Hood alignment problem

[sadams]

First successful maintenance tonight with one major failure. Hope you guys can help (at least some moral support). While I was trying to get my Y33 up on some jack stands (so I could get the jack "officially" under the engine cross-member) to get the oil changed I bent the radiator support slightly. The front rolled up about 1/2". The only effect I've noticed is that the hood has a little play in it when closed and sits about 1/8" to 1/4" higher than the fenders in the front. I could find any adjustment to pull the latch down and I couldn't pry the support back into position.

Help?!

BTW, successes, Mobil1 Oil and Filter, also drained the transmission and put 4 qts of fresh Mobil1 ATF in it. Took out the hard shift from 1-2 and smoothed out the transmission in general. As soon as I find a BG machine in town I'm gonna get an official flush done. Fluid was slightly darker than new. Still 12K from scheduled.

[maxnix]

http://www.bgfindashop.com/

Call first to be sure the shop is still performing the services you require.

Also, ask a Snap-On Jobber who has the Sun machine. They can do your PS fluid also.

[sadams]

Lower tie bar is the part I bent. #5 in the illustration.

Thanks for the info I'll check it out.

[maxnix]

Lower tie bar is the part I bent. #5 in the illustration.

Scheise! Usually the offical jacking points are on the side rails. Did the FSM suggest jacking here? I think there is a like mistake in the 1990 FSM.

[nuQ]

HOLY SH*T,,,I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!!!!!

just got my car back from a state inspection (local mechanic), and noticed the hood is slightly higher than the fenders. must be the way they put it ont he lift,,,,right???????

[sadams]

Yeh, it was not an official jacking point, I was trying to get it picked up a few inches to chock it and get a better grip (get the jack under it further, my garage sits on a decline). I didn't realize it was that soft. Won't do that again. nuQ that is probably the problem. Look at the tie bar in front of the radiator and see if it looks misshapen. Gonna spend some time looking for and adjustment to the lock today. Otherwise I guess I'll have to take it to the body shop for a little tug.

[rsiwicki]

I had the same problem....some idiot tried to jack up the car there at some point and have no idea when it happened. I just noticed it one day that it was slightly higher.

I bolted the lock latch itself at the top of #6 in the diagram and used a pencil like round metal file from home depot and filed the mounting holes for the latch downwards about a 1/4" and then attached the lock and bolted it down at the new position of the holes and all is good still after 4+ years. Basically I just made the mounting holes elongated downwards.

[sadams]

I bolted the lock latch itself at the top of #6 in the diagram and used a pencil like round metal file from home depot and filed the mounting holes for the latch downwards about a 1/4" and then attached the lock and bolted it down at the new position of the holes and all is good still after 4+ years. Basically I just made the mounting holes elongated downwards.

This sounds like something to try. Body shop quoted $200 to fix. I was freaking out riding down the highway today watching it move. thanks for the info.

[rsiwicki]

let me know if you need me to take pics of where I am talking about filing down (or with a metal drill bit) the latch holes to re-adjust the latch downwards. I can borrow the work digital camera or use my little cell camera phone.....it took about 15 minutes to do and the latch has not moved at all

[sadams]

Man I hate for you to go through a bunch of trouble to do it. It would be cool if you could. Maybe a little more description would do the trick. I pulled the shroud off and took the latch out. Those were all threaded into the braces so I was a bit confused about which hole to file, just knew it wasn't any of those. Is it at the topside of #6 or bottom? Cell phone camera would work I just need to get to get pointed in the general direction.

[nuQ]

mine is higher than the fenders right where the hood meets the windshield. will this repair help this, or is this for a misalignment closer to the front of the hood??????

[rsiwicki]

I will take pics with my camera cell tomorrow....it is for an adjustment near the front bumper of the car.

[rsiwicki]

here are the pics with my fingers pointing towards the 3 bolts for adjustment.

btw...pic is sideways, need to adjust.

[rsiwicki]

one more pic.....this is the center bolt that you will need to file the hole so it is longer vertically to be able to adjust the latch

btw...pic is sideways
Modified by rsiwicki at 8:25 PM 9/8/2005