• 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 latch not working

1

109ace

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Fl
I am in VT right now so the temps here could be the problem, but when I tried to close my hood today it won't latch. I tried several times and even sprayed the latches down but they still won't latch. It is a 98. Has anyone had this problem before?
 
Cable could be hanging up. Push the handle back forward from inside before closing. Then run cable lube (oil suspended graphite) from the outside in to improve condition. Make sure latches are in open position before slamming shut.
 
I have had that problem. Make sure the interior hood lever is pushed all the way back in. If it isn't, it won't latch.
 
The hood lever is pushed all the way in and I tried pushing the handle forward and back several times. From what I can tell the latches are in the open position. I will try the cable lube. Where should I use it?
 
WD40 isn't a lubricant, it's a water displacer.

If you've freed the latches, and are sure the cable isn't hanging up, check the bellcrank on the underside of the hood where the cable meets the operating rods. That's also known to hang up.
 
I've seen several (always 97+) others that have had this problem is rust on the mechanism that the cable pulls to move the rods to open and close the hood. The problem is it is rivited onto the hood.
When I have fixed it before, I drilled the rivits out and cleaned the moving parts with a wire wheel and lubed it well and replaced it with some self tappers into the hood. Make sure the self tappers are not too long or you will put holes in the hood.

If you don't clean it like I said and get the hood to close and it sticks closed, you will break the cable trying to get it open again.
 
I did hood pins so that they can not stick in the closed position.

Then you have to go in behind the headlights to open the hood
 
I thought about hood pins, where did you get them from and how hard are they to install. I thought about the wrangler style latches but I am not sure how to make those work
 
I just did this yesterday, went out to refill my washer fluid and the hood cable pull was *frigging tight*. I set the hood up as high as it would go, sprayed some PB around the latching area where the cable goes, then into the latches them selves, working the bar the whole time, once it freed up loose I hit with some some royal purple synthetic spray then took my little can of graphite lock ease with the plastic nozzle on it and let it dribble down the cable, little squirts, after about 5 minutes of that my hood release feels much better now. Oh, then I hit the latches with lithium spray grease.
Then for good measure I hit the rubber door seals on all the jeeps with silicone spray, I hate frozen doors...
 
Don't know about other years, but the hood latch cable on my 90XJ is perfect for my motorcycle cable luber.

Slip it on, tighten it down, shoot the lubricant of your choice in with the little plastic tube. Just don't get carried away and fill the floorboard with the lubricant.
 
joe_peters said:
Don't know about other years, but the hood latch cable on my 90XJ is perfect for my motorcycle cable luber.

Slip it on, tighten it down, shoot the lubricant of your choice in with the little plastic tube. Just don't get carried away and fill the floorboard with the lubricant.
Click to expand...

Yea, I used to have one of those long time ago, can't find it, handy gadget for cables, had cable lube too just for that.
 
I was looking into lockable hood pins like these
http://www.statracing.com/buy/mr-gasket-hood-pins.asp
The only problem is I am not sure if 4in is going to be long enough. Has anyone used these. I am tired of dealing with the stupid latch so I would rather have a set of hood pins. I will be keeping the safety latch and I would like hood pins that can be locked.
 
109ace said:
I was looking into lockable hood pins like these
http://www.statracing.com/buy/mr-gasket-hood-pins.asp
The only problem is I am not sure if 4in is going to be long enough. Has anyone used these. I am tired of dealing with the stupid latch so I would rather have a set of hood pins. I will be keeping the safety latch and I would like hood pins that can be locked.
Click to expand...

used them in the past on other vehicles-- they work great, but will start to rust on day one. I never had the lock seize, but I did have to melt ice out of it a few times before I could use the key.
 
109ace said:
I am in VT right now so the temps here could be the problem, but when I tried to close my hood today it won't latch. I tried several times and even sprayed the latches down but they still won't latch. It is a 98. Has anyone had this problem before?
Click to expand...

Take a good close look at the little bits inside the latches themselves - the ones that grab the bars bolted to the fenders and actually hold the hood down. Try to move them with a small screwdriver; if they're flopping around loose, the springs inside the latches themselves are probably toast, which means it's time for new latches.

I had the passenger-side latch on my '92 lose its springs last month half an hour after the NJ inspection tech popped the hood during inspection. After running one new and one original latch for a while, it's easy to see that the springs get fatigued over time and loosen.

Rob
 
I can move the latches up with a small screwdriver but they don't feel like they are flopping around. I am thinking that either the cable snapped or on the bellcrank, the part that connects to the rods is frozen. Even when I pull the handle it won't budge and with the lever pulled I can't move it with my hand.
 
Cable's rusted in the housing. You could just get a working one from the salvage yard - I sure would price it and see if it wouldn't be cheaper than locking hood pins. A newer cable would bolt right in, work, and no extra work with laying out and fabbing the pins, watching them rust on day 2, plus any oopsies you have to live with forever.

I've been trying to figure out how to add an underhood release cable with finger grip - just a length of wire to grab under the grille to pull. Attached to the bell crank, it could save a few steps when the cars locked up or whatever.
 
109ace said:
I thought about hood pins, where did you get them from and how hard are they to install. I thought about the wrangler style latches but I am not sure how to make those work
Click to expand...

Basic Auto parts store... I bought the el-cheapo version.

They were not hard at all... Took about 45 minutes or so do to in the cold.
 
That used to be standard fare back in the 60's, guaranteed an extra 5 horsepower :D
They come in a couple of sizes but they all generally are 5" long or longer, ever see hood pins in a 57 chevy, those suckers are LONG....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

V
High temp woes
2
Replies
21
Views
399
Vitzaa
V
I
Hood flew up (my fault)
Replies
0
Views
27
IFlyMe
I
my2monkeys
Bosch o2 sensor #12009 for Renix. Still all metal body?
Replies
1
Views
1K
Saudade
Saudade
D
Blinkers not blinking?
Replies
8
Views
2K
XJI6191
X
S
98 XJ manual ignition problem
2
Replies
20
Views
4K
SurplusFan98
S
Back
Top