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MG MGF Technical - Bonet release cable snapped, any ideas?

I have a 98' MGF, The bonet release cable is not releasing the bonet. Has anyone else experienced this and how was it resolved?
Neil


Much depends which end it's snapped. Do you konw?
Paul Nothard

are you sure it is snapped .mine often sticks and i have to pull the bonnet up by alittle pressure with my fingers .its as if the bonnet just needs prising by hand .; even though it has actually been relised
m e johnson

I agree, you need to find out where it has snapped.

Here is the cable route:

From the handle in the boot the cable enters the engine bay and then exits up through the parcel shelf (with the throttle cable), under the carpet. Both cables then travel together under the T-Bar and down the door revel (behind the carpet). They run along the driver's cill (through the metal box section) along to the fornt of the footwell, where the throttle cable then heads for the accelerator, whilst the bonnet cable runs up the bulkhead and into the underbonnet compartment. It follows the drivers side wing, running behind the headlamp and into the radiator housing. From here it enters an anti-criminal metal shield where it attaches to the bonnet release mechanism.

If you can find the point at which it has snapped, you should be able to grasp the cable in a pair of pliers and pull to release the bonnet. With the bonnet open you can then replace the cable.

HTH

SF
Scarlet Fever

The bonnet can also be opened with the use of a long screw-driver from below the front of the car to release the bonnet catch. Not done this myself but this was how the dealer done it when the bonnet release stopped working on my previous F. HTH.
Paul Lathwell

Yep. Can't recall details though. *Anything needs to be bent* to get access to the lock mechanic from below.

The cable almost slips off from the catch assy and if so, then secure it with a cable tie to prevent from happening again.
http://www.mgfcar.de/defects/fronthaube_kabelbinder.jpg

PS. never push back the release lever in place after opening. This may have caused the problem.


Dieter K.

If you have air conditioning, forget the underside root as the air con takes up any remaining space not taken by the the radiator.

I have had to take the front bumber off several times to get to the cable release and the only difficult bit are the screws in the bonnet jam. This is not easy especially if the gap is narrow but it is the only way if you have aircon.
Julian

I used the screwdriver method once and found it helped to unscrew the number plate and the wire mesh covering the lower grill first so I could get my arm through the gap. Not an easy thing to do, but it made locating the end of the screwdriver on the bonnet release slide much easier, because I could see what I was doing.

Chris
Chris

Looks like this thread could supply instructions for burglars ;)

---------------------
_Dear_ thieves,

no need to follow these instructions.
The MGF alarm system will come off if you try what's written above.
:)

Dieter K.

This thread was discussed between 09/08/2004 and 10/08/2004

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.