Hood won't open

[eighteenninetytwo]

Slammed the hood shut yesterday. Won't open today. I'm sure there is a trick to it with a screwdriver or something. The handle behind the grill lifts but thats it. any tips / tricks?

[68Timber]

Hold the release lever open then rap it with the bottom of your fist on the front edge of the hood and see if that won't release it. Mine has stuck like that before.

[eighteenninetytwo]

Nope no go with that. it feels like it's welded shut

[68Timber]

Huh. I haven't seen one that you couldn't Fonzie open. I'll look at it when it stops raining and see if I can see anything it might stick on.

[eighteenninetytwo]

Tried again today at lunchtime. it is NOT budging. Any tips on this?

[zaccaglin]

I hit mine with my fist right next to the ornament every time I need to get in it always works for me.. Best of luck to ya.

[68Timber]

Here's some pictures to show you how the latch works. If you feel spring tension on the hood release in the grill, it most likely is just stuck and needs a good smack to release it. Push down on it hard. Be sure to lube it good when it comes free. Does it feel like the hood release lever is still hooked up?

[79 silverado]

Here is my advice, and you need somewhere QUIET to do this. a noisy yard or curb is going to be harder.

1) Push down on the hood very very well as if you are trying to make sure it is shut all the way.

2) open the door to the truck and stand outside the truckjust leaning your arm to the hood release.

3) while its quiet and you can hear anything that happens, slowly pull the release handle out while listening.

4) ask yourself, did I *hear* anything, when I pulled it?

5) ask yourself, while I pulled the handle out, partway through the process did I feel the resistance on the handle change?

Normally you will feel the locking mechanism partly disengage, and you will also hear a soft sound when it tries to do so. It is hard to describe the sound to someone not accustomed to hearing it.

The reason I list those steps is because it may be that the cable to the hood mechanism stripped or broke inside. All it is is a very thin wire sheathed in plastic.

Also the top of the wire is clamped within a nub at the end that is nested into the release lever by the core support. I have seen the wire come out of there so that when you pullthe cable, the wire just slides without tugging on anything.

[eighteenninetytwo]

Will try this at lunchtime. IF the cable is broken, would pushing a flat metal bar under the hood and physically pushing back the hook also move the catch next to it?

[motornut]

my 78 hood sometimes i have to grab the front side edge and pull it sideays,for it to pop,but it's external

[american revolution]

mine did that and i couldn't get it to open....the welder that patched my holes met me at the autozone down the block from his house...the cable came off....drove the car back to his place....removed the center grill... then he unlatched the hook....saw the cable was off replaced the cable and replaced the grill.