Hood Hinge Adjusting

[JohnC]

Hi all....So a few months back I replaced the motor mounts so I took the hood off.....which I knew would be a problem when reinstalling...so after installing the hood back on a few weeks back, everything I tried, I can't get the rear of the hood to sit flat. When I took it off it sat pretty well...Reading all the posts on here....is a rebuild or buy a set the way to go...I did notice that when I open the hood now, there is a little slop in it now...it doesn't sit all the way up...once i open i all the way, it looks like it drops a couple inches.

Thank All

[Joseph Stebbins]

Did you drill an 1/8” pair of holes through the hinge and boot before you removed it? That is the best way to make a reference for re-installation.

It sounds like it would be a good thing to rebuild them. If you can have somebody move the hood in the midpoint up and down while you look at the pivot points on the hinges if they jiggle side to side or up and down while that is going on you need to rebuild them.

[Barry Wolk]

Did you take the hinge loose from the body? Are your springs worn into the perches? Just the smallest amount or wear will make your hood droop. Are your rear-most hood bolts tightened to spec? Don't over-tighten.

[JohnC]

Hey Joseph...I did not drill the 1/8 holes...I learned about this after the fact. I will have someone move the hood to see if it jiggles at the pivot points...would this affect the hood not sitting flush at the rear. I can't get it down about 1/4"....maybe a little less.

[JohnC]

Hey Barry hope all is well. I did not take the hinge loose from the body...I never went under the dash to loosen the nut under there. I do have a very noticeable hood droop now that i didn't have before I took the hood off...will this effect the hood not sitting flush at the rear now also? Even if we push down on the rear of the hood. it won't budge. It seems like it up a 1/4"...maybe a little less and the gap is wide too. I tried to take a picture or 2 but you really couldn't see it in the pictures.

Thanks

[Barry Wolk]

Did you replace the engine compartment seal?

[JohnC]

The seal around the back side of the hood? I did not

[Barry Wolk]

The seal that attaches to the cowl to prevent water from getting into the engine compartment. Did you check the tightness of the rear 5/16” fine bolts?

[JohnC]

I didnt touch that seal...you think it may be binding up on that? It wasn't before. I replaced the old bolts with new grade 8 5/16-24...i think we torqued it down to 20lbs. Not only does it not sit flush, it seems like it needs to go back a little. I'm all the way back on the oblong holes on the hood...it seems like the way it arcs in (if that makes sense) is off.

[Barry Wolk]

Sounds like worn hinges. Watch the rivets while someone hyper-extends the hood looking for movement.