105 bonnet release cable broke !

[Justin Jacobs]

Ok guys i am hoping someone has a bright idea on how to get around this one.
The cable under the dash is now limp and feels like it has come adrift under my locked bonnet.
Keen to go on EMR this Sunday so any suggetsions welcome , regards JJ .

[Gary Pearce]

Your in deep Doo Doos.
First look closely under the dash, they sometimes just break close to the handle where the cable goes under the securing bolt. You might be able to pull the cable with a pair of pliers.
Failing that, jack up the car and slide under, looking up on the left hand side near the exhaust. You may be able to wiggle your arm up far enough to get a finger or two on to the cable or latch. I have done this with the help of a coat hanger wire.
Resist the temptation to just yank on the bonnet, you might bend it.
Good luck. If you need another cable, see me on the EMR.

[Justin Jacobs]

I was afraid you say that . Thought there might be some fancy bushmans trick !
Thanks i will go the monkey arm action .
See you at the EMR - regards JJ .

[Fast Eddie]

good luck monkey man

[Ash Gordon]

I had one break on me when I was looking at a car, the guy selling it was not impressed. 
Luckily it snapped close to the handle. We had to carefully remove some of the outer casing on the cable to find the end of the wire and pull with some needle nose pliers.

Not much help to you now I know but I now have a piece of 20 lb fishing line running the length of the cable tied through to the release just in case.


Good luck....

[Jekyll and Hyde]

Not much help to you now I know but I now have a piece of 20 lb fishing line running the length of the cable tied through to the release just in case.

Ironically that's almost exactly what a 116 has from the factory as a backup!

[pep105]

Yeah thats the one, one night as I went to open the bonnet of the GTV the bonnet cable broke, no worries I thought, just use this backup one (the one that looks like fishing line!) thinking what a great idea by Alfa to have a spare cable when the main one goes. Anyway go to pull on it and bang!!!! it breaks!!!!  first bloody time it was ever frikkin used - thanks a lot!!!!!. This was 11pm at night in front Alfa Melbourne checking out another GTV...........

I was ready to launch the stupid thing into the Yarra and walk home.

Anyway we put it on a hoist and mucked around with the bonnet latch from underneath using a long bar and in about 15 minutes we got the bonnet open, and changed the cable, and threw that spare one so far it wasnt funny

On my current 105 cable broke as well but from the handle end have been using pliers for the last err few umm years....however I brazed a fishing sinker on the end of the cable and so far so good. Got that idea from the guys at Milano Spares (they didnt have a cable  )

Good Luck 

[Justin Jacobs]

Glad to hear i am not alone and it appears as though many of you are seeking therapy via sharing your experiences ! Thats what a forum is all about .
Fishing line , pliers , long arm and a coat hanger - check .
Shall let you know how the surgery goes , JJ out .