• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Hood won't close ...

FlyNNN

NAXJA Forum User
1990 XJ

I might get lucky sometimes and if I do, the latches pop if I hit a bump. I checked both latches on the hood and they both lock when I use a screw-driver to lock. Lubed them both up. The latches both release. All looks well with the hood part of the equation.

The hood is flush with the side fender but seems like I have to go lower. Is the any kind of adjustments that could be made on the stand-off's?
 
When I shut the hood on both of my 89's I push down on the hood on each corner right above where the latch is. Mind you i do not just drop the hood as that can hurt any hood I actuaaly put the hood down by hand then shut it as desribed above. Your stops might be just a little to high. Pushing on each corner will let you know that. You should feel it click in.
 
Thanks for the tip. It must be a Renix thing, for I use the same method for closing the hood.

I have resolved the issue. With record setting heat here today, things don't aways work as they should. We usually have to deal with extreme's in the other direction. Anywhoo ... the issue was the hood release cable was sticking open. I put a little lube down the cable but it still is sticking. I'll just have to make a conscious effort to push the release handle back to the closed position (or wait until it cools down).
 
I've had a couple of XJs where the cam that changes the cable pull motion into side to side pulls for the hood releases on a 97+ seize up. One of the things that should be lubricated on a regular basis is this cam.
 
I would swap that hood release cable out if lubing it doesn't free it up good enough, the last thing you want it to do is get stuck in the closed position... it's a huge pain in the ass to get it open from the outside.
 
I would swap that hood release cable out if lubing it doesn't free it up good enough, the last thing you want it to do is get stuck in the closed position... it's a huge pain in the ass to get it open from the outside.

Thanks for the tip. I was so focused on getting it closed I was not thinking about the opening situation possibility. I'll have my radar up now considering a replacement.


 
Mine got so bad my hood wouldn't even close one day..Had to turn around and get a can of pb blaster before i got on the highway..Wish I'd done it sooner
 
Thanks for the tip. It must be a Renix thing, for I use the same method for closing the hood.

I have resolved the issue. With record setting heat here today, things don't aways work as they should. We usually have to deal with extreme's in the other direction. Anywhoo ... the issue was the hood release cable was sticking open. I put a little lube down the cable but it still is sticking. I'll just have to make a conscious effort to push the release handle back to the closed position (or wait until it cools down).

Just read this post I was going to say its the cable. Mine did the same. It was a overheater when I bought it so corrosion from the brown goop it would spew out affected its ability to return to the locked position.
 
I was driving around town all that day with the hood popping on me every 5 mins. and me going out at intersections during a stop light or pulling off to the side of the road and trying to close.

There were times that the hood was so hot that I had to use gloves to close. I don't know how you guys live with the 100+ temps. At the time it didn't come to mind to check the hood release handle and see it sticking out.

And of course, I have to deal with an A/C compressor that has the clutch gap problem and not engaging when I need it. I was rapping on the compressor to get it going at the same time. Quite a gong show that day.


 
I would swap that hood release cable out if lubing it doesn't free it up good enough, the last thing you want it to do is get stuck in the closed position... it's a huge pain in the ass to get it open from the outside.

That's how I figured my problem out. I googled how to open the hood. He's right it's a pain. You have to get a thin 12 point star bit to do it. It must be done from the gap in the hood and the front cowl or Jeep emblem round nose thinga ma jiga so you can remove the nose (cowl?).
 
renix rigs still rolling on the stock injectors are prone to engine fires too... would suck if your hood can't open ;)
 
Actually, there's another way to do it, from underneath with a long set of extensions on a socket. There's a long post with pics on around here someplace. It works, I've done it.
 
renix rigs still rolling on the stock injectors are prone to engine fires too... would suck if your hood can't open ;)

Lucky me. I just swapped mine out last weekend after 22 years with no problem. Although, I now stow a fire extinguisher on board this daily driver. Anyone want to buy some stock Renix injectors ... EV1 clips??


 
Last edited:
Back
Top