrock performer intake Edelbrock Carb, Torque Thrust "D" wheels
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

[This message has been edited by Graeme'sFirebird (edited October 11, 2001).]

 

If you need more tips, private email me.

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1972 Chevy Malibu
Hooker Headers, Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, accel 8.8 wires,Edelbrock performer intake Edelbrock Carb, Torque Thrust "D" wheels
Click here for my Malibu information
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

 

Minor update - checked all the parts stores then broke down and went to a Chevy dealership - even they don't stock the cable. Had to special order it. It's due in Monday morning and it's $24 FYI.

After I get the cable and change it out, I'll post how it went. I suspect this is something we all need to keep in mind, due to the age of our cars. Remember, mine's a 92 and has only 97k miles, so this can happen to any of us, almost anytime. Certainly not in the category of a blown head gasket, spun bearing or burned out tranny, but an amazingly annoying little problem.

Thanks for the input, guys.
T

 

mwahahah, hoodpins here

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91 Blue RS with ASCD SS hood w/hood pins, Flowmaster 80 series, K&N, Bosch Platinum wires and plugs, rebuilt transmission with shift kit.

Soon to be added:
Z28 spoiler.
New paint.(black with orange stripes)
A 3.4L V6.(WOOHOO!!)

Official Kills:
80something Monte Carlo SS
New Civic
Ford Splash(Souped up somehow, he was chirpin every shift)
Late 90's Crustang
Early 90's Crustang(at the strip)
Older Eclipse(at the strip)
CRX(at the strip)

 

I had a similar problem .My cable was ok , but the latch needed greece, but at first I thought it was the cable . I had to push some , then pull , push some more then pull , then I finally got it open , this went on for a couple of months (I check my fluids and oil every weekend ).Then my Uncle told me to see if the latch needed greece ,it was dry to the bone .After I greesed it , works just fine .From my ignorance at the time and not knowing what to do and thinking it was a big repair I did not know what to do .So all that yanking and pushing on my hood after those few months made my hood out of alinement with the front , it looked crappy from the front .But I put after I fixed it , my motor blew , so the shop took the hood off to put the new motor in and put it back on right ....Ok my point is .If your hood starts getting hard to open like mine did , check the greece on the latch , so you dont end up with a front in that looks like it wasn't made well (hood and fenders not lined up ) ....Wayne

 

You sound like you were expecting it to be stocked at the dealership. Realistically, though, that's just plain wrong. That cable only fits 82-92 F-cars, which is sadly a very small segment of the automotive population seen by most parts departments. Why exactly would they want to stock such a beast? Sure, they do wear out, but so do engines and transmissions, and few dealerships will keep those in regular stock. It's very easy to expect a dealership to stock every "simple, high wear, cheap, or common" part, but it's also very easy for the said parts dept. to develop a very bloated inventory from trying to stock anything and everything at all times.

 

here is what I do:
grease on the mechanism of course, pull the handle like you normaly open the hood, (hood closed) if it would jump open, knock easily!on the hood right above the mechanism. On my bird it works every time I need it.

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www.marion-becker-nidda.de
91 Firebird 3.1
Modsynomax ultra flow stainless steel -americanracing rims (ar26) rear 15x8 255/60
front 15x7 235/60
www.members.aol.com/tramphorst/pontiacpics

 

My last battery, before it blew, had been eating thru my hood release cable. I noticed it before it finished. (That's when I found out how to pop the hood.. scary stuff.) I replaced it with a junkyard piece, that was... wow, 4 years ago?


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

My battery ate thru mine a few years ago. I just went to the junkyard and found one in good shape to replace it. Everything has been ok since.

The cables are pretty easy to install, just have to be patient.

Dale

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1986 FireBird
2.8L MPFI
1/2 CAI
Gutted Cat, No muffler
Was 700-R4 --> Now T5
**** Great cars aren't bought, they're built ****

 

Here's the promised update...a long, sad tale.

Went out to the garage to drive over to the Chevy dealership to pick up the cable. LR tire was flat. Swapped on the mini-spare and decided this was time for new tires, since they were all getting a bit threadworn, although the flat was due to a nail I picked up somewhere.

Cruised over to the Goodyear place and decided on 4 tires, plus an alignment. Mentioned that they couldn't open the hood, because I wasn't sure if part of the alignment on a Maro involves adjusting the top of the struts as on some cars. NP, says the mech, but why can't you open your hood? So I tell him the story and he says he'll toss the cable in if I get it to him. Call a friend who picks me up and I go get the cable.

Uh-oh - - up on the lift, it's clear the idler arm is toast (thought the handling had gotten a bit funky last time I was on the interstate). Bottom line - $848 for four tires, alignment, idler replacement, oil change and brake adjustment.

As for popping the hood, grabbing the cable end didn't work. If this ever happens to you, get a long, stout screwdriver and reach up and trip the latch.

87 Firebird, I'm not sure why you conclude that I thought the dealership would stock this part. As a business consultant, I'm well aware of the need to manage slow moving inventory for the benefit of cash flow. I made that comment for the benefit of the readers on this board, should they ever find themselves in the same situation. It's not a part you can just pick up.

I'm also fairly sure that the release for my car was only on 91-92 model years. Earlier years had white printing on all the dash ***** (lights, cc, cig lighter, etc) and I believe the yellow was only the last two years of the 3rd gen. The hood release cable is a unit - you can't replace the cable without replacing the ****.

Thanks for the input guys and check your cables! This is a major PITA for such a small, neglected part.

T

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Maroon '92 RS 3.1L AT PW PDL CC Tilt

 

I had actually thought about re-routing my hood pull cable, and leaving the original one in the car as a "dummy". I could've probably used a choke pull cable; Pep Boys sells them for $5 (in chrome!! Ooooh) or so.

But, then, I figured against it... but it'd be a good move against anti-theft. So would welding a plate underneath; which I might do...


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)