P38A Bloody bonnet latch!

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Salisbury Nick

Salisbury Nick

Well-Known Member
Posts
790
Location
Dorchester
I'm really frustrated. I'm a bit ****ed off with the bonnet latch too.:)

The cable came loose from one of the release latches and a prat - not me this time - used a crowbar to open the bonnet. I have now fixed the cable issue but I cannot get the bonnet to close properly on the drivers side. On the nearside, which was the undamaged side, it shuts properly and opens properly, however, the drivers side shut to the extent that it locks into place but not fully, (so you can't pull it open again), but it is not held flush with the body - there is a about half an inch of play between its current closed position and what should be fully closed. If I pull the release cable it will release it, so it is latching at one level - but not as tightly shut as the other latch. Also, the 'bonnet open' warning message comes up on the dash too.
Now I could just ignore all this and get on with my life, but it's really annoying me and I feel the need to fix it.
Are there two mechanisms that engage when the bonnet shuts? How does the 'bonnet open' warning trigged? I can't get the drivers side to shut fully even when I sit on it - and that's a not inconsiderable amount of persuasion!
 
Hi Grrrrr, thanks - The cable is working fine now. I'm struggling with getting the latch peg to latch at the right height. It seems to drop into the hole, pushing the latch slider aside as it does so and allowing it to slide back into place after it squeezes past - bit will not latch at a lower position, whereas on the nearside the latch peg drops through and then latches at a deeper level than the drivers side - but I ca't work out how this works? any ideas?
 
Mine are fixed. The latch peg is fixed to a base that can be adjusted for position by loosening the fixing bolts and repositioning, but that does not change the length of the peg.
 
The prat with the crow bar needs beating first:eek:

Ok, has the crowbar work warped the slam panel? This maybe why it don’t fit flush. The bonnet open close comes from 1 of the latches, but I can’t remember which 1 I just do it when needed (I own both LHD &RHD)

J
 
Henry_b said:
Same here.

I just slam it ;)

But mine is so reliable I don't need to ever open it ;)
Click to expand...
Same here.
Really? Mine's open every five minutes!!

I kept getting the very annoying beep and "Bonnet Open" warning, so I removed the two bolts holding the latch to the slam panel and noticed that one of the bolts was different to the others. I shall visit the scrapyard to get the correct bolt(s), but I have a feeling that the hole threads have been stripped in the latch, so I shall probably get one of those as well, although it looks extremely awkward to remove/refit, there's no room at all to work.
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Hi wanted. I have adjusted the base of the peg. Do you mean that the depth of the peg can be adjusted too?
Click to expand...

Yes. When the crowbar was used it is possible the peg fixing point in the bonnet has been distorted. Try putting a piece of wood over the latch position and dropping the peg onto it to push it back into position. Or undo the large nut at top of peg and screw peg further in until bonnet shuts the tighten large nut. Or remove the peg and tap the metal back flush. Then refit and adjust peg.
 
Last edited:
Massive thanks to @wammers, again, and @DanClarke .

It's amazing what happens when you, (I mean me), follow instructions - in particular the instructions on here provided by wammers, Dan and the rest of you.

Had a closer look as per wammers advice, cleaned all the gunk off the pegs and as Dan suggested the pegs can be adjusted with a screw driver.

Reduced the length of the peg by half an inch and hey presto - the bonnet closes properly, the 'bonnet open' message disappears and the release mechanism fully works too.

Three issues/symptoms solved in one go.:):):)
 
Salisbury Nick said:
Massive thanks to @wammers, again, and @DanClarke .

It's amazing what happens when you, (I mean me), follow instructions - in particular the instructions on here provided by wammers, Dan and the rest of you.

Had a closer look as per wammers advice, cleaned all the gunk off the pegs and as Dan suggested the pegs can be adjusted with a screw driver.

Reduced the length of the peg by half an inch and hey presto - the bonnet closes properly, the 'bonnet open' message disappears and the release mechanism fully works too.

Three issues/symptoms solved in one go.:):):)
Click to expand...
Now sling that crowbar away!
Never let the thought enter your head again:p;)
 
Dopey said:
Yea mine flys on pixie dust and I never have to put derv in it... the fairy's fill it to the brim while I sleep
Click to expand...

Wish mine did!

Briefly it was doing over 40 to the gallon, then I fixed an electrical fault affecting the speedometer and now it has dropped to 23!

I say ‘I fixed“. What I really mean is that she dried out after a particularly wet session and fixed herself. ButI count that!
 
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