How to get the hood to close tighter

[Copracer288]

Last night I was on a good stretch of highway by myself so I decided to open up the SHO a little. Much to my surprise, at 130mph, the hood popped open. Luckily the secondary catch held. I pulled over and closed the hood but noticed it doesn't close very tight.

I don't know if that is the reason the hood popped open. I just picked the car up from the garage a few days ago. It was in for an alignment and I know they had the hood up so maybe they never closed it properly.

Is there anyway to adjust that so it closes tighter?

 

[mmh64]

When this happened, did you have the underbelly shield on. The one with the 1/4 turn fastners?

 

[Copracer288]

When this happened, did you have the underbelly shield on. The one with the 1/4 turn fastners?

Yes

 

[SHOdded]

At those speeds, the hood does tend to flop some. If you intend to revisit, might want to consider hood vents or hood pins like bpd has done on his SHO.

 

[Copracer288]

A little movement at those speeds is fine but I noticed at normal highway speeds it's moving more than it should. You can rattle the hood by hand a little when it's closed too.

 

[MNRubyRed2013]

I've had my 2013 up around 130 mph many times on the race track with no problems. I'm guessing the hood may not have been fully closed after your alignment work. Just make sure your hood if fully closed and you should be OK. If it does rattle, try holding the hood up around halfway and drop it closed, that is how I close mine.

 

[bpd1151]

I had this exact same described "event" happen to me a couple of years back. Although I was in excess of 150 miles an hour at the time, & did have my under belly pans off. I had since replaced them, which minimized some of the vertical flopping situation, but I still was apprehensive.

As Manu pointed out, I did have hood pins custom installed, in order to have a more reassuring feeling I wasn't going to lose the hood at speeds in excess of triple digits.

I would imagine you could adjust the rubber bump stops inwards a tad bit, in order to help the hood latch better, and there has to be some form of adjustment on the latch itself.

I would speak with a body shop facility of your own choosing, & seek Direct advice so they can visually inspect & properly assess, what, if anything, may be occurring.

A certain "oh $h!t" moment for sure. Been there. Didn't like it. Don't ever have to worry about now.

Good luck!

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[mmh64]

Check the bump stops. They may need to be turned out a little.

 

[bpd1151]

"turned out" would be extending them outward, & thus in turn, raise the hood.

If the OP is desiring to make the hood "tighter" (or closer) to engine bay/front fenders, latch, etc. then you'd want to recess, depress, or turn them inwards, in order to lower the hood.

Great pic btw.

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[Copracer288]

Good tips guys, thanks.

Years ago I had a hood fully open and cover the windshield while on the highway in an old Subaru Justy I used to have. That was some serious pucker factor there. I was able to safely maneuver the car off the road but the guy next to me in the other lane saw what happened and HE panicked, slammed on his brakes and caused a massive pileup on the highway.

I have no interest in reliving that scenario, especially with the SHO! The Justy was a POS I didn't care a whole lot about.

 

[mmh64]

Just saying because mine was shaking on the highway. I turned mine out putting more up pressure on the latch and solving my problem. I have not been at the high speeds stated above but if I did I would feel more conformable with hood pins like yours. I have been at highway speeds when a hood folds over. Scarry, dangerous and created a considerable amount of damage.

 

[SilverSH0]

Just saying because mine was shaking on the highway. I turned mine out putting more up pressure on the latch and solving my problem. I have not been at the high speeds stated above but if I did I would feel more conformable with hood pins like yours. I have been at highway speeds when a hood folds over. Scarry, dangerous and created a considerable amount of damage.

+1 to this. I was riding with my parents in their truck on the interstate at 75 mph and the hood was flopping up and down as if it wasn't latched and was ready to fly open (if not for the safety latch). Once we got home I looked at the hood and it was pretty obvious the hood stops were too far in and it allowed the hood move around. Turning them out tightened up the hood and held it firmly.

Granted, one needs to really know the problem the OP was facing. It could be a situation where the stops are too far in so it allows too much movement. It could also be a situation where the stops are too far out so it doesn't allow the hood latch to completely latch. Either way, I would start by investigating how the hood sits when stopped and look at the stops.

 

[Copracer288]

The stops were too far in. I turned each side out two turns and it's all good.

Thanks for the replies.