Thought i would go check one more thing under the hood and and while doing so I was fazed by the silence of the hood release. Shouldn't be a worry, right? There's an emergency release nearby, that should save the day. It's easy to spot, it's a grey 14 gauge wire with a loop handle and it follows through the firewall to the latch. The engineers at Fiat were swift enough to think that out in case my hood release ever turns the age of 37 or older. A swift tug on the emergency release, and...nothing.
THE SURPRISE
Wait, what? Yank harder and... nothing. Back to the hood cable with a pair of pliers, back,forth back forth, and so on. Briskly bang on the hood, push down, pull up. Definetely latched. Back to the hood release, now it's evident there's a break as i can pull out the wire from its sheathing. Pull harder on the emergency cable? How hard? What if it snaps? I mean i've tested this out some time ago! I even point it out to other Fiat enthusiasts for future reference. Swift and repeated tugging. Still a big zero.
THE GRIM REALITY
Considering that this car can drive 600 miles per direction to FFO (plus another 250 miles of cruises and activities) without the need to open the hood to add oil, dealing with the stress of the fact that i'm locked out of my engine compartment will likely make the journey to FFO a show stopper. I'd be a nervous wreck till i return. Bad enough to deal with a possible breakdown, it would be exasperating if i need the urge to desperately access (axe my way into) the engine compartment. After all, it's a Fiat, an accessible engine bay is compulsory.
THE DO OR DIE
Ok, this "diddling" nonsense exceeded 20 distressing minutes. It became evident that as i got more desperate, the harder i pulled and struggled on the emergency release. Like 3 million pounds worth. I've developed new muscles in my index finger. Anyhow, the click that i've been waiting for finally materialized. That click was music to my ears, and sweet relief to my fraying nerves. (Why couldn't this happen last month or next month?) Now at least, i'm capable of crafting a new release cable for the road-trip to FFO!
THE SOLUTION
It turns out the cable did not break. It only released itself from the latch mechanism due to a loosened nut and the lack of a locknut and a large enough washer to properly secure it. As for the emergency hood release, the cable should not be tie rapped to the rest of the harness as we tend to do over the years as we detail and tidy up loose wires in the engine bay. After all, it looks like just any other wire.
THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
Also to consider is that any group of wires crossing the path of the hood latch in motion (or any other moving part) should be installed in sheathing and secured. For example, my headlight relay wiring intersects the hood latch. Should it fishhook itself on a hot wire or rub away the insulator it can spell disaster. And that bare end of the hood cable exceeding past the latch, it's nasty sharp. Always make sure it's not poking into the #4 ignition cable. I oriented it away, insulated it up and heat shrunk the tip.
Sometimes we take for granted the efficient operation of the simplest functions.
THE MENTAL DECAY
After all that, i forgot what was my original intention in the engine compartment.
Phaetn, still on track to our meeting checkpoint in several hours.
