I've Made A *very* Annoying Mistake

[Guest seb]

So had quite a lot of the front of the car in pieces yesterday, and quite predictably forgot to reconnect the bonnet release cable before I shut the bonnet. I've tried reaching up from underneath but there's no way enough space for me to get my hand in there.

 

How can I sort this? As far as I can figure out the stuff which I'd need to move to be able to get in there is all secured by bolts around the slam panel area which obviously I can't get to!

 

Particularly annoying since I have a headlight I need to fit - how illegal is it to drive around with only one headlight?

 

- seb

[perfecto pug 0]

you can do it from underneath as i've had to do it a few times and its a pain in the arse

 

get yourself a flatbladed screwdriver (a reasonable size one), jack the car up at a bit and support on axel stands

 

next lay on your back and shove your arm up alongside the rad, the catch does stick out slightly and the bit the cable attaches to needs to be pushed towards the passenger side headlight with teh screwdriver, it will be quite hard due to the spring acting on it.

 

once the slack is taken up give it one last jolt and it should be enough to pop the bonnet

 

hope this helps

 

Jim

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Sebs got an Mi16, so i'd imagine the sliding the hand between the inlet and rad may be that bit tighter!

[Guest rene]

don't now if this helps , but it should be possible to remove the complete headlight unit when the bonnet is shut , at least you can change the light and maybe you can open the bonnet throug the head light hole ? and no your not the first to do this

[Guest seb]

Sebs got an Mi16, so i'd imagine the sliding the hand between the inlet and rad may be that bit tighter!

Yeah, we're talking 5mm of space to play in

[Guest seb]

don't now if this helps , but it should be possible to remove the complete headlight unit when the bonnet is shut , at least you can change the light and maybe you can open the bonnet throug the head light hole ? and no your not the first to do this

The headlight is already out, the sealant needed to dry so I left it in the house overnight. It's the drivers side headlight - I've tried reaching through this hole but it doesn't really get me anywhere.

 

As for lying on my back, I feel I can get *close* to the catch if I approach it from the passenger side, but then I'm going to need to pull instead of push it. And I don't think I've managed to reach it yet anyway. Because of the manifold I cant get my arm up the driver's side at all.

 

Things are not helped by me not really knowing what the catch under the slam panel looks like - hence I don't know what it feels like either

 

Also when I DO open the bonnet I have to pull very hard on that lever, so I don't fancy my chances of getting anywhere without the lever

[Guest seb]

Right, I've spent a fair bit of time under the car, have lots of scrapes to show for it, and so far have only been able to touch the bonnet release with the tip of my finger, with absoltuely no more space to give, no chance of gripping it, pulling it, or wielding a tool.

[Guest rene]

hm , seems like you have a serious problem

it can help if someone wil push the hood down to get some of the pressuere of the lock , but if you can't reach it that does't help .

the pin that fals in to the lock is screwd in the hood , maybe if you can see the bottom of this you can unscrew it with a long screwdriver or something ?

good luck anyway

[Guest seb]

Is there anythign I can take off which would help?

 

Can I remove the bumper without going under the bonnet, and if so would that let me move the radiator or anythign else?

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Can it be accessible if you remove the grill in anger?

Edited February 8, 2004 by Simes

[Guest seb]

Can it be accessible if you remove the grill in anger?

Someone else suggested this, but on consulting with ant we reckon the fans and rad would still be in the way?

[Guest rene]

you can remove the bumper with the hood closed , the bolts on the side are easy to reach and the two bolts in front you can reach trou the headlight holes when you take the other one out , don't know if you can move your radiator as you have an mi 16 , is your radiator mounted as standard ?

[Guest seb]

you can remove the bumper with the hood closed , the bolts on the side are easy to reach and the two bolts in front you can reach trou the headlight holes when you take the other one out , don't know if you can move your radiator as you have an mi 16 , is your radiator mounted as standard ?

Yeah I think so, apart from the addition of some 7mm spacers between the rad and slam panel. Oh, no, that's the fan shroud I'm thinking of. Not sure how the rad is mounted - I did notice that it's ziptied to the fan shroud in at least one place I think

[Guest rene]

if mounted as standard , maybe you can push the radiator upwards against the spring pressiure and try and get the pins at the bottom out of there holes , then you maybe can move it abit downwards and reach the lock throu the headlight hole ore something ?

[les3002 0]

id rip the grill off you can always drill a small hole through the cowling to poke a screwdriver in

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

Yes, removing the grill is he way to go; I managed to remove my grill without damagegin it by using a small 1/4 drive ratchet on a universal joint for the bolts and it just had enough room to slide up and out of the bottom slots. It's very tighten though and you have to bend the grill a bit. Then you can just slide a screwdriver under the slam panel.

[Wiggs 0]

I've not got the manual in front of me, but doesn't the Haynes manual tell you where to drill the grill and insert a screwdriver to release the bonnet, in the event of a cable snapping? I have read this in the 309 Haynes manual, but same procedure may apply.

[Guest seb]

I've not got the manual in front of me, but doesn't the Haynes manual tell you where to drill the grill and insert a screwdriver to release the bonnet, in the event of a cable snapping? I have read this in the 309 Haynes manual, but same procedure may apply.

Cunning! I've got the old-style haynes in front of me, but cant find the bit you mention. Could someone elaborate?

[Wiggs 0]

It's in the Haynes 309 manual 1986-1993 (revisions section), not sure if it's of much use, but here it is;

 

[Guest seb]

Cheers Wiggs, I'll have a look at someone elses car before I do it

[Guest seb]

Can it be accessible if you remove the grill in anger?

Well, grille removed in anger

 

I can see the latch now, but being at work only have a screwdriver which isn't doing the job. From what I've been told I need to pull the bit to the right of the lock towards me (looking from the front of the car obviosuly) and I can only push with a screwdriver

[Guest seb]

Sorted it this morning, a bike spoke bent in two and a pair of molegrips. I think I looked quite comical falling backwards in the street when it popped