E36 bonnet wont open??

[DaveShark]

Hi, Just spent the day fiddling with my future trackday E36. Opened and closed the bonnet, as usual but went to open again after a quick blast and it wont budge?? Release handle is fine and is pulling the cord. I do not have kidney grilles fitted so I can reach the saftey catch but cannot see any thing else. It is too dark and cold now so will take another look on Saturday when I return from Cornwall. I've also tried pushing down again on bonnet but it is shut tight.

Anyone else had a similar issue??

[Sport Coupe]

Where the catches go into the two holes in the slam panel there is a metal ring in each hole that retracts when the handle is pulled. What has probably happened is that over the years crud has built up until these rings no longer retract fully. Get some brake cleaner and blast it into that area where the rings are located and loosen any grime with an old toothbrush, once cleaned, re-lubricate the rings with chainwax or something similar.

[DaveShark]

Thanks, I will try that and update.

[nottyash]

Yes my cable snapped recently.
Is the lever moving all the way?
There is a way of pushing out the left hand BMW grill to get acess to open it. Press hard against it to force it back.
2 parts to the cable, cost about 30 quid from the stealer.

[DaveShark]

Well, I got it open, fortunatly the cable release is fine. Problem seemed to be the off-side spring-catch just being stuck? It just took two people swearing and pulling and pushing in the traditional way to budge it!! Not sure how or why it stuck, but it is working again now.

[sniff diesel]

[DaveShark]

Thanks Sniff, I've already given it a good squirt, hehe. Also spent a bit of time soaking some of the more reluctant bolts. The 4 bolts that join the bumper to the arch-liners are especially tough!

[Apache]

for future ref, if you pull off the kidney grill you can access the lock