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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Hey, that's an idea! Maybe Andy Chen can help... :biglaugh:

Well I got the holes drilled and screwdriver successfully inserted. But I can't "feel" well enough to engage the latch. From Matt's videos, pics, and measurements, I suspect I'm a bit low and I need to elongate the rear hole (the small one through the metal part) upward. However, I refuse to cut, stab, push, press, or pry any more until I can see what I'm doing. 300W of halogen spotlight from the engine compartment is not enough to get light into the inner hood latch area. So today I go in search of a miniature fiber-optic or LED gooseneck lamp that will fit through the holes so I can see what I'm doing...

I'm almost there...
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
*sigh*

I got a small gooseneck LED light so I could see what I'm doing.

While I was out I dropped by the VW dealer to see if I could peek under the hood of a used B5 to look at the latch mechanism. They didn't have a single one on the lot! But they had one in the service bay that they let me peek at :icon_eek: , and by chance one of the retaining pins on the plastic cover was missing, so I got a real good view of the latch innards.

My hole is way too low. The latch lever is about 1/2" higher than my hole. The hole is at the top edge of the vertical part of the barrier, so if I am to have any hope of getting to the latch lever, I'm going to have to drill/file about 1/2" forward into the horizontal part of the barrier. Ugh. Pray for me (or my car, or both!)...

The fortitude of the plucky spirit of DIY is being sorely tested, but I WILL PREVAIL! :)

BTW at the dealer, they had a 1978 Scirocco in the showroom. Only 30K miles, always garaged, was traded in for a new Jetta. Brand-new condition. $9900. Truly incredible car.
 
Congrats! That was a good read, in the tradition of the best epistolary novels... :)
 
Discussion starter · #25 · (Edited)
Here's the promised pics. Again, many thanks to DaddyMatt who sent me tons of pics and even two videos of the latch operating.
Matt, I couldn't have done it without you! :thumbup: :bowdown:

Front Hole, centered 1" to the driver's side of centerline:
Image


Rear Slot, also centered 1" (sort of) to the driver's side of centerline:
Image


Engaging the hood latch - this latch must be pushed to the passenger side to release the hood:
Image


Vertical Angle of attack:
Image


Horizontal Angle of Attack:
Image


Tools used:
Image
 
Congratulations. That's the way to stick with the DIY spirit! :thumbup: Considering how long you've gone without opening the hood I am surprised your hands weren't shaking from withdrawel too much to use that big screwdriver. :poke:

So... Now that you got it open, what made it fail?

After reading about this problem I am thinking of adding a second release cable to mine, tucked up under the hood somewhere, so that I have a way to release the latch if the primary cable fails.
 
Discussion starter · #28 · (Edited)
The cable end came off at the latch attachment.

I was, indeed, a bit giddy... :rolleyes:

To be fair, I have to say I open my hood a LOT more than the average user. In addition to all the normal reasons for a car nut to open his hood, I pop it every time I park the car in a secure area - that means every trip to work, and every time I park at home. I do this to let the heat out - I don't want to buy any more ICM's. That's a lotta poppin'.
 
Rusty- Congratulations! It's not everyday you get to outwit the German engineers...so bask in the glory of your accomplishment! :biglaugh:

I think you should follow up with a writeup for the Info forum. Don't forget to cross-post it over at www.carthieves.com!
(Yeah, I know that's not a link. Come now, you didn't really think there was such a website, did you?)
 
Keep the latch lubed!!! WD-40 worked great for me after it started to hang up.
03' Variant
 
w00t!! :beer: :beer: :beer: :cool: Good work!!
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
aschendel said:
that doesn't look so hard



[duck and run] :)

nice work!

a.s.
:biglaugh:

Actually it wasn't hard at all. What was hard was figuring out what to do - actually doing it was kinda fun... :D :crazy: :)
 
Looks to me like you solved two problems with one hole. Not only did you open your hood, but now you can use piece of baling wire through the hole to keep the hood secured. Nifty. ;)
 
3dubber said:
Keep the latch lubed!!! WD-40 worked great for me after it started to hang up.
03' Variant
WD-40 is great to loosen things up, but be careful using it as a lube. It's also a solvent and will tend to wash away the thicker/more permanent grease that's already there. I used it on the driver's door rollers and it did just that. The creaking I was trying to eliminate quickly got much worse. (Solved using a vet syringe to put some grease back in there.)
 
Hey, I remember this thread! :lol:

Hey Rusty, guess what...I picked up a lo-o-o-o-ng drill bit like yours at a garage sale a couple weeks ago...never know when it might come in handy!
 
Just a quick thanks to rusty (and daddymatt) for this thread. I've been pulling my hair out for weeks trying to get my bonnet open. Followed the pics and got it open in 20 minutes flat this evening!

thanks again!
 
Cool! Another B5'er saved from premature baldness by the big drill bit!
 
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