Hood flutter

[myk]

Hey guys.  I just installed a nice, tight pair of reconditioned hood hinges, and while I'm struggling with getting everything lined up properly I'm more worried about the hood flutter at the front of the hood.

One of the previous owners installed hood pins, and I thought I could try driving the car today without the pins.  Well at speed the front of the hood came up about an inch or so, high enough that I couldn't see the posts for the pins anymore.  I tried moving the hood latch down as far as it would go but I still get the fluttering.  Any ideas on what I can do?  With the latch installed down as far as it will go I don't see any alternatives.  As usual, your input is appreciated...

[cdr]

do you still have the adjustable bumpers at the front ?

[myk]

Yes......I...think I do.  Try moving them down?

[cdr]

they are used as a stop for the hood, adjust them so the hood is level with the fenders, they also supports the hood.

[myk]

Alright I'll try bringing them down and see what that does.

I'm missing the hood pop up spring.  Would that affect the hood in any way?

[Charger-Bodie]

Sounds to me like you may have a hood that is very loose in the latch area. Might be best to just keep using the pins.

[myk]

Sounds to me like you may have a hood that is very loose in the latch area. Might be best to just keep using the pins.

Could it be a problem with the latch itself?

[Charger-Bodie]

Are the bolts in the center latch support at the lower radiator support?

[myk]

Lower radiator support?

[lukedukem]

i think he's talking about this. the support going from latch to lower radiator support.
my hood did flutter pretty good. but i bought new hood stops and rubber kit and now it doesn't do it as much... still a bit

Luke

[Dino]

Alright I'll try bringing them down and see what that does.

I'm missing the hood pop up spring.  Would that affect the hood in any way?

The big coil on top of the panel? Yeah you need that. It's what keeps tension on the hood inside the latch. Without it you can definitely have travel. 

The hood won't fly open as long as the latch is functional but movement of the hood will increase wear on parts so get that spring!

[myk]

i think he's talking about this. the support going from latch to lower radiator support.
my hood did flutter pretty good. but i bought new hood stops and rubber kit and now it doesn't do it as much... still a bit

Luke

Oh....my...god.....I do NOT have that piece.  For a minute there I thought Bodie was trying to give me a hard time lol.  Thanks for setting me straight!  Off to eBay I go!

Alright I'll try bringing them down and see what that does.

I'm missing the hood pop up spring.  Would that affect the hood in any way?

The big coil on top of the panel? Yeah you need that. It's what keeps tension on the hood inside the latch. Without it you can definitely have travel.  

The hood won't fly open as long as the latch is functional but movement of the hood will increase wear on parts so get that spring!

Dirk you're a lifesaver, thank you.  Off to eBay I go!  Do I just push the bottom coil into the slots on the panel?

I do have to say the previous owners are lame.  If those missing pieces were causing the issue they should've fixed it right instead of putting in these ugly hood pins.  Ah well....

[Dino]

It's more of a twist and push. You'll see it when you go to install it.   

[green69rt]

i think he's talking about this. the support going from latch to lower radiator support.
my hood did flutter pretty good. but i bought new hood stops and rubber kit and now it doesn't do it as much... still a bit

Luke

Isn't that brace part of the grill support assembly??  If so, I thought it is spot welded on.  How could it be missing?

[redgum78]

  I have seen a couple of bonnets...sorry hoods self open at speed. Very ugly!

Sounds like the spring, stops and adjustment should do the job but I think I would be still using the pins as well. At least until I was 100% sure about the rest of it.

[myk]

Just a brief update: I was staring at the latching system and all of the possible adjusting points and for once decided to look at the hood itself.  I noticed that the steel loop that actually gets caught by the latching system is supposed to be held on by TWO bolts and there was only one.  I screwed in a bolt and tightened down the other one, and now my hood flutter is mostly gone.  I am hoping that the hood pop up spring that Dino mentioned will be the last piece of the puzzle...

[myk]

It's more of a twist and push. You'll see it when you go to install it.   

Yeah so I'm just stupid, but I can't figure this out.  How does one twist and push the pop up spring onto the car?

[Dino]

It's more of a twist and push. You'll see it when you go to install it.   

Yeah so I'm just stupid, but I can't figure this out.  How does one twist and push the pop up spring onto the car?

It takes some persuasion but I'll give you a more straight forward solution. Don't do this if the paint on the panel is minty though.

There are two tabs on the panel across from each other; the bottom part of the spring needs to be under both of those with the bent end of the spring in the hole. Bend one of the tabs with pliers straight up. Stick the spring under the other tab and the end in the hole. Now bend the first tab back over the spring.

[myk]

Ah thanks Dino.  Sadly I think my panel is damaged in that I only have one of those tabs, specifically the one in front of the hole where the bent part of the spring goes.   I know you're busy, but could you post a picture of your panel if you have time?  If I'm missing a tab then I'll have to think of something else...

[Dino]

Never too busy to help out a friend! Unfortunately I went comatose about 4 minutes after I posted that message last night so I didn't see your post until this morning.

If you're missing that tab then that would explain why the spring was gone in the first place. It's just a retainer so get your car over to a garage with a welder and put the spring in place, ask them to weld a small tab on the panel and you'll be good to go.   

[myk]

Thanks alot Dino.  Hopefully the new spring will eliminate the last of the hood flutter...