How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

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anglin
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How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by anglin »

All,

The "help, I broke my hood cable and I can't get my hood open" is a perennial topic, so I suppose it is an appropriate item for the FAQ section. I doon't have a large amount to add, since it was 11 years ago the last time I had a problem (man... THAT is a dangerous thing to say). So, I need you guys to help build the FAQ. Here's what we are looking for:

- how you opened the hood
- the part that actually broke
- what you did to prevent it from happenening again
- what you did after opening the hood to prevent it from happening in the future
- any special 'tools' you utilized

Here's what I have to offer; it's about my XR4Ti, but it should get the juicing flowing...

I actually didn't have a cable break. The cable just popped free of the unlatching mechanism. I used a special 'tool' made of a 12" long, or so, piece of window screen frame to reach up from underneath the car and pop the latch free. Fortunately I had a parts car (my very first one) nearby to get a look at the latch mechanism so I knew what I was working with. Some folks may be able to reach the latch mechanism with their hands, but my big popeyeass forearms prevent me from such activities.

I have used plastic zip ties on the hood cable to permanently retain it to the mechanism of every XR4Ti I've owned since that happened to me.

There is also a thread similar to this in the XR4Ti section, since the XR4Ti suffers from the same problem.

http://forum.merkurclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7195
Last edited by anglin on Thu May 25, 2006 11:21 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Freejack »

Similar to your problem, my cable did not actually break, but the plug on the end came free of the socket that it is supposed to rest it, likely due to the cable stretching.

I took a 3' long piece of 5/16" steel rod and bent one end ot a 90º angle, with about 4" sticking out. I sharpened the end to a blade. I was then able to reach up through the fan assembly with the rod and push against the metal lever that released the hook. It wasn't easy and someone with thin, long arms may just be able to reach up in there, but the fan shroud does not make it easy.

To prevent it from happening, I used a small zip-tie to secure the cable to the latch lever. I also lubed the latch mechnism well so it would require much less force.

Jake
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Post by MerkurScorpio »

Rapido actually sells a tool specifically designed to open a Scorpio hood in case the cable breaks. I know because I needed it last year. Did the trick! I'm going to bring it with me to Carlisle in case anyone runs into this problem while we're there.
-Paul-Michael Van Hook, Northeastern PA
'89 Merkur Scorpio "HookSport"

Paul-Aaron Zachary Van Hook is one year old! Born 11/4/2009!

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tvissoc
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Post by tvissoc »

When I had this happen on the Scorpio, the cable just slipped free from the bracket. It was not broken.

I could not get my hand up to the lever, no matter how I tried to contort myself. I had to unbolt the AC compressor, which can be done from underneath, before I could get my hand up to reach the lever to pop the hood. Don't know what I was doing wrong.

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Ed Lijewski
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Post by Ed Lijewski »

Amazing number of variations to solving this dilemma!

My take: the cable seldom breaks, but at the latch end a plastic "ferrule"-like retainer gets dislodged somehow and subsequently allows the cable to pop out of the slot in the latch arm it connects to.

On the Scorpio given this (or a broken cable), I found it's easier to remove the fan shroud to gain fuller access to the latch. The shroud is two pieces of "plastic" with the lower half held on by two #10 head sheet metal screws (IIRC) and the top half held on by two #10 head bolts. Remove the two lower section screws first, then pull the lower shroud down from the upper shroud (the two sections mate on each side with a male&female blade connector--easy to pry apart). Then remove the two screws on the upper shroud at the top. Note: There is/is enough access space to do this--unless you're Popeye's dad; you can't see those two screws but you can feel them with fingers and it's easy to put a socket head/wrench to work on them. Taking the shroud completely off may take 10 minutes, max. With it off, even Popeye's forearms can gain access along the radiator/fan space and you can move the latch manually to open the hood. All this can be done without raising the car. But if you can raise the car with a jack, it's even easier.

Once open, even a simple long twist tie twisted over the end of the cable
and onto a part of the latch arm will keep the cable from jumping out of its nook on the latch in the future. :wink:

YMMV 8)
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Post by anglin »

Well, I guess "blundry" didn't want to do it, so I will.
RyanH wrote:The easiest way is to lay under the front bumper, and reach your hand up behind the rad, threading your arm through the clutch fan, turning it as you move your hand up. You'll feel the latch and the lever that the release cable is supposed to be attached to. It helps if you have someone push down on the hood to release the spring tension as you move the lever to open the hood. It's hard to explain, but once you get in there, it's easy to figure out.
blundry wrote:This happened to me today. I follwed the above posted instructions - one step that seemed to be necessary was to first remove the lower half of the radiator shroud before attempting to reach the latch. Unless you have unusually slender arms, there won't be enough clearence for you to reach the hood release latch unless you remove the bottom half of the fan shroud first.
After a few attempts I finally got the hood open. The cable hadn't broken, it had just somehow worked its way loose from the release latch.
Anyway, hope this helps other Scorpio owners who can't open their hoods.
Anglin email: - anglin at mc2racing.com
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by HearDiz »

What is it that I'm feeling for or moving, when trying to
Pop to hood? I just can't feel anything not even the cable
Please help
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by Ed Lijewski »

[quote="HearDiz"]What is it that I'm feeling for or moving, when trying to
Pop to hood? I just can't feel anything not even the cable
Please help[/quote]


You're feeling for the latch that releases the hood. It's mounted just about at the center of the car on the brace that runs between the fenders just above the radiator. If your car is an XR, you should be able to get your arm into that area to reach the latch, but if you can't get your arm up there, consider removing the fan (four #10 size bolts, one on each corner).

If the car is a Scorpio, as I posted above: "On the Scorpio given this (or a broken cable), I found it's easier to remove the fan shroud to gain fuller access to the latch. The shroud is two pieces of "plastic" with the lower half held on by two #10 head sheet metal screws (IIRC) and the top half held on by two #10 head bolts. Remove the two lower section screws first, then pull the lower shroud down from the upper shroud (the two sections mate on each side with a male&female blade connector--easy to pry apart). Then remove the two screws on the upper shroud at the top. Note: There is/is enough access space to do this--unless you're Popeye's dad; you can't see those two screws but you can feel them with fingers and it's easy to put a socket head/wrench to work on them. Taking the shroud completely off may take 10 minutes, max. With it off, even Popeye's forearms can gain access along the radiator/fan space and you can move the latch manually to open the hood. All this can be done without raising the car. But if you can raise the car with a jack, it's even easier."

The key or trick is to get your arm up far enough so that you can move your hand and fingers in that center area of the brace; if you get there, it won't take you long to feel the latch and move it in the only direction it will move (releasing the hood).
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by HearDiz »

I need a good photo of the latch? This would be a big help
An 88 Scorpio is what I'm working on.
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by Ed Lijewski »

[quote="HearDiz"]I need a good photo of the latch? This would be a big help
An 88 Scorpio is what I'm working on.[/quote]

The latch is in the center of the cross frame above the radiator and about an inch and a half long and is perpendicular to the cross frame above the radiator. It's where my thumbnail is but a bit longer. Move the latch to the driver's side to open the latch.

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/P ... 9-orig.jpg

You have more access room for your arm from below on the passenger side.

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/P ... 5-orig.jpg

YMMV
brucewmeyer
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by brucewmeyer »

Well, I have read all the data. I am very new to this stuff. My cable has definitely unhooked and not broken. I was able to use WD40 the last time this happened (with the hood open), to fix the problem. Now it is closed. I have a 89 Merkur. A quick look under the car, and the whole front end is enclosed with a shroud that holds the fog lights. Do you have to take this off also? I will definitely fix the cable with a plastic tie if I can get the hood open one more time...........Bruce Meyer in Minnesota
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by FocusSVT »

The only thing you "should" have to take off is the fan shroud. It is held in by two plastic push rivets at the bottom and the top. When mine did this, I removed both of them, and that gave me the room to reach my arm up and trip the lever. After this I definitely added the wire tie so this won't happen again. Good luck, let me know if you have any other questions.
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by brucewmeyer »

OK, I am showing my stupidity...... I went through the lower middle air intake and got at two bolts on what I think is the fan shroud. The bolts where at 4 and 8 oclock on the round gray shroud. The whole fan seems to be loose now. Do I have to take the lower bumper off to get the shroud out of the way? Thanks
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by Ed Lijewski »

[quote="brucewmeyer"]OK, I am showing my stupidity...... I went through the lower middle air intake and got at two bolts on what I think is the fan shroud. The bolts where at 4 and 8 oclock on the round gray shroud. The whole fan seems to be loose now. Do I have to take the lower bumper off to get the shroud out of the way? Thanks[/quote]

What gives you more room to maneuver your hand and arm from below up to the area of the latch is removing the LOWER half of the fan shroud. That half is held on by two bolts on the lower edge and a push-pin tack on each side at the upper sides. So remove the bolts with a wrench and then with a knife blade or putty knife or small screwdriver separate each side from the upper until the push-pin tack releases. Then your hand and arm can more easily reach up to the latch arm to release it.

YMMV
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Re: How to Open a Scorpio Hood if the Cable Snaps

Post by brucewmeyer »

so from my description, did I take off the right two bolts on the shroud (through the air intake)? Doesn't seem that the shroud will move much out of the way even if I find the "pins" Sorry..........
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