Stuck Engine Lid

[Germaneighter]

Lid is stuck closed. Had wife pull hard on cable while I tried to raise.......no luck. Latch sounds like it is moving when cable is pulled. I think cable clamp has slipped.

How do get it open?

[widebody911]

I did this to myself when I installed my C2 lid and had to make some adjustments. I ended up having my neighbor pull the cable while I yanked, wiggled and cussed at the engine lid. If the clamp has truly slipped, I'm not sure how you'd get it open.

[Jbabic]

Maybe its the cars way of asking are you qualified to work on the engine....ensure the cable isn't slipping, if teh cable does not force the lock to open, you could be in for a treat

Try & jiggle the lid around a little, side to side & up & down, with someone tugging on the cable. I got mine open this way when I bought the car. If this doesn't work then I think you'll need to start removing the muffler/ rear bumper etc.

good luck.

[tsuter]

It clamps from the left side. So if you try the lid "wiggle", wiggle it to the right. I have a turbo tail so when the lid gets stuck, I can usually just grab the tail and shift the whole lid to the right a fraction or so.

[McDaniel]

About the jiggling. Also try instead of pulling up...push down on
lid. Also push lid up toward the back window. How much cable
are you getting when pulling the handle?

[Jbabic]

try the chicken dance while your at it....the germans like a good chicken dance...

[widebody911]

Originally posted by Jbabic
Maybe its the cars way of asking are you qualified to work on the engine....

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION.

[Jdub]

If you can reach them, turn the rubber bumpers inside the trunk on R and L side all the way in. This will give you more room to wiggle the lid.

Failing this you are going to need some very fine stiff wire, such as coat hanger.

John

[82SC]

i know there is a factory approved way to open the front trunk if the cable breaks...it does involve drilling a hole in the trunk frame...I have no idea what you'd have to do for the rear but maybe something similar...maybe call your local well-known wrench or a porsche dealership...I am sure they had a problem like this before...

good luck

MJ

[911boost]

Whatever you do, don't get too frustrated, take a break after awhile or you will end up being mad at yourself if you dent break or destroy something.

BTW I have also had this problem and had someone pull the release lever and wiggled the lid....

Good luck

[Gunter]

While someone pulls on the release, push the lid down a little, then try and move the lid to the left a bit, keeping the left corner a little lower than the right, now wiggle it up. The latch locks from the left. By trying the above, the male part of the mechanism may just slip past the latch. Good luck and keep your cool.

[Targa Dude]

Germen, What year is your Porsche? the reason I ask is because if you have a rear reflector that can be removed.. there are access holes behind it. with the proper bending of a coat hanger I think you can get to the latch release mechinism.

Jorge (Targa Dude)

[Bill Douglas]

Engine lid latches have a "fail open" design, so if the cable breaks the engine lid can still be opened. I would recommend lossening off or cutting the cable. Then once the eingine lid is open you can get a replacement cable in. Spray lots of oil in around the latch before you cut anything through, and pull and wigglw on the lid.

[JCR]

My $.02:

This happened to my early car a while ago while I was adjusting decklid fit.

I wedged a screwdriver handle in the "T" handle to keep full tension (I was alone at the time).

Now the scarey part: I pushed the rear edge of the decklid forward, slightly crowning the decklid, thus moving the post forward.

With forward pressure still applied, I gently moved up and the post snuck past the latch and opened with no problems.

I also put some rags around the screwdriver and front edge of decklid to avoid any paint damage.

Good Luck and be patient!

[stormcrow]

Press down on the center of the lid where the latch is located and have someone pull the lever. This should free it unless of course, you have really tightned down the catch then you have to go to plan "B".

Steve

"A Porsche does more then just going fast in a straight line"

[Harlan Chinn]

Great advice from everyone! Keep cool and be patient! If all else fails there's aways the JAWS OF LIFE at the local fire station.

[Germaneighter]

To all who have replied: Thanks for the advise. The car is a '79 Targa. The lid is a temporary while I do some work on the "tailed" lid. When I first installed the temp lid it was working but I had to use the wedged screwdriver trick to hold the "T" handle because it would not pop up as it should. Since it was a temp set-up I was not worrying too much. Now that my 225K mile SC needs an oil level check, the lid is stuck. Thus my assumption that the cable clamp has slipped. I have tried the wiggle, push, pull, chicken dance method to no avail. The stops are all the way in. Obviously I am no expert but I feel the latch spring should raise the lid off the latch, not the pressure of the rubber stops. I am leery of being too forceful even with the temp lid as it is perfect. The tail lid was worked over by p.o. or his mechanic, both on this SC and my '79 930, both resulting in a low spot , (dent), in the lower center. My hope was that Porsche had an emergency hole drill procedure as on the boot. I think even with the reflector off, there is no access except for some very narrow slots under the rear deck seal. I will get flashlight and stiff wire and try again tonight.
Thanks especially to widebody911 and Jbabic for their insightful help.

[greglepore]

Funny thing, I was going to post this question myself. I have an 85 that 's in the shop for a repaint. I was having an RS 3.8 tail fitted. The first time they closed it, all was fine. Second time, stuck. Two guys twisting and moving couldn't get it freed. Not sure what our options are at this point. There is a lift available, but it doesn't look like it makes any sense to try to access from below. We're stumped.

[jyl]

Could always slip a hacksaw blade under the rear deck seal. Last resort, of course.