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Gentlepersons:
This morning before making the 340 mile back to work for the week, I decided to check fluid levels and went to open the hood...SNAP goes the hood latch cable! I found an earlier post on the BB about the ol' 240 snapped hood latch cable that described reaching up from below the car with a screwdriver and move the latch towards the driver side, I tried that. Unfortunately, that post was on a pre-91/92 that did not have the aux cooling fan in front of the radiator that BLOCKS access the the latch assembly from below!
While driving to work I had plenty of time to think about possible approaches to get the hood latch to release but I have NOT tried any of them yet, here they are:
1: Before the anger and dismay subsided my first thought was an air chisel or sawzall through the hood, whew, glad I calm down quickly!
2: Use a hook or slim jim between the top of the grill and the bottom of the upper core support, try to hook where the cable used to attach and pull to release.
3: Use a hack saw blade between the top of the grill and the bottom of the upper core support in order to cut the removable twist pins that hold the grill in place. Then remove grill and manually reach in to release the latch. I'd rather not cut up a blacked-out 92 grill that is in perfectly good shape, they are kind of rare and hard to find.
4: If there is a flat head screw driver slot in the tip of the hood mounted striker pin, I might be able to unscrew the striker pin thus opening the hood. Does anyone know if the striker pin has a slot, I simply can't recall.
Just curious to know how others have tackled this issue as it is a highly annoying problem.
jorrell
ps. The car doesn't use or lose fluid so I didn't consider it a high risk trip without being able to check.
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92 245 250K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!
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Folks of the BB,
Thank you for the kind input, I tried rotating and lifting the grill latch pins but could not get them high enough to release the grill. I then tried the hacksaw blade approach to cut the pins but after 20 minutes of hacking I had made very little progress. I finally went "caveman" with a flat head screw driver with its tip against the pin followed by a swift blow on the end of the screw driver handle... this shattered the pins very quickly with no damage to the grill or paint. From there, it was just a matter of compressing the springs so they would clear the lip of the hood.
End result is easy access to the hood latch mechanism with the grill out of the way. Now its time to get a new hood latch cable wire from the hardware store, install a new water pump gasket set and new accessory belts.
One last question, does anyone know the part number for the grill latch pins?
jorrell
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92 245 287K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!
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Good to hear the conclusion.
ipd link
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Art Benstein near Baltimore
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
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Art,
Thank you for the part numbers, I will get the pins on order on Monday. The interesting thing is that after unlatching the pins and letting them slide up before breaking them, they still work to hold the grill in place but just barely!
The hood latch cable replacement went smoothly but the water pump gasket replacement "mushroom failure" was a nightmare! Two of the water pump nuts rounded off and one bolt did as well, talk about adding a few hours to a simple job!
In any case, Bleen is ready to drive back up to the great white north (DC area) tomorrow morning! Thanks for the help!
jorrell
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92 245 287K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!
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I don't know about DC, but 50 miles north we're expecting freezing rain tomorrow. Not much white left. Drive safely.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore
I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh.
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I take a pair of needle nose pliers and insert them in between the top of the grill and below the apron around the grill clips. You may have to push down on the grill just a little.
Then grab the clip and rotate 90 deg. You may have to "walk" the clip around.
next use the pliers to push up the clip into the hood area. Now the grill should just tip out.
You will have a full un-obstructed view of the latch mech. You don't know where the cable broke and how rusty the latch mech. is. Using a coat hanger can be frustrating if the latch sticks.
Now you can use the pliers to unlatch the hood and go from there.
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I've tried this but failed. The pins didn't go up enough to let the grill clear.
I'll try it again next time I need to. It would of course offer the best approach.
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240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars
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I like #3 but #2 might work if the cable isn't broken too close to the hood latch. This will give you something to do this week after work. Of course if it's going to be in the 30's all week in FL it won't be real pleasant where you are! I'll check on the hood pin for you.
Good luck
Dan
There is a slot in the bottom of the pin for a thin blade but I don't know if you could get it off?
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Dan,
I appreciate your looking into the striker pin, I always prefer the least "damage" approach. I'm up in Herndon, VA right now where the temp is 24F and the wind is a constant 18MPH with gusts up to 25MPH, so yes, this will be a fun fix!
Once I get the hood open, I'll attach a temporary pull cable that dangles out of the grill, the permanent fix I'll address in 2 weeks.
You info is greatly appreciated!
jorrell
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92 245 250K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!
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I've had this happen a few times. I've had decent luck snaking a hooked wire in from the driver's side through the grill. Probably a coat hanger worked well enough. I think you want to get the wire that's looped/ hooked into the eye of the latch. It takes good light and patience.
If you can't get it I'll experiment tomorrow. I have my car 87 in my shop right now.
You can also cut/ knock out a section of the grill - which I'd do on my own if I had to as I have spare grills and don't care about a broken grill anyway.
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240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars
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Let me know if you need the new release cable. I have one new in the wrapper.
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If you pull the angled air deflector out of the way, can you get your arm up through the cavity to the latch?? Working from below the car of course. I'm referring to the deflector going from the air dam oval holes to the bottom of the a/c condenser.
Sorry it's so darn cold where you are. It's a bit colder here in New England but I wouldn't want to be doing this in your weather either!
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Sven: '89 245 NA, 951 ECU, expanded air dam, forward belly pan reaches oem belly pan, airbox heater upgraded, E-fan, 205/65-15 at 50 psi, IPD sways, no a/c-p/s belt, E-Codes, amber front corner reflectors, aero front face, quad horns, tach, small clock.
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Bruce,
I tried to get my arm up in there around the fan with the lower shroud out of the way but couldn't reach the "trigger/latch" came up a few inches short. Without the aux cooling fan in the way, I'm reasonably certain I could reach it.
jorrell
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92 245 250K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!
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Hi John,
I am going to be parting out a '92 with the red lever hood release system. I can give you the cable for shipping costs if you want.
Phil
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