Opening an engine lid, Cable broken...

[Dan B.]

The release cable for the engine lid is broken in my project Scorp. I know I've read somewhere before that you can poke something long through the rear vents and actuate a lever or something to release the hood. Where exactly is this lever? I need some help finding it.

[cthargiss]

Dan,
The latch is on the right side, about in the middle of the lid. just aft of the strut tower. You can see it through the rear grill, with a flashlight. Use a yardstick or similar tool to push on the lever that protrudes from the bottom of the latch mechanism.
Craig

[Dan B.]

There seems to be a coolant overflow or perhaps a washer fluid tank that is blocking my view(and my poking dowel!) from seeing anything towards the aft side of the stut tower. Is that supposed to be there?? There is also a mysterious metal canister sort of to the right and behind the fluid tank right next to the body.

Am I trying to look for the latch at the right angle, or whats going on here?

[Will]

It's right in front of the coolant bottle, behind the strut tower like Craig said. Use a flat metal bar through the top of the tail light panel on a diagonal from just left of the rigght side tail light. If you have a friend to spot you, it's also visible from under the car looking up from the right axle location.

Once you get it open, make a couple of scores in the back of the latch with a needle file and paint it white. This can save your butt.

Luckily, you got the easy problem- opening the front is an art, the back is a cinch. Give it another go. I find a sheet rock square works great, takes about two seconds.

[Dan B.]

lol, I've got both problems actually. I just asked about the engine lid first becuase thats the end I'm most interested in at the moment. The front bonnet releases on the drivers side, but not on the passenger side.

I finally got it, but it didn't work out like you guys said. The canister thing that sits beside the coolant tank completely blocks view/access from the right hand side. I was able to see it looking across the engine bay through the left vents, but my stick wasn't long enough(is it ever?) to reach it from that side. I cut a "window" behind the license plate and was able to stick my hand and pole through to actuate the lever. I still have no clue what that canister thing is. The only thing that is attached to it is a clear vinyl hose(like aquarium air pump hose) that disapears up toward the front of the engine. Is this thing stock?

[Will]

Dan, the canister is a vacuum accumulator, part of the emissions gear and most of us have ditched it. Shame you had to cut behind the plate, but glad you got it open.

Ok- let's get your passenger side front bonnet latcxh open:

Take a coat hanger wire or brazing rod and use a needle file or hacksaw blade to cut a "v" notch in the end of it.

Use a flashlight shining down into the right side hood grill to spot the release cable, get the "V" over the cable and push down. If you are lucky, this will release your cable.

If you are not lucky, the cable will have slipped so that you can't get enough tension this way to release it. If that's the case, you need a helper, and you need to run an electrical snake up through the cowl area drain on the right hand side and hook the wire. This is the NOT EASY method. Whatever you do, don't try to remove the hood grills as the 30 year old plastic tabs will probably snap off as soon as you try to bend them, and you will end up with one of many Scorpions that have the hood grills siliconed in place.

[Wallace]

The other way is to use jack the car up, get underneath and use a long, long socket extension ( 10mm across the flats) and undo the hinge nuts . . this will let you open the wrong side enough to get your hand or large screwdrive in . .

[A1.6HPE]

Hello guys,
You might want to consider updating the engine cover release to the S2 type. DJ noticed this difference when looking at my car soon after they landed in Scotland. The release cable runs from the top of the firewall directly towards the latch mechanism rather than twisting its way from the opposite side of the car. Monte hospital sell the correct pattern knob and cable but any sort of choke type cable would do (perhaps a nice red T handle as for fire extinguishers ??). On a UK car the knob is directly behind the drivers right shoulder.

http://lancisti.net/mkportal/modules/gallery2/index.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=28777
http://lancisti.net/mkportal/modules/gallery2/index.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=28777

[Will]

Wallace;
Hinge bolts on a Scorpion are such that they can't be undone from outside the car: One bolt on each hinge leaf is accessible from the front, but the other bolt on each leaf requires the removal of a rubber plug and access INSIDE the luggage compartment. I can't speak as to Montes, S2, etc. but the Scorpion (at least the '76) is a PITA to get into if the cable release fails and you can't use the notched-rod trick. The hinge pins are also peened into place so you can't drive them out. This is one contributing factor in the broken hood grill phenomenon- most new owners immediately take a screwdriver and pry out the hood grills. When the passenger side latch fails, it's no big deal as long as you can still "pop" the latch with a rod. When the driver's side latch fails, well, that one is much harder. that one takes actual finessing skillz.

[Wallace]

The engine lid hinges are definetly acessable !! I've done it - or rather had to . .

Never had the pleasure of the front one . .

[Will]

Ha, I thought you were talking about the front one, only because I've never even noticed there were nuts under the engine lid- I always use the single nut on the hinge pins to remove the rear lid. Of course, last time I did that I lost control of it and SMASHED the RH sail panel :(

Anyway, it's the FRONT hinges you can't get to , although the pins aren't peened on as I thought at first, there's an e-clip. Unfortunately, the e-clip does not want to come off so I guess it's academic- you'd not want to go that route.

[Dan B.]

You don't have to worry about me messing up the little hood grills becuase they are already missing :P

I'll see if I can grab the cable with something when I get home, and I'll let you all know how it goes.

[Dan B.]

w00t!

The front is now open, too. It's surpriingly clean in there. The carpet and what not looks almost new...

[SubGothius]

The front is now open, too. It's surpriingly clean in there. The carpet and what not looks almost new...Mebbe the latch had been stuck since the car itself was almost new! That would certainly explain the condition of the trim, as well as the broken/missing grilles (from the PO trying to release the lid)... ;)

[capnjoe]

I was worried for years about my front release cable breaking, so I installed a backup cable in the same place. It's easy to thread the cable through if you take the fuse cover off. BTW, I used a bike brake cable for this purpose. I know that other things are sturdier but it doesn't have to work that many times. Cheers, Joe

[DJ]

Dan, the canister is a vacuum accumulator, part of the emissions gear and most of us have ditched it.

What in the world are you thinking, Will? That vacuum accumulator is NOT part of the emissions. It's the vacuum reservoir for the vacuum operated heater/ventilation controls. And I certainly wouldn't say most of us have ditched it. How do you operate your ventilation controls?

Cheers,

[Will]

Doesn't the vacuum canister tie into the fuel vapor recovery system?

You don't need it to activate the heater at idle (might go off at WOT) but I lost that stuff long ago. Worst case scenario you can relocate it, IMO that latch is relatively important to get to, very easy without the toilet-float.

[bjmarsh]

Doesn't the vacuum canister tie into the fuel vapor recovery system?...

The vapor recovery system is located in the lower left side of the engine compartment on the crossmember. The vac canister by the latch is just used for the heating / AC controls.

Barry

[Will]

Thanks for that- it's been so long since I removed all that stuff I need a refresher couse...wait, is that a valid reason to buy another one? :)