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[x1xv45]

Just finished changing the oil, and thought I'd even up the bonnet a bit by adjusting the stops - went too far, I guess, and bonnet was stuck shut! I fixed a stuck bonnet on another omega when the cable had gone slack, by yanking on the cable under the drivers side panel, but no effect this time, and not really appropriate this time as cable had tension. Nobody available to help do the bonnet bounce/cable pull trick, so I went online to look for another way. Clearly you can't remove the grille with the bonnet down on facelift, otherwise people were suggesting cutting into it to get at the catch - no thanks!  Then I found the trick: duct tape on the catch lever, pulled up tight and stuck on to steering wheel to hold it - went around and bounced the bonnet till it opened! Bonnet stops are back down, greased up the spring and pillar and adjusted the cable a bit tighter just for good measure. Those stops have to be changed just a little at a time, or else. And duct tape - in my top 10 of most useful inventions!

[feeutfo]

  used a bungee cord to the steering wheel on one I have hear which is proving a bugger to adjust as the spring is worn I think. How the he'll do we swap that spring out? The one that moves in the hole in the slam panel when the lever is pulled?

Juuuust get it adjusted right, Full travel dialled in on the cable, it's where it should be, no slack in the catch, bonnet fits snug, but won't quite pop up when the cable is pulled.


It's obviosly been left slack for a while, think the constant play in the bonnet while driving has worn the spring catch, I can't get the bugger out fully to replace it with a good one.   

But yes, good tip.

[x1xv45]

Maybe that's a case for sacrificing the grille - ouch. Once it's out of the way, you should be able to get a tool in there to force the pillar up (a big allen key? has to get in under the slam panel and up a bit to hit the pillar) From curiosity, was looking online for secondhand standard grilles, but didn't see them - I thought they would be cheap, but where are they?

[feeutfo]

i got the bonet up as you describe, its just stuborn on this partiular car...

breaking the grill will not help in any way afaict.... :-/

[x1xv45]

Glad to hear the bonnet is up ok - it's that spring that's stuck then, is it? Surely someone knows how to get it out. The assault on the grill idea was only the ultimate last resort for a totally stuck bonnet catch.

[feeutfo]

Dunno, not stuck, spring moves fine with the bonnet up, it clears the hole fully when the lever is pulled, it's even got a differant bonnet on it now, still sticks the same  :-/ only thing I can think of is the spring catch itself, it's worn with a flat on it  :-/ Andjuted the depth and position of the plunger thing on the bonnet itself, lubed it, adjusted the cable again, made no odds.  :-/

[Jimbob]

sounds like my bonnet, despite a lot of work at Newent, it doesnt want to play ball.

What was weird, it was fine in the garage, I paid and drove it home...
never opened with just one person since 

[x1xv45]

Well, I guess I misunderstood you again - so you're not trying to take the spring out altogether, and replace it.

Is the centre pin thingy on the bonnet geting stuck on the edge of the spring-hole on the slam plate because it's not centred properly? Replacement bonnet creating a slight misalignment?

[x1xv45]

"sounds like my bonnet, despite a lot of work at Newent, it doesnt want to play ball."

Jimbob, you reminded me of my first Omega - when I parked it facing downhill on my drive, the bonnet wouldn't open, but turned around the other way, it would open! Mind of its own.

[hoody]

Got the same problem with mine,the catch clears the hole when you look at it when bonnet is up,but does not release 

[djac]

Is it possible/likely that the spring may have worn a slight groove in the plunger part of the catch? Just enough to 'hold' the spring and stop it moving....

[feeutfo]

Possibly, but in my case, the plunger has been adjusted in,or out, can't remember, there is a flat on the sides for a spanner, so it's been turned to a different position, still sticks  :-/

[feeutfo]

Possibly, but in my case, the plunger has been adjusted in,or out, can't remember, there is a flat on the sides for a spanner, so it's been turned to a different position, still sticks  :-/

And to add, the car the new bonnet came off did not stick, put that bonnet on this car, same bonnet sticks  :-? So I guess that only leaves the spring in the slam panel...?  :-/

[mrjimbo]

Have you tried putting some Plastecine around the hole in the landing panel a gentlely lowering the bonnet to make sure the locating pin and spring are coming down in the centre of the hole ?

If it's not coming down in the centre the shoulder on the pin will catch when you try to open the bonnet.

[feeutfo]

Yep, tried all that, in my case. Even had it rubbing slightly on the opposite side, away from the catch, so the plunger was furthest from the spring catch.

It's like the spring won't slide across fully when plunger is against it.  :-?