-How to- Move your hood pop release cable to a safer area (add on to theft and security)
11-30-2003, 01:36 PM
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-How to- Move your hood pop release cable to a safer area (add on to theft and security)
-From a friend of LVDR.net-
As you probably know, Honda goofed when they routed the hood release cable under the driver's side fender. Anyone can just pull off the plastic cover that's under the fender and open the hood just as if they had pulled on the lever that's in the car. They can then disconnect the battery (to kill the alarm) and or help themselves to anything under the hood.
Here are the instructions on re-routing the hood release cable so it passes through the engine compartment instead and is not accessible from the outside.
First, the disassembly
Remember to start by opening your hood first, once you start pulling stuff apart, you would not be able to open it.
You need to remove:
1) The drivers side kick panel.
2) The two screws (10mm) that attach the hood release lever next to the fuse panel.
3) The drivers side front mudguard. (if you have mudguards)
4) The front drivers side plastic inner fender cover. (it will be easier if you remove the tire)
5) The metal bracket that holds the three engine wiring harnesses. (it is located on the firewall just behind the drivers side strut tower). Disconnect the three plugs so you can work easier.
Now remove the hood release cable from the hood release lever inside the car (you need to turn it a certain way so it will slide out.)
Look under the fender and notice which cable is the hood release (there are two other rubber hoses down there.) The hood release cable is the thin black one that has plastic clips attaching it to the fender every couple of inches. There is a rubber grommet where the cable goes into the car. Pull on the grommet and it will come out.
Pull the cable out of the hole making sure it doesn't catch on anything inside the car.
Now you need to remove all of the plastic clips that hold the cable to the fender. You can pry them off with a screwdriver. (save a couple for use later)
Once the cable is free from the clips, go around the front of the car and find where the cable goes into the fender (just behind the Drivers side headlight.) Pull the cable back so it doesn't go into the fender anymore.
Now route the cable through the inside of the engine compartment towards the firewall. I had to go over the strut tower because there wasn't enough slack to go around it.
The best place I found to drill into the firewall is right next to where the clutch cable goes in. I drilled about 2 inches to the drivers side of the clutch cable. Make the hole large enough to fit the end of the cable through.
Now run the cable in through the hole. The tip of the cable has to pass behind the fuse panel and come out where the hood release lever goes.
Attach the cable back to the hood release lever and bolt the lever back on.
Test the lever now to make sure it works. If the lever is hard or gets stuck, check for any kinks in the cable, the cable must stay as straight as possible.
Push the rubber grommet up to the hole you drilled in the firewall (use black sealant to seal it)
Now determine the best place to attach the plastic clips to hold the cable securely. I drilled a hole in the top of the strut tower for mine and re-used an existing hole on the side of the engine compartment for another one.
Now reattach the engine harness cables and the bracket for the cables.
Seal the hole under the fender where the cable used to enter with sealant.
Re-attach the fender inner cover and mudguard.
Put tire back on if you took it off.
Re-attach kick panel cover inside the car.
That's it, you should be done. It took me about 45 minutes
As you probably know, Honda goofed when they routed the hood release cable under the driver's side fender. Anyone can just pull off the plastic cover that's under the fender and open the hood just as if they had pulled on the lever that's in the car. They can then disconnect the battery (to kill the alarm) and or help themselves to anything under the hood.
Here are the instructions on re-routing the hood release cable so it passes through the engine compartment instead and is not accessible from the outside.
First, the disassembly
Remember to start by opening your hood first, once you start pulling stuff apart, you would not be able to open it.
You need to remove:
1) The drivers side kick panel.
2) The two screws (10mm) that attach the hood release lever next to the fuse panel.
3) The drivers side front mudguard. (if you have mudguards)
4) The front drivers side plastic inner fender cover. (it will be easier if you remove the tire)
5) The metal bracket that holds the three engine wiring harnesses. (it is located on the firewall just behind the drivers side strut tower). Disconnect the three plugs so you can work easier.
Now remove the hood release cable from the hood release lever inside the car (you need to turn it a certain way so it will slide out.)
Look under the fender and notice which cable is the hood release (there are two other rubber hoses down there.) The hood release cable is the thin black one that has plastic clips attaching it to the fender every couple of inches. There is a rubber grommet where the cable goes into the car. Pull on the grommet and it will come out.
Pull the cable out of the hole making sure it doesn't catch on anything inside the car.
Now you need to remove all of the plastic clips that hold the cable to the fender. You can pry them off with a screwdriver. (save a couple for use later)
Once the cable is free from the clips, go around the front of the car and find where the cable goes into the fender (just behind the Drivers side headlight.) Pull the cable back so it doesn't go into the fender anymore.
Now route the cable through the inside of the engine compartment towards the firewall. I had to go over the strut tower because there wasn't enough slack to go around it.
The best place I found to drill into the firewall is right next to where the clutch cable goes in. I drilled about 2 inches to the drivers side of the clutch cable. Make the hole large enough to fit the end of the cable through.
Now run the cable in through the hole. The tip of the cable has to pass behind the fuse panel and come out where the hood release lever goes.
Attach the cable back to the hood release lever and bolt the lever back on.
Test the lever now to make sure it works. If the lever is hard or gets stuck, check for any kinks in the cable, the cable must stay as straight as possible.
Push the rubber grommet up to the hole you drilled in the firewall (use black sealant to seal it)
Now determine the best place to attach the plastic clips to hold the cable securely. I drilled a hole in the top of the strut tower for mine and re-used an existing hole on the side of the engine compartment for another one.
Now reattach the engine harness cables and the bracket for the cables.
Seal the hole under the fender where the cable used to enter with sealant.
Re-attach the fender inner cover and mudguard.
Put tire back on if you took it off.
Re-attach kick panel cover inside the car.
That's it, you should be done. It took me about 45 minutes
11-30-2003, 06:56 PM
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Re: (llewsirc)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by llewsirc »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">any pics?
i cant read very good =]
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Good info.
i cant read very good =]
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Good info.
11-30-2003, 07:11 PM
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hey. im not trying to put you down or anything but i could prolly still pop your hood with the wire moved. the latch is always gonna be in the front middle of the car. i have small hands and arms so i just stick my arm through the bumper and pull hard where the wire attaches to the latch. im not a thief or anything but ive opened the hood before. didnt take apart the fender just put my hand through the bumper. i might also suggest a grill if you want protection . hondas have big grill holes
11-30-2003, 07:42 PM
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Re: (ekb18cCivic)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ekb18cCivic »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">awesome thread.. very valuable info... but some pics might help 
.</TD></TR></TABLE>
.</TD></TR></TABLE>
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11-30-2003, 08:00 PM
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Re: (lowblazin)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lowblazin »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hey. im not trying to put you down or anything but i could prolly still pop your hood with the wire moved. the latch is always gonna be in the front middle of the car. i have small hands and arms so i just stick my arm through the bumper and pull hard where the wire attaches to the latch. im not a thief or anything but ive opened the hood before. didnt take apart the fender just put my hand through the bumper. i might also suggest a grill if you want protection . hondas have big grill holes</TD></TR></TABLE>
Heres hoping that every honda theif has big fat forearms.
Heres hoping that every honda theif has big fat forearms.
11-30-2003, 09:21 PM
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Re: -How to- Move your hood pop release cable to a safer area (Tur*bLu)
this is awesome info, I live in the #1 place for car theft, Phoenix, AZ...I need all the help I can get!!!
12-01-2003, 08:01 AM
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Re: (lowblazin)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lowblazin »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hey. im not trying to put you down or anything but i could prolly still pop your hood with the wire moved. the latch is always gonna be in the front middle of the car. i have small hands and arms so i just stick my arm through the bumper and pull hard where the wire attaches to the latch. im not a thief or anything but ive opened the hood before. didnt take apart the fender just put my hand through the bumper. i might also suggest a grill if you want protection . hondas have big grill holes</TD></TR></TABLE>
I've realized this and thought about this. Well I'll be turbo'd soon so good luck on them getting passed my intercooler like that. But to others who are not gonna be running a huge FMIC I'll be thinking of another way to also block that cable. Sorry no pictures, no digicam yet, plus christmas has broken my bank. So probably no digicam for a while.
I've realized this and thought about this. Well I'll be turbo'd soon so good luck on them getting passed my intercooler like that. But to others who are not gonna be running a huge FMIC I'll be thinking of another way to also block that cable. Sorry no pictures, no digicam yet, plus christmas has broken my bank. So probably no digicam for a while.
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