Engine Hatch Popping Open

[kevinn]

I have a '82 911sc Targa engine hatch that pops open after turns at moderate speed. I used white grease on the hatch lock and pin but no luck. I am not sure how to adjust the pin/lock.

Anyone have any ideas how to fix this?

[ericbash]

I spent many hours trying to make this adjustment. Finally bought the lower receiver which took ten minutes to replace. The problem is that the receiver wears out over time. The hood shocks keep a continuous upward pressure on the deck lid. Body flex around turns or bumps pops the hood.

While you are adjusting the receiver and definitely if you replace it, remove and leave the grill off the rear lid so that you can reach into the engine compartment and open the latch by hand if the pull lever does not release.

If you don't do this and the lid is stuck closed, the only way to open the lid involves removing the rear bumper and muffler.

The part is 90151205200.

I think I have an brand new extra one if you pm me.

[sugarwood]

Kevin,

Look down into the hole, and then behind it. When handle is pulled out, the little inside lip should be pulled to the left, out of the center, so the prong released. When you let it go, the inner lip should protrude into the circle a little bit, so it grabs the male prong to keep the lid closed. Push and pull on the lever under the hole (like revving with a throttle cable), and observe the inside latch, and you will see how it works.

The end of the latch wire may have slipped a few mm's under the adjustment screw behind the female latch. This slippage resulted in the deck lid staying open since the inner catching latch was now in default open position. If it's slipping open, that inside lip might need to be adjusted towards the middle more, since it's not catching. It's a simple 60 second adjustment to unscrew, and push the latch arm back a little bit on the wire, and re-tighten. You might need to use vice grips to keep the door sill release handle pulled out, but I can't remember.

[Trailbraker]

Is your deck lid snug when you shut it? There should be 2 adjustable (threaded cylinder) rubber stops. That is what my '84 Carrera has. When the deck lid is shut, you are playing the latch with the building pressure from the adjustable stops. That should help keep the lid closed.
Just thought that this other element of the latched-closed-rear-deck-lid should be mentioned.
It is called a 'hood stop buffer' 999-703-140-41-OEM (or instead of -OEM, -M136) in Pelican Catalog. These things beak down over the years, and the lid gets loose. Simplest thing to replace, or adjust.

[JSV798]

As Eric says, it is a good idea to remove the grille BEFORE you attempt adjustment. When adjusting bear in mind that the cable must be pre-tensioned. First make sure that the handle is fully screwed onto the cable at the door end. At the lock end loosen the cable clamp screw; the lock will then be open; it opens automatically if the cable breaks. Move the lever with the clamp screw to a point where you can see most of the "blade" and tighten the clamp screw. Test. If it fails to open you can reach in through the grille opening and release the lock lever by hand.

It is important to realize that the lock has two open positions: one when the cables has no tension and two when you pull on the handle. This clever design means that if the cable breaks the lock opens, otherwise as you have found there is a problem.

The front hood lock was the same on the early models but has been changed. Presumably it was thought not to be such a good idea to have the hood unlock at speed.

[kevinn]

Many thanks fellas - will get the tools out and tack and report back. Cheers

[jhmol]

Kevin, Thanks for the post and please report your success. Porsche engineering is crazy amazing. My 1982SC just started doing the exact same thing. How can parts on two cars have the same issue within a month of each other 34 years after being built? Crazy.
To the advisors, thanks for the "remove grill" before work idea. That is a trap I would have fallen into.
JHM

[DRACO A5OG]

The Remove Grill trick works great for alignment of the lid as well.

I also use a flash light and peak to the side and under neath to eye ball the alignment as well.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by jhmol

Porsche engineering is crazy amazing. My 1982SC just started doing the exact same thing. How can parts on two cars have the same issue within a month of each other 34 years after being built? Crazy.
JHM

It's called a coincidence. You overlook the other tens of thousands of other SC owners whose lids did not come loose this month.

[DRACO A5OG]

^^^ lol

[r-mm]

This happened to me and the solution lay with verifying your decklid is latching TWICE as intended. Once will keep it closed with great authority to the naked eye - mine shut with perfect lines and a nice clunk - only to open up on the road. I put my palms right around the strike and gave it a nice firm push I would hear the second latch click into place. Make sure you're getting both. I've never had the lid open since I realized this. No different to the way a door latches twice, but maybe not as obvious since there isn't a big puffy rubber seal to act as a tell when you've only latched once.

[lucifer572]

When things are properly adjusted and you pull the release cable should the lid pop open? This is my only problem/question with mine. I pull the handle and I can open the lid but it doesn't pop up when released.

[DRACO A5OG]

It should pop/release then allow you to go to the back and lift then the struts take over (if struts are good though).

You may need adjustment or lubrication.

On the 3.2, the side rubber stops are sometimes not properly adjusted causing too much resistance or to little.

[universeman]

When I refreshed my lid and struts, the struts when new would open the lid all the way. Now they do what DRACO says - handle releases latch and struts lift it a bit, and then when I go back and boost the lid, it goes up on its own.

[sugarwood]

Mine has a tail so it doesn't really pop.
I think I only have one strut holding it up.
But, otherwise, I think that's what the spring is for.

[juanbenae]

adjust the catch portion of the latch after moving the cinch block cable hold piece a bit tighter. use a needle nose vise grip to hold the cable after loosening the set screw, move the cinch block about a 1/4" or so tighter, toward the driver's side, reset screw. you should have a ton of tug by then and can move the body latch adjustment to secure the hood.

the problem lies in just adjusting the body portion and then attempting to get it to pull enough with a stretch, 40 y/o cable.

its all in the cinch block grasshoppers...

[RSBob]

If adjusting the catch-lip doesn't work you can also lengthening the male plunger just a bit. You can also shift the whole assembly right or left. Be sure as others suggested to remove the grill first in case you need access.

Also if you do manage to lock yourself closed you can have someone pull on the T while you wiggle the lid side to side.

[skotso]

Originally Posted by RSBob

If adjusting the catch-lip doesn't work you can also lengthening the male plunger just a bit. You can also shift the whole assembly right or left. Be sure as others suggested to remove the grill first in case you need access.

Also if you do manage to lock yourself closed you can have someone pull on the T while you wiggle the lid side to side.

Sorry to awaken this thread so many years later, but I'm having a problem with getting my latch to hold closed... So the male side is adjustable? I tried unscrewing it a bit but it wouldn't budge. Bent my screw drive with the effort. I assumed that I was doing something wrong.My first thought was I should get the new part but thats $175 so figured I should ask if I was missing something...

[Richard.S]

Same issue here... deck lid won't stay closed. I'm wondering how much catch should be visible when properly adjusted.

Does anyone have an image of a properly adjusted catch?

If I manually open the latch and place a pin in the hole on the left side of the female receiver, the pin will hold the latch in a closed position. Is this a design feature to hold the latch in the proper closed position as you tighten the cable?

For reference, here's a top and bottom view of the catch position with a pin inserted directly through the top and bottom guide holes:

[Matthew_VA]

I recently had to adjust mine since it wasn't catching... Here is what mine looks like.

What I did was I just kept adjusting (increasing) the amount of catch visible to the point where it would still be completely clear when I pulled the latch pull...