hood won't open

[joel]

My primary hood latch won't open.  The cable pulls but nothing happens. I know sometimes there is a sweet spot to bang on to pop it but this one won't do anything at all. Any good advice or suggestions will help.

[zieg85]

I have to give it the Fonz touch on top-center-front on my 1985 C20.  One of the quirks with it I guess.

[rustyMUD]

Try having someone pull the hood release while you lift on the hood.  Sometimes pushing down helps too.

If all else fails, you can unbolt the latch mechanism.  To do this, gently pry up the hood with some wood shims.  You don't have to lift much, just enough to get a socket through.  Use a flashlight and locate the bolts that hold the latch mechanism in place.  Then use a six inch extension combined with a u-joint/swivel extension to reach the bolts.

 I've had to do this a couple times on various trucks.  Mostly it is due to the release cable streching and sometimes due to a rusted latch.

[1979C20]

What year truck is it? On my 79 with the hood pop in the cab, If you take the grill off you can reach up under there and move the mechanism that the cable pulls by hand to open the hood.

[joel]

It's an 86 and the grill screws are under the hood I'm hoping that I can see and get to the slide somewhere underneath. I've opened other hoods before but they weren't like this one.  Just give it a shot tonight.

[VileZambonie]

Did you say "Open Sesame"?

[thirsty]

I've been checking this thread to see what everybody has for suggestions just because I am curious. Does your cable move is it frozen? A cable that does not move might be easier than a frozen latch. I hope this doesn't get ugly for you.

[bake74]

     Once you get it opened check the mechanical functions, if they move lube it well, I have had to do this on several sticky older Chevy's and after always work well until they need lubed again.

[VileZambonie]

Pull the cable, make a fist, give a good thump with the bottom of your fist to right of the hood line and say the magic words. Then apply penetrating oil to the latch

[joel]

Well, got it open.  The good advice i followed was using the wooden wedges, like door stops.  I drove them in the front on each side of the latch, and when it looked like they weren't going to get the hood up enough, there were the bolts i was looking for. Just backed them out and voila, open sesame!  The problem was a break in the cable covering and that's where the cable was broken.  So now back to work on that steering column.  I've got to replace the ignition sector(broken), and like to have never found a pivot pin tool. Had to special order the thing. Out of 5 parts places, none had it on the shelf. Thanks for all the good help!

[zieg85]

good to know you got the hood open

[DnStClr]

Amazon has the tool for @$10.
http://www.amazon.com/CTA-Manufacturing-A150-Steering-Pivot/dp/B005Z82KQ4

[joel]

Yeah Dn, I know I live in a rural hillbilly area, have all my life.  But the university of Tennessee at Martin is here, and that means when class is in we go up in population by about 8000 people, and have 5 major parts places around but none of them carry the pivot pin tool.  It only cost 7.97 at one of them.  Still there are plenty of trucks like ours around here. I can't understand what the problem is with not having tools available locally.  But with luck mine will be here today n tonight I will get it in there.  Gonna have to replace i think both bearings on the stub shaft forward of the tilt.