1998 hood release

[Arizexplorer]

Want to change oil and pulled hood release - no workie - tried pushing down on hood while someone pulled hood release, still no go. Hood absolutely not moving, how do you get the hood open when this happens?

Hood release felt no different than before, just got to limit of travel and nothing happened. I want to take a trip and need to change oil/filter. Is this gonna be expensive to fix?

Cheapest way I can figure to fix, is to sawzall hood to where I can get to release and then buy a used hood, does anybody have a better solution?

'Thanks for your help.

 

[delexploder]

Long screwdriver through the grill to push the lever , your cable is most likely seized or broke

 

[SupaSwope]

This might help maybe.

 

[J_C]

lol, sawzall hood. On mine the cable to the lever has stretched some. I can still get mine open but eventually I may get some slack out of it.

If you can't get it open going through the grill, which is what I'd try next, see if you can access the cable behind the interior hood release lever and pull it with pliers.

Once you get it open, see if the latch mechanism is in need of some spray grease or a drop or two of oil if you don't have any.

I do vaguely recall that my aunt had a ford sedan which had its plastic lever frame break and to fix that I ended up mounting the lever on an aluminum plate I fabricated to replace the broken plastic bracket (didn't want to buy a new/old stock plastic replacement and have it happen again).

 

[koda2000]

If your hood release lever was hard to pull (requiring quite a bit a force) to unlatch the hood, you've probably bent the cable stop, which is part of the release handle. This has the effect of increasing the effective operation length of the cable and then the hood wont unlatch. You can try using a pair of vise-grips to bend the metal stop back to where it should be. Then have someone push down on the hood while you try to unlatch it. Once open, grease the hood latch mechanism and make sure your hood bumpers aren't screwed up to high.

 

[Arizexplorer]

I really appreciate you guys responding to my problem, I really wouldn't do the sawz-all thing, probably a cutoff wheel, cleaner I think and less likely to hit radiator or hoses.

I'm an old man with a really bad back, hard for me to get under the dash, but I tried for over an hour to go thru the grille and I can't get the thing to open. I watched couple of video's on u-tube & still can't seem to get on the lever that releases hood. Maybe I'm trying this wrong, do you push the lever (or whatever) back (like toward pass compartment) or up like up towards hood? I also forgot to mention that I am almost totally deaf, so can't really hear anything said in the video's, ha-ha, I'm a bigger wreck than my poor old Explorer.

 

[XLTrunner]

I have a '98 XLT and, out of curiosity, tried it on mine. I don't think I would have managed to get it open had I not had the hood open to see exactly how the mechanism worked. Once that was apparent, it can be done...but, there isn't any margin of error for a misguided screwdriver. Very difficult to describe the procedure, but here goes:

What i found to work was a 1/8" x 4" blade (longer would be even better) flat screwdriver (Craftsman #41589). To the right of the center of the grill (as you are facing the truck) and along the very top grill openings, use a flashlight and locate the end of the release cable where it's secured to the latch housing. To the left of that, you'll barely see the edge of the hook-shaped mechanism in the latch that moves more or less horizontally. Your goal is to get the end of your screwdriver (blade in horizontal position) in the hook opening and leverage the hook to the right. It's not easy to see...easier to just start sticking the screwdriver up in there and pushing it's handle to the left in an effort to get it wedged in the hook opening. As I said, there is very little to work with. Be advised, the screwdriver needs to be inserted thru the second cross-hatch opening to the right of grill's center. Wish I could post some pics...but, am not an Elite member on here. Otherwise, a visit to your closest U Pull would give you a chance to see how it works first-hand. Good luck.

 

[Arizexplorer]

I have a '98 XLT and, out of curiosity, tried it on mine. I don't think I would have managed to get it open had I not had the hood open to see exactly how the mechanism worked. Once that was apparent, it can be done...but, there isn't any margin of error for a misguided screwdriver. Very difficult to describe the procedure, but here goes:

What i found to work was a 1/8" x 4" blade (longer would be even better) flat screwdriver (Craftsman #41589). To the right of the center of the grill (as you are facing the truck) and along the very top grill openings, use a flashlight and locate the end of the release cable where it's secured to the latch housing. To the left of that, you'll barely see the edge of the hook-shaped mechanism in the latch that moves more or less horizontally. Your goal is to get the end of your screwdriver (blade in horizontal position) in the hook opening and leverage the hook to the right. It's not easy to see...easier to just start sticking the screwdriver up in there and pushing it's handle to the left in an effort to get it wedged in the hook opening. As I said, there is very little to work with. Be advised, the screwdriver needs to be inserted thru the second cross-hatch opening to the right of grill's center. Wish I could post some pics...but, am not an Elite member on here. Otherwise, a visit to your closest U Pull would give you a chance to see how it works first-hand. Good luck.

XLTrunner - I just came back inside after trying to find whatever for another hour & found your reply. That's great info, I will try again tomorrow & see if I can find the little hook thingy & now which way to go with it. Your description is great, thanks alot, appreciate it