otisol31

The hood on my 94 is stuck shut. I searched the topic and have been trying for hours to get at the latch to release using the methods described, but I can't seem to locate the release lever. I was hoping that someone could post some detailed pictures of the hood latch mechanism so that I can get a better idea as to what I should be trying to grab. Right now I'm just poking around blindly. If anyone can help it wouold be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

7passu

iTrader: (10)

its a small lever on the other side of where the cable goes in on the side. reach your finger around the backside and feel for the small metal ball on the end of the cable. It will be hook to the lever. Pull it towards the cable housing and it should pop. My cable broke and this is how i opened my hood for awhile till i got a new one. Good luck

otisol31

There's no way I can get a finger in there. I've been fishing around with 2 coat hangers: one whit a 90 deg hook through the drivers side turn signal opening and one through the gap between the hood and front bumper to guide the other into the opening below the cable. I think I'm in the right spot, but can't seem to hook the lever. Should the hook on the hanger be facing aft when trying to catch the lever?

grimple1

iTrader: (1)

it's actually pretty easy. put the hanger in the hole that the cable runs through and pull it. the basic design is something like this.

grimple1

iTrader: (1)

might have to pull really hard!

otisol31

Finally! What a relief! It was much more difficult than many of the posts here seemed to indicate. First off, thanks to everyone that replied. Second, I'd like to share some info so that anyone else faced with this problem may have an easier time than I did.

First thing I did that helped tremendously was to look at the latch on a 1999 Miata. It's essentially the same as the FD. The release lever is far down in the mechanism housing and when you look in from the top, you really can't see it because it's blocked by a thick tension spring. If you move the spring out of the way with a screwdriver, you can see the shape and position of the lever. From this I learned that the wire hook needs to grab the lever from the bottom (I was trying to get it from the side, with the hook oriented towards the rear of the car - this won't work). Next, the hook has to go into the opening below the green plastic end of the release cable about 1.75" in order to catch the lever.

What I did was raise the headlights and remove the driver’s side (d/s) parking light. Then bent up a 22.5" long piece of wire coat hanger with a 5/16" hook on one end and a pull loop on the other. I fished that wire tool in through the light well and into the small opening along near the plastic electrical box. I also pried open the hood between the d/s light and the center of the hood. I put a mouse pad and cardboard in the gap to hold it open. I then took an another length of coat hanger and bent one end into a "U" shape. I stuck this wire in between the gap in the hook and use it to guide the hook wire into the opening in the mechanism housing below the release cable. Once in and tight against the release cable, it just a matter of fishing around to catch the lever and pull.

I'm going to try and attach some photos, but I need to find a way to reduce the file size.

dhays

iTrader: (1)

When you posted your initial question, I actually went out to try and take some pictures of the mechanism. I could not figure out how in the world you'd ever be able to do it and just quit in discouragement. I couldn't find an angle of a picture that looked like it would help you at all. I'm really glad you got it open as I think about your post every time I open the hood.

grimple1

iTrader: (1)

I'm glad you got it open but with the hood poped it IS super easy. from what you're writing it sounds like you pulled the mechanism itself?

if you pull the tab that the cable runs through it'll open it up. after you do it once, you can have the hood opened in 2 mins the next time. it really is very easy.

anywho, glad you got it opened.

otisol31

I did pull the tab where the cable attaches to. The problem was that without knowing what the latch mechanism looked like and not being able to see very well into the gap between the hood and bumper, I was just fishing blindly. Once I looked at the Miata latch, I measured the distance from the opening to the tab and made a mark on the wire so I could see when I was far enough in to reach the tab. Once in and hooked, it was easy to pull and release the latch.

The reason I went in through the parking light was so I didn't scratch the paint or damage the rubber seal between the hood and bumper.