Crazy Hood Latch Ideas (or not so crazy) 1998 v70

[erikv11]

On my latch there is a cable in that notch. And you push the tab toward the outside of the car. if your standing in front of the car, the tab pushes toward your right ( drivers side wheel ). At least that's how mine works.
IMG_20211204_082257143_HDR.jpg

I think the cable that is hooked in that notch activates the passengers side latch.

Check out my posts again - I am always referring to the eyelet/hole (unoccupied), not the notch (occupied). Check out Al's pics, the arrows point the the little eyelet/hole. The eyelet/hole is covered by tape in your pic. It's almost certainly what you put the wire through, I am guessing.

There are two cables from the factory: one from the cabin to the driver's side latch, one from the DS latch across to the passenger latch.

I will take the fifth on which direction the latch needs to pull on a 98. I just know it's super easy to hook a cable through that eyelet and have it work. But it would be outside the spirit of this thread to simply say that.

[Sveedy]

Yes - I am using that hole for my wire. I have no idea why there is no cable attached to that notch in Al's pic.
And at this point I'm done. Seems like there is more than enough info on this to figure it out.
One last parting note; a little heavy grease on the two hood loops that engage the latches also helps them to release.

[MrAl]

Yes - I am using that hole for my wire. I have no idea why there is no cable attached to that notch in Al's pic.
And at this point I'm done. Seems like there is more than enough info on this to figure it out.
One last parting note; a little heavy grease on the two hood loops that engage the latches also helps them to release.

Hello again,

Well thanks for the info and insight throughout this thread.

As to the greasing, i believe it is better to use silicone grease rather than lithium grease. Lithium grease contains petroleum which causes plastics to break down. Silicone grease is safe for plastics. I use a grease labeled as "dielectric grease" as it is made for electronics but of course it's grease so it works on a lot of other stuff too. it's available at Auto Zone for example.
But there is a another ocncern with using grease and that is the dust that it collects which can be counter productive. I havent had a problem with this in the past though for some reason.
The dielectric grease comes in at least two forms: the paste, and the spray. The paste is like any other grease and the spray is fairly fluid until it lands on something and then it tends to get thicker or something so it coats well.
I've already used lithium grease on the rear door latch though before i found out it contained pertroleum. Didnt have any problems yet but maybe that is all metal, and it probably takes some times to break down any plastics.

Well i guess i can figure out which way to pull that little round eyelet on the latch mechanism As long as i know that is what we are to use that should get me there.

[MrAl]

Hello again,

Ok checked the hood latch mechanism on the drivers side.
Apparently, mine open when the little tab with the hole in it is pulled out away from the center of the vehicle. The hood had to be open and the tab would not move toward the center at all but mind you the hood was open, if it is different when the hood is closed i'd have to test for that next. Althougth the only movement allowed was out away from the center, i guess it is possible when the hood is closed it moves toward the center to open. I'll try that next time i go out there if the weather permits. Maybe i'll bring a wire out there with me next time and hook it up and actually test it with the hood closed. If it pops open i am going to have to celebrate (the passenger side will be unlatched already for now so only the drivers side has to be unlatched to open the hood, for now but that will change once i have this solution in place on both sides).
The battery is doing fine though so far.

Very happy with the advice i got from everyone here it really helps a lot. Even a mechanic i talked to recently admitted that some of this stuff is magic.

[erikv11]

Sounds good.

For the proper direction on the little tab you have to try it with the hood closed. Simulate closing the hood by putting a screwdriver barrel or similar in the latch. Match the diameter of the barrel to the diameter of the bar on the hood that normally clips into the latch.

[MrAl]

Sounds good.

For the proper direction on the little tab you have to try it with the hood closed. Simulate closing the hood by putting a screwdriver barrel or similar in the latch. Match the diameter of the barrel to the diameter of the bar on the hood that normally clips into the latch.

Ok sure. As i think about it though, it makes sense that it would be pushed toward the drivers side fender rather than the center beacuse the cable comes into the mechanism from that side, and we 'pull' the cable, and that would pull the bottom of the rotating part with the tab and little hole toward the fender. That would make sense because the cable cant 'push' the bottom and it cant pull it toward the center because it is not connected to the mechanism on that side. That would mean the passenger side would get pulled toward the center though. That's unless the drivers side cable connects to the top of that rotating part, but i'll double check that soon and i might be able to tell from the pics.
Nice to know it is there at least for now, eventually i'll get the direction right.

I just checked the pics and it does look like both cables connect to the bottom of that rotating part, which means it pulls on the bottom pulling it toward the drivers side fender, and also pulls the other cable toward the drivers side fender, and that second cable would pull on the passenger side latch probably on the bottom too but i'll have to check that when i go out there again.
If there is a 'right' and 'left' latch mechanism then they could be different but if the same part number then it must pull on the bottom of the passenger side latch rotating part also.