Bonnet screws

[George130]

Need some ideas on getting into the engine bay. I have fond the bonnet screws don't want to play and the catch has jammed again. At the moment I am planning to cut the catch during the week but will need a replacement if I go that way.

Any other ideas out there?

[dmdigital]

This sounds all to familiar. I went to open my Defender's bonnet only to find it was jammed. I could pop the catch at the front but thats all. Turned out the bonnet stay had caught under the A/C pipes and was jammed there!

After much name calling and various attempts I found I could twist the bonnet up on the passenger's side and I then proceeded to push the stay towards the driver's side. At this point I was at the "I don't care if I break anything stage". Anyway it worked and only put a slight tear in the bonnet sound proofing. I then packed the stay with washers so it doesn't have anywhere near as much lateral movement.

The other option I had was to drill out the bonnet screws! From memory they are secured with nuts inside the bonnet as I found they just turned when I tried to undo them.

Have you tried getting a flat piece of steel against the catch and giving it a good shove?

[LoadedDisco]

Tech !

[George130]

This sounds all to familiar. I went to open my Defender's bonnet only to find it was jammed. I could pop the catch at the front but thats all. Turned out the bonnet stay had caught under the A/C pipes and was jammed there!

After much name calling and various attempts I found I could twist the bonnet up on the passenger's side and I then proceeded to push the stay towards the driver's side. At this point I was at the "I don't care if I break anything stage". Anyway it worked and only put a slight tear in the bonnet sound proofing. I then packed the stay with washers so it doesn't have anywhere near as much lateral movement.

The other option I had was to drill out the bonnet screws! From memory they are secured with nuts inside the bonnet as I found they just turned when I tried to undo them.

Have you tried getting a flat piece of steel against the catch and giving it a good shove?

Yea it jammed 6 months ago so at that time I fitted a metal handle to release the bonnet from the front. Now that handle moves without resistance and anything I work in there won't free the main latch. I have tried dismantling parts of the front but sofar havn't got in there. Wife sujested I walk away after spending the last 3 days working on both our cars and stripping 5 vehicles for a friend.
Could have been because I asked her to buy me a new tool box with only a busting block in it.
If it won't go tomorrow I will just cut it and replace the entire mechanism.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

have you tried to grab the cable from under the bonnet......?

it runs just under the edge of the guard......and there should be enough gap between that and the bonnet to
try and hook the cable....then maybe cutting it and pulling the centre of the cable.......


but im pretty sure ive had to get into mine once......i think i just removed the grill.....then found somewhere to poke a screw driver in and
push the catch back........



theres gotta be a way........short of damaging things......

[George130]

Had a workshop do it yesterday. Went there as they had the 9 inch angle grinder ready and I knew the mechanic. Told him if I can't be opened today then I just want it cut and I would strap the bonnet down till the new catch arrived. 20 minutes later he managed to do what I couldn't. He even greased it all back up and made a new pull handle.

[dmdigital]

Which all proves that if it can't be fixed with a 9" grinder it can at least be intimidated by the thought of what it can do :twisted:

You must be rather pleased now.

[George130]

Which all proves that if it can't be fixed with a 9" grinder it can at least be intimidated by the thought of what it can do :twisted:

You must be rather pleased now.

1 job down just the rest to go!
Still have a load of work to do on the wifes car also.
My hands are still semi black from the weekend. Friday work on Defender. Saturday help friend strip 3 cars and rip a few bits of 3 others.
Sunday morning work of Defender. Sunday arvo work on wifes car:mad:. Good news is I now have a rover 3.5 v8 and access to a ford 6 cylinder engine plus I have an L300 4wd chassis and running gear. New body to come.

[lokka]

Edd mate sounds like your got ya hands full down there

good luck with the wifes car mate

cheers

chris

[George130]

Yep shredded the ace belt this morning. I wish we had a couple of series jobies to make life easier!