Suggestions on Opening a hood with a seized latch

[Wes]

The '95 DX has been in Sonia's mothers barn for the last eighteen months and the last five times we have been there I have not been able to get the hood latch to release.

I sprayed some high end penetrating oil through the crack between the hood and bumper to the point where it is dripping all over the place.

The cable moves freely, but the mechanism itself refuses to release the hood.

The battery is dead, the rear drums seized so starting it or towing it out of the barn are out of the question.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the hood to release without cutting the hood?

Any suggestions would be appreciated as I really need to get it out of the barn in the next few weeks.

I thought about jacking it up (it is a dirt floor) and taking out all the lower bumper bolts, pulling back the underside of the bumper so I can get a small ratchet behind the sub bumper to remove the three bolts holding the latch to the chassis, but then the cable would still prevent it from opening more than an inch or so (I would rather not cut the cable unless I have to).

Fun stuff!

[bsclywilly]

I assume you've had some one help you pull the latch while another person pulls up on the hood?

[falcon151]

I had run into the same issue with one of my cars. Basically I did what you explained at the bottom of your post and disconnected the cable. Should pull off if you work it a bit. Will make more sense once you have the 3 bolts off.

Its a pain but it will open!

[ELeMental]

Would there be any benefit to disconnecting the hood release cable from the handle side (driver's side footwell) and pulling it out into the fenderwell to get some slack (like the thieves do?) :confused:

Thing is: if the latch itself is seized, I don't think freeing up the cable's gonna do jack for ya. :(

[jason_alt]

Pushing down on the hood by the honda emblem, while someone else pulls the cable has always worked for me.

[Wes]

Yes I did have someone helping, and yes I did push down and pull up while the cable was being pulled.

I am not looking forward to jacking up the car and crawling underneath because of the sandy silt ground cover. I will need to brace everything to ensure that stuff doesn't start sinking into the very fine and loose soil.

Good suggestions, but if there are any others, I'm all ears (or eyes in this case)

[ELeMental]

Can you roll/tow it to more solid ground?

[Wes]

Probably not as it needs to be manuvered in the barn to get it out and then it's around the corner and up the hill of uncut (4') grass. And the rear drums are seized.

My brother in law has a bunch of wood in the barn so I will likely just use some of that on the ground. I'll have to wait until next weekend to give it a shot though.....

[ELeMental]

Geez, sounds difficult. It would be great if you could jack it up to slide a 4x8 sheet of plywood far enough under the front wheels to get some jackstands under the jacking points.

If you could remove the bumper cover it would make things easier, but the problem would be those clips holding it from the top. I would probably sacrifice those clips and the top lip of the bumper cover and find a way to reattach it after the fact.

[LeeW]

I'd use a small bungee cord to hold the release handle (in the passenger compartment) into the 'pop' position... then get some fingertips or a prybar wrapped in shop towels under the hood and keep swearing until it's open.

[Taylor]

I think I'm seeing now how classic cars get left/forgotten about in old barns. :)

[LeeW]

Did you ever get this thing open?

[bitterman]

Nothing that a crowbar and a hacksaw didn't solve...... And then a coat hanger and a shit load of racers tape. A five pound sledge freed up the rear corners and helped take apart the front end as well.

CAA is a car owners best friend as with no working alternator it was good for about 30 km on the highway before electrical issues started and another 30 before therewasan't enough power left to turn on the interior light.