Can't pop bonnet.

[jobin]

In deference to my UK friends i am using the term bonnet, but really mean hood. Aka, front engine cavity cover. Regardless, i cannot open the damn thing without a second person. I pull the cable handle inside but no response at the latch. If someone at the fronrt latch site will push down firmly whilst i pull the cable, then will pop open. But me alone. no way.

Squirted plenty of WD40 at both spots, can see the latch move when cable pulled from inside. Bit of a nuisance/ 'spot of bother'. Any ideas?

It's an oldie so mods don't upset me if can solve with min cost and headache. Am considering removing entire latch scheme and hooking up some kind of external cable, even small chain, from inside hood down towards bumper and pulling tight with turnbuckle. Reasonable?

Ah, the joys of the junker.

[kartman]

Could be the rubber front bonnet height adjusters are holding it tight against the release catch try winding them down .

[WarpSpeed]

If it's a bonnet then just loosen the bow ..........................................

Yep, check out Kartmans suggestion first, but how long have you had the car? Is this a new issue? Have you had any body work done recently? Otherwise no real reason that adjustment would have changed. If not it is also possible the latch is improperly adjusted but again the same applies unless it has loosened somehow and dropped down? But if it still latches ok that is also not likely the problem. but those are starting places

[Gsxrnz]

Agree with above. or it may be that the bonnet has been removed at some stage and not reassembled in the "sweet spot" - i.e misaligned.

There may be (often are) some adjusters on either the male/female part of the catch mechanism to solve your problem. Or try loosening the mounting hinges to achieve better positioning.

[Fookhaht]

Agree with above. or it may be that the bonnet has been removed at some stage and not reassembled in the "sweet spot" - i.e misaligned.

There may be (often are) some adjusters on either the male/female part of the catch mechanism to solve your problem. Or try loosening the mounting hinges to achieve better positioning.

Better positioning between the male and female parts is always worth a good try.

[transam]

Is there a cable adjustment ?......The lever/cable may not be traveling the last weee bit where it needs some umph... Worth a try.

[dave_boo]

A lot of hoods/bonnets have rubber topped carriage bolts that have springs between the head and the body of the truck. If the springs have weakened, they may not be holding against the 'cover of the engine cavity' (love that by the way) with enough force to push it free from the latch mechanism. Assuming you bought the truck used, with those springs sagging I'd reckon the old owner adjusted the stops outwards to prevent the hood from rattling as lacking the springs proper strength to hold the carriage bolts to the proper height the bolts would have "sunk" to the point there was enough play between them and the top of the hood/bonnet latch for the whole hood to vibrate.

Just a guess though.

[Lancashirelad]

Am considering removing entire latch scheme

Why do that when the original manufactures set up is working ....... more or less? You are pulling the handle and it is pulling the cable ..... proven by the fact it releases when someone presses down on the bonnet.

It just needs some adjustment. A 10 minute job.

[wilcopops]

I would subscribe to either cable or rubber stop theories or a combination of both.

However it might be useful to find out the underlying cause.

Have you have a "ding" lately? - this could have slightly altered the geometry of the hood and latch relationship.

or

have you had some work done? Just careless handling of the lid could have caused a change or has someone removed the whole lid at some point?...or any front-end work?

I call Thailand the land of 90%; any job that is undertaken normally leaves about 10% inexplicably undone - and results in things l;ike bonnet lids not working etc etc.....

[wilcopops]

Many posters on the motoring forum seem to be under the impression that their are only 2 kinds of English - America and British - this is a fallacy - just look at your spellcheck settings to see how many variations there are.

Technological - Engineering and mechanical vocabulary ca be particularly diverse but sometime depends on the history of those engineers. They are not linguists but need the words - sometimes these words ca be quite comic - and often very simple (e.g. "big end and little end, gearbox etc.).....

Both these terms need to be seen in context - i.e. 19th century - most of the mechanical parts of an automobile were already in place by the 19th century - US was in "splendid isolation for a lot of this and this lead to variations in how the English language developed.

Bonnet - is kind of hat worn by a lady and reflects the shape of the engine covering.

Hood - is kind of hat worn by a lady and reflects the shape of the engine covering.

Trunk - comes for the days when a large box or suitcase was carried on a platform at the rear of the car.

"Boot" comes for the Dutch word meaning box - i.e. that was carried on the back of the car.

"fender" comes for the idea of defending the rest of the car by "fending off "mud etc. - this word is used in both US and UK to describe "fending off"

However "wing" is a much more modern term that arises out of the need to describe the area of the body on more modern cars that actually extended over the fenders - this was especially common in monocoque vehicles. A naval term was used - "wing" - which refers to the extreme sides of a ship's navigation tower. (it is also an architectural term). it may also have had something to do with a way of covering the area where spare wheels were kept on older and larger cars - see a modern day Bristol car.

[kartman]

Many posters on the motoring forum seem to be under the impression that their are only 2 kinds of English - America and British - this is a fallacy - just look at your spellcheck settings to see how many variations there are.

Technological - Engineering and mechanical vocabulary ca be particularly diverse but sometime depends on the history of those engineers. They are not linguists but need the words - sometimes these words ca be quite comic - and often very simple (e.g. "big end and little end, gearbox etc.).....

Both these terms need to be seen in context - i.e. 19th century - most of the mechanical parts of an automobile were already in place by the 19th century - US was in "splendid isolation for a lot of this and this lead to variations in how the English language developed.

Bonnet - is kind of hat worn by a lady and reflects the shape of the engine covering.

Hood - is kind of hat worn by a lady and reflects the shape of the engine covering.

Trunk - comes for the days when a large box or suitcase was carried on a platform at the rear of the car.

"Boot" comes for the Dutch word meaning box - i.e. that was carried on the back of the car.

"fender" comes for the idea of defending the rest of the car by "fending off "mud etc. - this word is used in both US and UK to describe "fending off"

However "wing" is a much more modern term that arises out of the need to describe the area of the body on more modern cars that actually extended over the fenders - this was especially common in monocoque vehicles. A naval term was used - "wing" - which refers to the extreme sides of a ship's navigation tower. (it is also an architectural term). it may also have had something to do with a way of covering the area where spare wheels were kept on older and larger cars - see a modern day Bristol car.

Been here before haven't we ?