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Thread: Discovery 1 Bonnet Catch Not Releasing - How to Open?

  1. #1
    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Discovery 1 Bonnet Catch Not Releasing - How to Open?

    Hello All,

    With the bonnet slightly opened is there some way to fully open the bonnet release mechanism without using the bonnet release cable? Do I have to push something to the left or the right?

    My bonnet release cable is not pulling on the bonnet release mechanism enough for it to fully open. There is enough room that I can slide my fingers between the top of the grille/radiator bracket and some space at the bottom of the bonnet. I can even slide a screwdriver and move the manual safety catch to the side where it should release. However right bang in the centre of the bonnet the cable controlled hood release is not letting the bonnet lift up.

    I have pushed and pulled the cable in and out. Using Visegrips because a previous owner broke the handle off the hood release cable. There must have been prior problems with this cable that I have inherited.

    Any hints will be greatly appreciated! ... Apart from buy a new bonnet release cable .. I intend to do that ... once I can open the damn bonnet!

    Kind regards
    Lionel

  2. #2
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    First step,
    get an assistant to push down on the bonnet, while pulling the cable.

    Next, if as you say it is slightly up but not releasing, have assistant push on the side of the bonnet toward drivers side, or use plastic lever etc. being careful not to damage anything and apply pressure to the side while pulling cable, sometimes miss aligned hinges can cause it to jam.

    If no good, then there's the hard bit.
    There is a small hole to the right of catch where cable bolts to. Use a solid piece of wire or tube, about the thickness of say, a Philips screwdriver, bend the end at slightly more than 90 deg, (about 100deg.) make this bent end about 50 mm long so as to insert it into the hole deep enough, Might have to be shorter, but it was a while ago I did this when my cable broke. Trial and error I'm afraid.

    I've attached a picture of this hole just behind the top of grill. The center Philips screw is for fixing the front grill and is center of grill, the actual hole is exactly 60mm to the right. It was a real pain to find and to rotate rod to get into the hole, but it can be done with lots of swearing and several beers.
    Once in the hole push rod in (to back of car) and to the right to release catch. pushing it in puts pressure against nut to prevent slipping. If you manage to get rod behind nut, pushing it in won't work, so try pulling.

    From memory It took about an hour of trying different methods

    Some say force off passenger side headlight and use wire with hook to get in there, but it involves risking breaking the tabs that hold light in, more problems.

    Hope this helps,

    bonnet release.jpg

  3. #3
    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ronski View Post
    First step,
    get an assistant to push down on the bonnet, while pulling the cable.

    Next, if as you say it is slightly up but not releasing, have assistant push on the side of the bonnet toward drivers side, or use plastic lever etc. being careful not to damage anything and apply pressure to the side while pulling cable, sometimes miss aligned hinges can cause it to jam.

    If no good, then there's the hard bit.
    There is a small hole to the right of catch where cable bolts to. Use a solid piece of wire or tube, about the thickness of say, a Philips screwdriver, bend the end at slightly more than 90 deg, (about 100deg.) make this bent end about 50 mm long so as to insert it into the hole deep enough, Might have to be shorter, but it was a while ago I did this when my cable broke. Trial and error I'm afraid.

    I've attached a picture of this hole just behind the top of grill. The center Philips screw is for fixing the front grill and is center of grill, the actual hole is exactly 60mm to the right. It was a real pain to find and to rotate rod to get into the hole, but it can be done with lots of swearing and several beers.
    Once in the hole push rod in (to back of car) and to the right to release catch. pushing it in puts pressure against nut to prevent slipping. If you manage to get rod behind nut, pushing it in won't work, so try pulling.

    From memory It took about an hour of trying different methods

    Some say force off passenger side headlight and use wire with hook to get in there, but it involves risking breaking the tabs that hold light in, more problems.

    Hope this helps,

    bonnet release.jpg
    Hello Ronski,

    As sometimes things happen - while you were writing and posting your very kind reply... I was out at the Discovery. I had previously done a few internet searches and found a couple of different approaches to the problem. One common element was taking time to look at things from different angles. So I sat on the ground and looked up and I spied three bolts holding in the rod that goes into the latch. One thirteen millimetre spanner judiciously applied and the immediate problem was solved. During this process I was hoping there were only three bolts - if there were four - one at the back - I would have been stymied - big-time.

    Thank you again Ronski for your detailed reply and for taking the trouble of taking and posting up a photograph. Once I had the bonnet lifted a used a hook on that part of the catch and it took a lot of effort just to move it side-wise. I would say that was the problem. It is most probably the original cable - July 1996. Who knows how many times it has been pulled without any maintenance. The grease was thick and crusty around that part of the cable release mechanism.

    I am just about to sort out a new cable.

    Kind regards
    Lionel
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    good to hear you got it sorted.

    In my case the cable broke but like yours, very dry and stiff mechanism.
    lots of cleaning and greasing. new cable etc.

    I don't think I've met a disco 1 that didn't have broken opener inside, permanently carry suitable pliers in glove box now.

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    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Hello Ronski,

    I just had another look at your photo. There is a big difference between the hole to the right that has the clamp on the bonnet release cable and mine. The photo shows a clear space. My Disco in the same space if chock-a-block full of hardened dried grease.

    Another thing I noticed - please see a copy of your photo where I drew a green circle around the hole on the bottom latch bracket - this is where rod bolted to the bonnet fits into.

    Is this hole meant to be flat or raised into a dome around the outside of the hole?

    My Disco's catch is definitely raised into a dome. Perhaps this may have contributed to the cable release not being able to let the spring clear the latch sufficiently?

    Kind regards
    Lionel
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    was not a good photo, looks flat?? but the hole is in fact raised domelike where you marked with green.
    I did have to make small adjustment of not very tight bonnet hinges,or that bolt to align centrally to the hole.

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    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ronski View Post
    was not a good photo, looks flat?? but the hole is in fact raised domelike where you marked with green.
    I did have to make small adjustment of not very tight bonnet hinges,or that bolt to align centrally to the hole.
    Hello Ronski,

    Funny you should mention about alignment. When I took my dog for his last walk outside before being shut in for the night - I had a closer look at the bonnet with a head-spot on. It seems to make things clearer when looking in the dark of night with a head-spot or a torch. Anyway, I noticed that the bonnet has a bigger gap along the driver's side than the passenger side running front to back along the sides of the bonnet. So the whole bonnet is out of kilter.

    The bonnet itself must be a replacement as it is a faded green colour and the rest of the car is the standard white. Makes me wonder why the bonnet was replaced? Who knows - maybe the car had a bit of a whack to the front and things under the panels may not be as aligned as they should be? More checking to do!

    Kind regards
    Lionel

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    This has been a very useful thread as I have the same potential problem in a 300 Tdi Defender (I believe), and a friend of mine with a 300 Tdi Defender has had a very similar problem.

    Looks to me as though some preventive maintenance, including potentially replacement of the cable pre-emptively might be in order! I'm certainly off to look carefully under my bonnet!

    Thankyou to the posters!



    Michael


    110 300tdi (1999)
    110 V8 County (1984)
    SIII 'Game' (1977)

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    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1984V8110 View Post
    This has been a very useful thread as I have the same potential problem in a 300 Tdi Defender (I believe), and a friend of mine with a 300 Tdi Defender has had a very similar problem.

    Looks to me as though some preventive maintenance, including potentially replacement of the cable pre-emptively might be in order! I'm certainly off to look carefully under my bonnet!

    Thankyou to the posters!



    Michael
    Hello Michael,

    No worries at all. Preventive maintenance seems like a sound plan. It certainly would save being stuck somewhere on or off road and not having quick access to the bonnet in an emergency. Hmmm ... something like having smoke coming out from under the bonnet and not being able to open it springs to mind! This happened to me within the first week of owning my International D1210 ex-Telecom Linesman van.

    While there are some blue box "B" parts variety of bonnet release cable available cheaply; the other alternative of OEM cables are just over the $100 mark. I had a check online and there are original - so more expensive lockable flush mounted bonnet latches that come in around the same dollar value as the OEM bonnet release cables. Plus, unlike the original system the bonnet latches will minimise the chances of the bonnet opening while cruising down the highway.

    I am not sure whether car insurance companies or the Department of Transport would have issues not having a bonnet release cable situated inside a lockable vehicle. Perhaps, having the key operated lockable version of the flush mounted bonnet latches, as shown in the photo, bypasses any security issues? Yes, it does mean cutting some hole in the bonnet. Then again I am writing about a July 1996 Discovery with a replacement bonnet!

    Kind regards
    Lionel
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  10. #10
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    It sounds like the bonnet is from a different vehicle, obviously.

    maybe from one sitting in a wreckers yard or paddock for years out in the weather.
    mechanism probably rusted a lot and dried out.
    I would remove it and clean and de-rust if possible. Mine was suffering from years of no grease at all, very dry and stiff.
    Now action is smooth and easy to pop bonnet with new cable etc.
    I did slide out inner part of new cable and lightly grease it, before installing.
    I was tempted to simply use new inner without removing outer cable, but decided to replace the complete thing.

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