When the blasted release lever has given up the ghost.. I've prodded all over with my biggest screwdriver, and I've got to sus it by 1.30pm tommorrow, 'cos it goes in for it's MOT retake, and he'll want to see the brake pipe that was fixed, and I have to bung the new sidelight bulb in...
I think the cable has just come detached at the bonnet end, so I can fix it easy enough if I can get in there... Any ideas guys??
The cable pulls on a lever which moves across out of the way and releases central striker. So if you remove the radiator grill could you not get at that lever to prise it away? The cable on my 90 is very stiff to move so maybe I should take a look before I too have your problem.
the bonnet release cable on my saab has broken in MOT week for the past 2 years. they always know how to time it well!
I dont know how it works on a cavalier, but on my saab if you knock a wedge in at the front of the bonnet (i user a rubber door stop), it lifts the front edge up just enough for you to just get a screwdriver on the top fixing screws for the grille. Once the grille is off, you can work the release by hand (or by a hammer and lots of swearing)
LOL, I see this really gripped the core of the group... Bloody thing, I'm going to push the damned thing into Rutland water I think
I have a recollection that If you can remove the grill by brute force then you can get your hand under the latch mechanisim. This may result in damage but I always like to think of it as reasonable compared to the alternative. It's too tight between the radiator and front slam pannel to gain access... but it's a few years since I last had cause to do it..also it wasn't my car and it was raining cats and dogs but the bonnet had to come up.
HTH
Lee D
Sadly the plastic grille in front of the radiator is held down by 2 bolts, which live under the bonnet... The whole grille would have been subject to vandalism earlier if I wasn't passing the car onto my brother.
The most annoying thing, is after sliding under the car, I can see what needs prodding, I can even see where the cable used to attch, and indeed the frayed cable end, but can't get to it because of all the techno shit in the way, it it was a Landrover I could have climbed up behind the radiator and opened the damned thing with my teeth.
alternative.
I have this sneaking feeling, it will come to brute force on the front grille, I already messed it up a bit with my big manly screwdriver LOL (No, it's a facking big screwer LOL)..
I'll have to break the cosmetic loss to my bruv in the AM I recon.. It's him that's gonna be using it after Friday
How about hack sawing a couple of grill bars out then glue them back with a bit of summat like cardboard underneath (that way next time it won't matter and the join will hardly be visible. Of course he could mount the spare wheel over it to cover the damage ;-)
Lee D
Erm, it's missing a couple already, that big screwdriver took it's toll on the plastic when I started losing my temper.... The wedge under each corner to get are the grille bolts idea sounds good to me, if I can get the grille off, I can get at the bonnet release, and lack of a grille is NOT an MOT failure, so the Luton litterbin may just end up looking a bit lacking in the teeth dept LOL.
WTF, it cost me £300 with 6 weeks T&T, and I only bought the bloody thing to collect the engine for my landy, and to tide me over until It's sorted, and the car it replaces for big bruv had a much nastier ooop's in the front in the dodgy snow thang we had a few months ago... And that one is a Turbo thingy, and is costing him ££££££'s to run, and he just wants rid of it LOL.. So it's done it's job, and I've lost interest in it now ;)
I've just done this exact job on a 95 cavalier. I had to rip the front off, however, you don't actually need to do this.
The bonnet retainer is a coil spring fitted vertically so that it has the top out the top of the front pannel and the bottom out the bottom. on the top and bottom are two horizontal legs with hooks on. If you can take you large flat screwdriver to the top leg and push it towards the offside and lift, it will pop out. rotate the whole spring to the nearside and the bonnet should release.
This sound easy but will require some fiddling. and the top lip of the grill will be in the way but that cant be seen when the bonnet is down so trim it.
Hope this helps. I don't often get to contribute, but when I can , I do.
Cheers
Paul
Thanks, it's a 93, so simliar, but I found an easier way.. Lay on your back, and slide under the motor, and you can just see the hoop the bonnet release cable fits in... Swipe a tent pole from your kids tent, and push it over.. Bingo, open bonnet.
The cable had just popped out of it's little hoop, so I slipped it back in, and it's fine (for now)
But thanks for all the ideas guys, much appreciated.
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