Help, hood problem

[suki243]

So I decided to take the stang out today for a spin, I'm going like 40 when i see the hood rising a bit... i'm like wat the... so i stomp on the brake (making sure no one is behind me first) but by then its too late the hood comes up and become vertical. I got out, closed it and pulled into a parking lot to check out the damage. The back where the hinges are seems to be lower than before, the paint chipped on the passenger side right before the cowl, the hood doesn't close right, its bent a little higher,
I found out that I forgot to lock the hood, but it still has the stock latch on it, the latch should've caught it... i dont know why it slipped from the second set of latches that it has. The hood was down tight down before i left, and with the stock latch it you can usually tell when the hood comes loose and is on the second latch, but this time it just went straight...

I'll get pics in the morning, but it was really scary. I'm not sure if the hood itself bent or if the hinges are a little loose, when i pulled into the parking lot i was able to lock it, when i came home to inspect in the light i found out that the locks (turn key locks btw) were a little higher than before and in order to lock them i needed to push down on the hood above the locks themselves.

So how do i diagnose this guys, If the hood did bend is it possible to fix it? (its the stock metal hood) how do i know its the hinges or the bent hood?
I'm thankful i wasn't on the freeway and didn't have the hood rip off the hinges and causing more damage, but i'm mad at myself for not locking it again.. =\

 

[Rusty67]

I hate to tell you this, but stomping on the brakes is provably what caused the hood to brake loose from what ever was left holding it. Next time try to slow down slowly so as not to upset what ever is left holding something.

As for helping with the hood we will provably need pics. The hood is repairable, it is made of metal after all. The questions are, is it actually damaged and if it is actually damaged, is it worth repairing ?

For now, check the hinges and see if the pain around the hinges in the engine bay looks damaged like they sliped when the hood came up. Also, check the hood where the bolts come through and see if they are out of possition there.

 

[suki243]

You're probably right, I just reacted on instinct, I was like NOO!! i don't want it to fly off!! but probably slamming the brakes wasn't the best idea, i did initially then when i heard the wheels lock up i let go and tried to pull over to the side but obviously i couldn't see where i was going.
I think the hood itself is fine and i think the hinges just need to be adjusted. the hood when put down at rest sits at a position that is about 1/2 inch above the larger latching mechanism and about a few mm forward from the 2nd latching mechanism (these are the two hooks that come out) right now the 2nd latching mechanism is too far back and it just barely touches the latch and lets go.

The back of the hood seems pushed down and the front seems to be pushed up

Can't really get a defining pic of the front up

Here's the damage to the back

Hinges
Driver side

Passenger Side

So I think... what happened is the wind pushed the front of the hood up, consequently pushing the back of the hinges (it has 3 bolts) so i think the last bolt in the back, pushed that part of the hinge down a bit and thats why it sits in low in the back and high in the front?
What do you guys think?

Oh... Also, when you do unlock the latches of the hood it makes a loud pop and jumps up, then, the hinges don't open up all nice, and after it opens all the way up u can still push it a little higher and it can shake a bit... not sure if that helps or not.

 

[Rusty67]

What about the other side of the hinges where the bolt into the car ? Did you check those out ?

 

[suki243]

Yah i think i know where ur talkn about. It might've been pushed down, maybe the entire hinge assembly got pushed down back there.

The red circles show what i mean, You see how they're pushed all the way to the top of the hinge itself? like maybe the hood flying up did that, pushed it all the way down. Thus explaining why the back sits low and the front sits high... And why the hood rubs the cowl when opening, maybe the clearance was a little higher ?

Also I noticed when i open the hood the middle part rubs against the cowl.

My paint job is slowly getting worse and worse

P.s. I was looking at replacement hinges (like those nice billet, springless ones.. GOLLY!! they're expensive... 650$$ wow...)

 

[iskwezm]

usually when the hood bends back like that its hard to fix.I threw my hood away after a buddy was looking under my hood and didnt latch it,happened to me too.The force pushed the hinges out of adjustment,feel lucky that it didnt damage the cowl and hit the roof.

P.S. adjust your latch so it catches the secondary latch.

 

[suki243]

I thought maybe the hinges were just the problem
Yah i used google right after to check out other ppls stories, i am really glad it didn't flip back and hit the roof.
When i get my windshield moldings and rocker panel moldings i'm gonna take it to the painter and see what he says, i'll have him touch up that nasty chip too

 

[suki243]

In the mean time how should i store the hood? i'm just asking cause it seem like if i lock it then it's like bending the hood down in the front. Right now i have it up all the way.

And i'd try to adjust the hood myself, but i can't run it through my mind as how to do it, so i'll just tell my painter to fix the bumper gap that he left and oh while he's at it to realign the hood and touch up that chip in the paint. =)
Sorry i'm kinda paranoid and shaken up by the whole incident, don't want to cause any more damage to the hood.

 

[Rusty67]

You should be able to make the adjustments yourself or at least with a little help from a friend. If you aren't comfortable doing it then pay the body shop to do it. Also, I'd definately have a look at the latch assembly and doulbe check all the parts to make sure everything is still in good condition.

 

[suki243]

sounds good, i know the painter, he's a family friend i doubt he'll make me pay, he's gonna put on all the moldings for free and buff it too but I can always try myself, just a few measurements and to see how much higher i'd have to raise it and then mark it and move it to that position.

 

[suki243]

Sweet! I got it in position, for the most part, The only bit thats wrong is the hood to cowl, the hood is a bit too high and doesn't line up with cowl, but it lines up perfectly with the fenders. When my dad comes home we'll get it perfect. (i had to this bit on my own)
I also found out why the second set of latches didn't catch it... The PO put in this electric fan in between the grill and the radiator. When I had my radiator replaced a few weeks ago the shop moved the electric fan in the front ever so slightly and it was in between the thing u pull in order to release the latches and the radiator, it was just thick enough to stop the second latch from fully closing, as well as the first one, thus explaining why the hood was able to get free of both latches. I'm so lucky i wasn't going faster and that all it needed was a small adjustment. It closes, and opens real nice now (just like before).

Lessoned learned... Don't let other ppl work on your car and
Use Your Hood Pins =P

 

[Jimmys66]

I got tought the "push and pull" method when I was young.

Push the hood closed with both hands and then pull up to make sure it latches. It seems a little unnatural at first, if you are a "hood slammer".

 

[jlangholzj]

I got tought the "push and pull" method when I was young.

Push the hood closed with both hands and then pull up to make sure it latches. It seems a little unnatural at first, if you are a "hood slammer".

hey i'm not the only one that got this passed down to



it's funny b/c you (suki243) and I are realatively the same age and we seem to have issues with our cars! good luck with it!!!