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Broken Hood Cable

14K views 31 replies 13 participants last post by  swharris 
#1 ·
Hey guys, I just bought a 2002 Chevy Astro, and it's all great save for one problem. I can't get the hood open. The release doesn't do anything, so I assume the cable is broken. I've tried messing around with it, trying to jimmy it open, but have been thus far unsuccessful. What would you recommend for this problem? Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
Welcome aboard!
Try having someone push down on the hood in the center above the latch, while you pull the release. If it's out of adjustment this can help get it open. The bumpers may be set too high, putting the latch in a bind. They're the rubber pieces on either side of the radiator support that screw in & out. If it's a broken cable, you'll have to fish in the grille with a coat hanger or remove the grill.

Once it's open clean & lubricate the latch and hinges. DON'T spray anything but dry silicone on the cable. Anything with an oil or grease base will collect dust and dirt, and make it worse. I use store brand silicone from Napa Auto parts, it's the ONLY thing I used when I used to service treadmills.

Good luck!
:chevy:
 
#4 ·
In my experience when the cable breaks it pulls out in your hand when you tug on it. If the cable returns on it's own or stops dead in it's tracks it's most likely not broken. Try getting a friend to push down on the hood while you try to release it, lift up on it, smack it around like a read headed step child. You know just experiment. I have one of these that sticks because the spring is a little weak and so if the latch isn't freshly lubricated it won't pop. The way I get it to pop is to pull and release the handle inside then I go out and smack the hood right in the center down by the grill with the side of my fist. Not real hard mind you just enough to knock it loose. This has been a trick I've used on many a GM over the years. (Think Fonzie from Happy Days if you will)

Good luck.
 
#5 ·
When hood release mechanisms were still young and carefree, there was not the paranoia attached that "heaven forbid someone should get into my engine compartment" and to that end it was easy enough to reach up and pop the latch by hand. This is one of the things that was evolved/engineered to be safely out of reach. So what do we do when the inevitable happens?

I used a very thin offset long handled open ended wrench to agonizingly remove the two hold down bolts, and finally, after several hours, and several bad words, I did "git 'er done."

Good luck

Bob
 
#8 ·
html034 said:
Well, I ended up having to unbolt the latch mechanism, and it turns out that the cable is just fine. Luckily. Thanks for your advice guys. :D
I had to have my wrench guy adjust it twice after I installed a Lund bug deflector on the hood. The second time he got it right, but I sometimes have to wiggle the hood a little bit to get it to pop up far enough to reach the latch.
 
#11 ·
Im having this problem as well on an 89 astro, the hood is crinkled/dented right in the middle, and no amount of pushing on it and pulling the cable will get it to pop. What do I have to remove to get to the latch mechanism? Will the grill come off with the hood closed?
 
#12 ·
I just went down and put myself in your shoes. My 94 nope not getting grill out at all without breaking it.Only solution I see without tearing everything up is unbolt hood hinges. then really enjoy stretching to take latch assembly loose. Mine would not open .I would still shoot lube up there like it on fire first ,Then try to open it after it soaked in
 
#13 ·
What worked on my old '86 Trooper was to drive it down the bumpiest road I could find, pulling the cable on the worst bumps. It eventually popped open and we 'adjusted' it to get it to open normally.
 
#14 ·
Leeann, yer a hoot ! I love it...

Howeverso, a funny thing happened on my way to this forum. Bump...

boB
 
#15 ·
All right, all right....Is this better? When I bought my Bravada, there was this stick with a notch cut in it at a 45° angle in the passenger door bin. Couldn't figure out for the life of me what it was for over a year....until I looked at the hood latch and cable closely. The nubby thing on the end had been replaced....the stick with the notch was to open the hood through the grill.
 
#16 ·
I'm sure that you have heard the story about Glamorous Glennis ? and the fastest man alive ? Having suffered a broken rib the night prior to the flight, our hero could not manipulate the latch on the X1, so his buddy
cut a length of broomstick for him to use...

Some things just never change.

Bob
 
#17 ·
I honestly can't recall ever (in all my numerous vehicles) having an auto that I couldn't get the hood open on. I do however have memories of many a friend who had the hood cable sticking out of the drivers side headlight bezel so they could pop their hoods.

On my 89 and 91 Safari's I can't see a way to release the hood latch (if the cable were actually broken) without some damage to the grill. Remember though, if the cable is actually broken it usually slides out of the sheath when you pull it.
 
#18 ·
TheRealDaddy said:
On my 89 and 91 Safari's I can't see a way to release the hood latch (if the cable were actually broken) without some damage to the grill. Remember though, if the cable is actually broken it usually slides out of the sheath when you pull it.
I think this is having some effect on my problem-



Is this approximately where the latch mechanism is? Im not sure how this happened, no word from the PO. The cable is not broken, but it seems to be hopelessly jammed. I can pull it out like to open the hood normally as compared to my 94 version, but it has no effect on the hood. If I do have to go through the grill, will that definitely work? will I be able to access the bolts?

the other idea I was toying with (which may be totally unfeasible) is to try and go through the interior hatch?

This brings me to another question though, I really need to be able to check the oil on this van, it smells like oil, and im concerned im going to toast the motor before I have the hood problem resolved. Is there a way to check/fill the oil from the interior hatch?
 
#19 ·
Sure funnel it in through PVC hole in the valve cover checking the oil that be the trick. Dipstick under hood.Your hood dont look that bad. mine would not open forever. latch has one part that works by gravity no spring. when they gummed up with oil and dirt they just wont open.hose that baby down with WD 40 or silicoln spray I bet if you get it soaked it would open after a while.Then clean it real good and lube it with silicoln
 
#21 ·
I would agree, your hood doesn't look that bad at all. Going through the interior to get to the latch might be a feasible alternative but you are going to have one hell of a long reach and a hard time seeing what you are doing. If you are that in need of access to the engine compartment I would think a little damage to the grill would be the least of your concerns. It looks like you are probably going to be replacing the hood if you want it to look perfect anyhow. A grill will probably cost you about $20 or less at a pick and pull and a hood around $40.
 
#23 ·
chevymaher said:
just a random thought by Randy. If you intend to replace the hood anyway.Cut a hole in it then you can get right at latch with screwdriver to get it open. duct tape her up till you get new hood in mean time.That way you spareing the grill damage
Im so concerned about the oil and other fluids that im certainly willing to sacrifice the hood or grill. I was going to replace the hood anyway with the one from my 94, where should I cut for the best access to the latch, right there on the crease? I don't have my other van with me currently to check
 
#25 ·
well, going in from the top of the hood definitely works if the hoods gonna be junk anyway. :D

I cut a larger section of the exterior metal out, which is glued at that location to the inner structure of the hood that encloses the catch. I then cut three sides of that piece out, and bent it back, which exposed the latch. On mine, the whole thing was bent looking, like this hood problem has been attempted to be repaired in the past. The cable was also not routed like in the pics above, it was coming out of the face side of the latch, very hard to describe without a pic. Ill get a pic tomorrow, I have it buttoned up for now, bent the piece back in, and used some packing tape to make it water proof for the moment.

I was able to check the oil and other fluids though, everything is right as rain! :mrgreen: Worth the destruction of the hood for that piece of mind in my opinion.

 
#26 ·
Wow! Now all you need to do is make a plexiglass cover and install it so you can admire the mighty 4.3L any time you want - without opening the hood. They do it for Porsches and other supercars.

ClearEngineCoverPorscheCayman.jpg


Glad you got the hood open, and glad nothing was wrong.

-Andrew
 
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