Hood Won't Pop Open

Hi,

My car is an 85 Caprice. I pulled the hood latch release a couple days ago. Hood didn't open. Tried to pry hood up by edges, which used to work before. Hood not budging. I can move the hood around just slightly so I know it's not stuck on an edge, or frozen in this cold temp.

Got under it and looked up. Saw the release catch was in "release" position, so the cable to the release is working, apparently. The slot in the release machanism was straight up, and the metal tube was just sitting in the slot, waiting for the hood to go up.

Can touch cable, but can't get a good grip. But cable has done its job, anyway.

Pushed up on hood from below. Won't budge.

Looked at it for 10 minutes. Poked at stuff with scrwewdriver. No luck ! :(


Should I be able to push something with a screwdriver and get the hood to open ? This blows not being able to open the hood !

Thanks for any help ! :)

Cable works/did its job. Latch didn't release because the mechanism needs lube.

You "should" be able to get at the hood from the underside with a broom handle and push up on the hood like a sonuvagun on it to get the latch to let go.

Once you get the hood up, clean/lube the latch mechanism as well as the cable. Should be good to go after that.

Please let us know how things turned out

Cable works/did its job. Latch didn't release because the mechanism needs lube.

You "should" be able to get at the hood from the underside with a broom handle and push up on the hood like a sonuvagun on it to get the latch to let go.

Once you get the hood up, clean/lube the latch mechanism as well as the cable. Should be good to go after that.

Please let us know how things turned out

Tommy,

Thanks. I tried pushing up from below. Not budging. I got someone to pull the latch release while I thrashed on the hood near the latch, heard some encouraging familiar sounds, but still the hood remained closed. Walked over to talk to the helper, and the hood popped up all by itself ! Found a lot of snow and ice under the front corners of the hood. Maybe it was sticking on that stuff.
Then I checked all the fluids, then lubed the hell out of the latch, as you suggested. Used 3 in 1 oil, and then some white lithium spray, got it onto every surface. Closed hood, tested. Hood opened . :)

It's working again. Thanks.