At one point, I removed my hood latch because I thought it was cool when it opened by itself. Well, I’ve noticed when the engine is warm letting off heat, it will easily pop up, which means one hand on hood and one hand on lever inside to close hood, quite tricky as you’re trying to get around open door.
So I want to put it back, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out how the spring goes in so that it will force the latch towards catch. I’ve tried every way I can think of with no luck. Anybody have a photo of there’s so I can see the answer to this puzzle?
Greg,
These two pictures of the bonnet catch on my wife’s 1990 XJ-S convertible should help you out.
BTW, I learned many years ago to take notes in a notebook for each of my Jaguars and lots of “before”, “in work” and “after” digital pictures of my Jaguar work. Even the simplest of reassembly tasks may become bewildering without notes and pictures. This is true not only for complicated long term projects but also smaller short term ones.
Do I understand you correctly, that your hood rises as soon as it’s released with the inside lever? My safety catch is also removed, but I have to lift it quite high before the struts will lift it by themselves.
Yes, I installed heavy duty struts for a Honda hatchback that Kirby’s book suggested. They will easily pull that hood up by themselves, especially if heat is rising.
Thanks Paul, I usually take photos too, but thought this would be easy to figure out.
Thanks Paul, got it in. Your photo helped! I just had to stick a nail in the hole as I tensioned the spring, and then carefully push out nail with pin.
