For all those with cooling panels Options

[Sinyk]

I can't close my hood with the cooling panel installed. Every time I try to close the hood, it bounces back up because it collides with the hood stand. The only way I can seem to get the hood to close is by slamming it about as hard as possible which is unacceptable, so how can I get my hood to close WITHOUT removing the hood stand bar? I do not want to install hood shocks nor do I want to carry my hood stand in the trunk. It seems like a lot of people are using these panels and must be able to close their hoods, so how do I do it?

With it in place:


Where the hood prop keeps hitting the bar.


I noticed that the frame bends inward to accommodate the hood stand, but the cooling panel straightens this section.


Please help. I'm very frustrated...

[ZGear]

I don't have this issue since I'm using hood dampers, but when I did a test fit I had the same results. One thing I messed around with was how it was placed. Try having the front part of the cooling plate go inside of the front bumper if you can and see if it makes any changes.

[njccmd2002]

take it of and put it in the trunk. Sorry but thats it.

[Hanyo]

file the section of the bar flat so it can accommodate the hood, or you can try to hammer it flat. I know it sound dodgy but its the fastest way to eliminate the problem.

[Lil-Joe101]

First of all by viewing ur panel install in the pic. Tuck the front of the panel into the front bumper. (pretty much reinstall it by placeing the front end down first.) next, notice that ur hoop prop is bent in bend it slightly out (not straight up and donw but a tad more) Dont worry this wont effect its strength in anyway. now when u close ur hood the prop should sit in front of the safety latch but the hook should still be behind the front bumper. (no more prop stay) sorry. Also lower ur hood bumpers(the rubber things on ur core support) slight more. Your hood should shut perfectly now. When u open ur hood u will need to stick two fingers in so one can pull the prop forward and the other can pull the safety latch.

This post has been edited by Lil-Joe101: Apr 8, 2009 - 4:05 AM

[stetsonaw]

i'll take pics of mine tomorrow, works perfectly, with the rod going behind the hood latch, not getting in the way.

[Sinyk]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I look forward to your pics stetsonaw. I never thought about bending the bar to go in front of the latch instead of behind. Hmm.... I may have to try that, after I see these pictures of course!

Also, I took a look at installing it with the front edge in the bumper and for the most part it would fit, but on the far right side, there wasn't anywhere for it to fit in. Maybe I need to take a closer look, but the issue wasn't with the hood hitting the front, it was hitting the bar that holds up the hood and bouncing back off. (I think it way have touched the front edge of the hole for the latch, but the mark on the metal was very tiny, not to mention it would probably flex a bit downwards.)

This post has been edited by Sinyk: Apr 8, 2009 - 2:28 PM

[trdproven]

Plain and simple...

1. remove the hood rubber (middle only) and the hood prop (put in trunk) or inside.
2. get hood dampers.
3. there is no way to keep the hood prop with the cooling panel because the panel is in the way of the prop actually sitting in its right position. The prop actually sits lower than the panel. For example the swivel section of the prop has to reach the locking section at the other end but the middle (cooling panel is too high).

Sorry but this is the only ways, even if you modify the hood prop you would still have to realize #3. The prop would have to go under the panel and at the same time you would have to maneuver it up and under the panel each time you want to use it.

This post has been edited by trdproven: Apr 9, 2009 - 9:55 AM

[stetsonaw]

sorry, sick today, i'll try to get the pics tomorrow, to prove that mine works just fine with both installed.

[Sinyk]

Arg.. Get well soon. I'm still looking forward to your pictures. I didn't have time to mess around with it yesterday. I had to golf.

[trdproven]

sorry, sick today, i'll try to get the pics tomorrow, to prove that mine works just fine with both installed.

I have a feeling your cooling panel is bent and at the same time your hood is a tight fit.

[stetsonaw]

here's what you've all been waiting for. plate is not bent (where the rod is, yes, the front piece is bent a lil to get to the open latch), i did however bend my rod a little bit so that it would "stick" under the front. the first few times, yes, i did have to slam it, but now it closes just fine. oh, and my clip is broke, but it doesn't look like it has to be.
and yes, i know it's dirty


This post has been edited by stetsonaw: Apr 9, 2009 - 10:59 PM

[Sinyk]

ok, so how is that different than what I have (apart from the front edge being tucked in)?Did the edge of the panel where the bar touches it get pushed in a bit from the few slams you said you did? Is that why it fits now?

[stetsonaw]

nope, just tucked the front, and that puts it low enough, at least it works for me

[Sinyk]

I'll give it a try tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll try joe's idea.

It has to work. It looks too good in there!



This post has been edited by Sinyk: Apr 10, 2009 - 1:53 AM

[trdproven]

here's what you've all been waiting for. plate is not bent (where the rod is, yes, the front piece is bent a lil to get to the open latch), i did however bend my rod a little bit so that it would "stick" under the front. the first few times, yes, i did have to slam it, but now it closes just fine. oh, and my clip is broke, but it doesn't look like it has to be.
and yes, i know it's dirty

This is what I meant, it won't be a clean close hood. If you are still determined to get it closed with the hood prop and you treasure your cooling panel from being bent, don't try. Well really its your car so do whatever.

This post has been edited by trdproven: Apr 10, 2009 - 12:11 PM

[Sinyk]

ding ding ding!

Lil-Joe101 is the winner with his bend the bar around the front of the latch idea!

First I tried to "tuck" the front of the cooling panel in the small groove on the front side to no avail. Either the panel was cut too wide or my car's shape has changed over time because only the left 2/3's of the panel would go in. The right 1/3 would not and did not have a hope in hell of fitting in the groove.




Here is as close as I could get to tucking it in:


This is how tight it is. As I said, no chance...

I may try filing the edge of the plate down to see if it will tuck in at some point in the future.


So then I tried Lil-Joe101's idea about bending the bar forward and my hood closed! I admit, the bar looks a bit funny now when it's up, sticking out and curved, but it seems to hold just fine. I may try to smooth out the curve of the bar a bit before calling it a day.



Closure!


This post has been edited by Sinyk: Apr 10, 2009 - 12:42 PM

[stetsonaw]

never said that wouldn't work, just a pain in the tail to open the hood.

[trdproven]

ding ding ding!

Lil-Joe101 is the winner with his bend the bar around the front of the latch idea!

First I tried to "tuck" the front of the cooling panel in the small groove on the front side to no avail. Either the panel was cut too wide or my car's shape has changed over time because only the left 2/3's of the panel would go in. The right 1/3 would not and did not have a hope in hell of fitting in the groove.




Here is as close as I could get to tucking it in:


This is how tight it is. As I said, no chance...

I may try filing the edge of the plate down to see if it will tuck in at some point in the future.


So then I tried Lil-Joe101's idea about bending the bar forward and my hood closed! I admit, the bar looks a bit funny now when it's up, sticking out and curved, but it seems to hold just fine. I may try to smooth out the curve of the bar a bit before calling it a day.



Closure!

that sucks a bit, hood will be lower when you use it and your hood prop is not even locked. TRDPROVEN = ANTI-RIGGING/PRO-OEM

This post has been edited by trdproven: Apr 10, 2009 - 9:16 PM

[Sinyk]

I don't really find it any more difficult to open the hood. You just pop it as usual, then reach in with 1 finger, under the bar, and lift. Also I don't think I'm losing much clearance for working under the hood. I'm barely 5'10" so I don't have to worry about feeling cramped. Also, wouldn't oem be not removing the bar/carrying it in the trunk and not installing hood dampers?

Regardless, I'm just being critical. I'm glad it's in and I don't feel like I almost wasted my money anymore.