I need some help getting my hood open on my 99' E300. I replaced the radiator and I forgot to place the hood release cable into the clips on the underside of the crossmember that sits above the radiator. Now when the hood release cable is pulled the left side will release, and the right side will not. I cannot get the hood open. Any ideas from anyone on how to open it?
Can you maybe get something in there like needle nose pliers or something to release the other side? I'll take a look at mine later today when it warms up a bit and see if anything comes to mind.
If the cable is still attached, just out of place, it may be putting some force on the latch. Try bouncing the right side of the hood while an assistant pulls on the release lever.
OH boy. That's a hard one. I'll be watching this thread.
On the second tough, I bought headlights on ebay, that had the mouthing brackets broken off. The pieces were there, just for the reason I couldn't understand somebody broke them.
Now I am getting an idea.
I've already pulled on the latch so hard I broke the plastic latch. I got some vice grips and pulled on it as hard as I could with no change. Here's my idea: Saw holes in the hood, loosen the bolts to un-pinch the cable, pull hood release and open the hood, replace hood, prime & paint.
If I pull too hard with the vice grips and break the cable, then I cannot even use this method. Of course once I've started sawing on the hood it really doesn't matter anymore.
Ben I took a look on my 210 today and the latches are not visible even after opening the hood. The mechanisms and cable runs under the top metal member, that holds the radiator, so without taking the car apart I can't even say what can be done. On the other side, whole mechanism seems to be accessible from the radiator area. So maybe sacrificing the grill, instead of hood might work better?
Put the car on a lift and remove the belly pan from the bottom of the engine compartment. You should be able to access the latch from below with really long arms or a long tool or both. The bottom of the latch is forward and to the outer side of the top of the air intake snorkel. (If you are standing under the car facing forward it would be forward and to the right.) You need to move the bottom of the latch toward the center of the car. It moves very easy with no load on it (hood not latched), I imagine it is harder to move when latched so have someone push down on the hood while attempting to move it. You may have to "move" the air snorkel but between the hood, grill, and air snorkel I would guess the air snorkel is the easiest and cheapest to replace if it gets busted up.
Good luck.
Let us know how it comes out.
Greg
PS the offer I made in the e-mail still stands. Let me know if you want to convert it to run on vegetable oil.
Now vegetable oil?
According to Myth Busters no conversion is necessary. Just switch the fuel when it is warm enough.
I know that in colder weathers the veggie needs to be heated.
When you start talking about destroying the hood or the grill, then you may be at a point where this may not be a DIY project? Might be worth a couple of bucks to have a shop or even the dealer take a look at it. They may have a solution that we aren't thinking about.
hi,i had a similar problem on my e280,pulling the plastic latch did not open the bonnet,pulled harder broke the poor designed lever,you can repair the lever mind by filling it with a two pack araldite type agent make sure you leave a gap for the wire,back to problem get someone else to locate the outside of the offending cable and stop it from moving any where,that person taking place of the clips effectively ,all this through the grill then slowly pull the cable in the car with vise grips ,you wont break the cable its strong,when you do get it up lubricate both latches on the slam panel they are all gummed up ,or you can have a look at my picture of my other post today of another way if this does not work regards alan southampton uk
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