Adjusting Bonnet Catches

[Todd]

Well just back in from changing the spark plugs on my motor

 

HOLY JUMPING JEZUS what a job, if it wasn't for the info I got from here I dread to think how long it would have taken

 

Anyhoo, that combined with the toms filter that just arrived from Nic has fair perked up the motor

 

OK, the reason for the post, how do you adjust the bonnet catches, one pulls the bonnet down fine but the drivers side leaves it sitting pround and I get the dreaded bonnet lift at 70mph (red lights....panic...panic!!)

 

if you look at the one on the right you can see that the bar across the top of the catch sits lower than the catch on the left but I'll be buggered if I can see how to adjust it.

 

Would appreciate some help.

 

Thanks

 

Todd

[JohnA]

...

HOLY JUMPING JEZUS what a job, ...

he he, that's the first thing I did the minute I brought the car in my garage, to do a compression test.

I couldn't believe how involved it was to just look at the spark plugs.

 

Did you manage to kill those two breather hoses? I had to cut mine off, they were dead meat.

 

The bonnet catches are pish-easy, just screw in the black rubber spacers, where they meet the bonnet at the front.

You may need to push the bonnet further where the catches are, until it 'clicks'. I've seen others doing it, so it's not that abnormal...

[Todd]

Never had any problems with breather hoses but I've got an NA, don't know if it's easier!

[Todd]

The bonnet catches are pish-easy, just screw in the black rubber spacers, where they meet the bonnet at the front

 

Tried that first, in fact don't know how many times I've tried it

 

Defo to do with the actual catches themselves, just looking at them you can see the difference.

 

Cheers

 

Todd

[michael]

Mine's the same, the rubber is fully down but the drivers side just won't catch - I could probably add more force but I'm worried about putting a dent in the bonnet.

 

I had it jacked up at the weekend when I swapped my wheels over and the bonnet was lifting as the weight of the front end caused the car to flex - it's got me wanting a strut brace and a solution to the bonnet problem before it gets ripped off on the motorway.

[dude]

Theres allmost no adjustment in the catches , hate to say it but normally its the front panel thats been tweaked a bit

 

Dude

[merckx]

There is some adjustment on the catches but not much, 3 nuts or bolts!

 

Sometimes you just need to push the bonnet down hard for the latch to lock in place which it might not be doing now.

 

I spent ages trying to get mine just right, just couldn't get it right.

 

With the bonnet having two catches it could well be just held in place by one and the other isn't locking which isn't all that obvious.

[Todd]

But how do you adjust it?

 

You can visually see the difference in the catches and you're right merkx, the drivers side just aint catching.

[merckx]

3 nuts or bolts just infront, I've got to push the bonnet down firmly on the passenger side to get the catch to lock!

[dude]

Check the cables dude one may be seized not letting the catch latch !!!

Also check the angle of bit coming out of the bonnet it may be bent , dont push too hard the bonnets are very soft !!!!

 

Dude

[Chris Wilson]

They are not adjustable, most cars with a bonnet that won't pull down equally, side to side, have had some accident damage. Either the loops on the bonnet are tweaked, or as Dude says, the slam panel is tweaked. A good body shop might be able to tweak things straight again.

[Todd]

Loosened the 3 bolts and dropped the catch a fraction and hey presto...no red light

 

Thanks all, now I can go over 70 at night without being lit up like a brothel in Amsterdam!

[Guest steve silvester]

this all seems very interesting i must try it, my bonnet now looks like it was made from cheese and has many small dents from too much pressure!! dohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.