Hey guys:

(I posted this in the GS400 forum too so if you answered there then don't bother here ;-)

Just wanted some advice on two things:

1) This was posted in a previous note but there wasn't too much response. My hood is not locking down and I know that the cable isn't broken so it must be something with the locking mechanism. I tried pushing it down with a screwdriver to make sure it goes all the way down but that isn't helping. The only thing holding the hood down right now is the secondary latch so it looks like hell and it's dangerous too.

Do you have any advice on how to get the mechanism to turn over and lock up when the hood loop goes into it?

By the way slamming the hood down isn't working out for me..................

;-)

2) Has the brand of air filter made a big difference for any of you? I've used all kinds (Fram, Wicks, other off market stuff) and haven't felt much of a difference but I'm open to suggestions as I am going to buy a couple this week.

Thanks a lot,

Paul

99 GS400 BLACK ON BLACK

 

I switched to a K & N air filter myself & I am very happy with it's performance (this will spark yet another debate on the subject I'm thinking mind you as many like the K & N & others prefer the regular paper filters for many different reasons including past problems with their K & N). Just my 2 cents.

 

I strongly recommend using the OEM filter. It is of extremely good quality and designed to let very little dirt pass at all. You can buy them at a discounted rate from several online vendors linked from this website.

The K&N filter might give you an extra horsepower or two, but it's able to do this because it's less restrictive in air flow. It has been proven in more than one test that the K&N lets noticably more dirt through than most other standard (non-guaze/oil based) filters. Although the amount of dirt it lets through is certainly nothing to worry about anytime soon, if you keep your car for 10 years you might start to wonder if it might be running a bit cleaner/smoother if it didn't have to digest quite as much dust over the years.

K&N and other oil-based filters also tend to have a problem with getting oil on the mass airflow sensors and messing up the oxygen readings in the car. This is very rare, though, and more commonly happens after the user cleans their filter and reoils it themselves... usually they end up over-oiling the filter.

 

I put a K&N in 35k miles ago and have no problem. I have even oiled it once carefully.

If I wasn't using that, I would just stay with the stock Denso filter and change in annually.

steviej

 

I have the same issue as the first post

My hood is not locking down and I know that the cable isn't broken so it must be something with the primary locking mechanism. I tried pushing it down with a screwdriver to make sure it goes all the way down but that isn't helping. The only thing holding the hood down right now is the secondary latch.

Do you have any advice on how to get the mechanism to turn over and lock up when the hood loop goes into it?

By the way slamming the hood down isn't working out for me

thanks
josh

 

There's been a recent posting on the hood latch problem, but your symptoms are the same as mine. Even though the cable isn't broken, it's probably still the cable not acting freely. Does the pull lever inside the car once you pop the hood stay loose and not reset? If so, it's probably still the cable. I think the dealership wants something like $285 to fix it (mostly labor - running the new cable), but I'd try this first: spray WD-40 (or similar) into where the cable leaves the hood latch and goes into the shroud (cable cover). This should be behind the latch and in front of the radiator. This will hopefully lubricate the cable and stop it from binding. Then go inside the car and pull the hood lever and number of times and hopefully the tension will return and stay in the "closed position". Then pull it a few more times to work the lubrication into the cable. Then you should be able to close the hood (without slamming). This has been working for me for the last 6 months and I hope it works for you.

Happy New Year.

 

You can also open the hood and tug on the cable under the frame in front. It works for me and not a real chance of breaking the cable either.