Newbie here

[FoSHObro]

Hi all, I bought a 95 5-spd. this past weekend. The body, and interior especially, are a bit rough but it runs fine. I look forward to tinkering. I'd love to know the trick to getting the hood open from the outside since the interior release is busted. Thanks!

 

[SM105K]

Congrats and welcome.

 

[zoomlater]

Welcome! Is there any cable left on the inside where you can grabbed it with a pliers? I would need to look, but I imagine you can reach underneath the front bumper and pull on the release cable somehow. Someone else may already know.

 

[rubydist]

the cable release is pretty difficult to get to from the outside - its way up on the top part of the radiator support and behind it as I recall. I would be looking for a way to get a vicegrip on the cable inside the car.

 

[sperold]

The T handle is broken?

You will probably destroy what is left of your release cable getting the hood open.

Get another cable system by placing an add on this forum.

When I had the problem, I got the hood open and dragged the cable into the engine compartment (consider a wire or rope attached to the end to be use when you get a new one), route it down towards the ground in the front bumper area. Then cut it at a handy length and clamp a handle on the end using a wire clamp. You tuck this up into the lower bumper area and pull it out to open the hood when you need it until your new cable assembly arrives.

 

[SHOdded]

Welcome, got one of the rare ones I see!

 

[zoomlater]

Take a look at the pictures from my 94 MTX. The cable is protected in a plastic jacket and only at the end is the wire exposed. You should be able to see the release cable from under the car, but it then routes behind driver's headlight and then behind the header panel and then continues to route behind the driver's side marker light. To get to the release cable, you would need to remove the outer jacket and be able to pull on the cable. I would look inside the car to find the cable end there so you don't have to cut into the cable and ruin it (unless you are planning to get a replacement).

 

[zoomlater]

here are some pages from the manual

 

[FoSHObro]

Thanks for all the help! I'll definitely be able to replace the release when the time comes with all the info. For now I need to be able to open the hood to change the oil, etc. I found that the guy rigged up this mechanism but I need to emphasize that it DOES NOT work. No amount of pulling on the inner wire will get it to release. It will snap before it triggers the release. Is there a way to pull on the latch mechanism behind the bumper from below so it will release so I can at least get the hood open? It's fairly easy to access.

 

[zoomlater]

Were you pulling in the direction of that cable shown? I would put the cable back inside and pull towards the direction of the driver seat (from below).

I didn't see a way to release the latch from below, perhaps someone else knows. At worst case, it looks like the latch assembly is held on by two bolts (look at the bottom left picture, 2nd page from the manual). Bolts on my 94 are 5/16

 

[zoomlater]

Looking at the latch assembly in that picture, it looks like there is a round access hole near the bottom of the assembly. See if you can reach into the hole and push the "hook latch cable return spring" towards the driver side. I've never tried it, but maybe that is why the hole is there.

 

[zoomlater]

Just looked at my 94 and that hole isn't there. The manual is for a 92 car. However, it still looks like the backside of that latch assy is open so you should be able to get a finger in there and push the spring towards the driver's side. Hope that works

 

[sperold]

Get some help with this problem.
Have someone push down gently when you pull that contraption.
Then have someone lift with a cloth covered cats paw when you pull.

It takes an unreasonable amount of pull to "pop the hood" when you are not using the standard handle that not only provides the pull, but anchors the outer cable sheath as well.

That thing you have will work, you probably have to wrap the free end of the inner cable back to the cable before the wooden spool that you are pulling on. Then clamp the outer sheath to a board you can put your feet on, and pull like a fiend. You are not going to break the cable if it is still intact and still in its original condition.

You may want to push the cable in as far as it will go in the possible case the old owner did a switch back route for the entire cable , instead of having it go directly from the handle to the hood grabber. In this case, when you pull, you are just tightening the "kink" at the point of switch-back, making everything harder.

 

[FoSHObro]

Thanks for all the help! Man, that thing wouldn't budge! I need to respray the bumper cover anyway (the paint is toast) so with some elbow grease I got that off. That left the release wire nice and exposed through the Ford emblem hole so I just took a pair of needle nose and tugged the exposed wire, and it made a satisfying pop as it opened Now I feel better that I have the hood open and I can change oil, filters, etc. in the time being.