squeaking hood latch

[Steve Antaya]

Hi all, I have had my 90 Miata for ten happy years now with only one small
problem, my hood latch has a squeak after the car has been driven for a
short time. Let me tell you finding where that squeak was coming from was an
adventure in itself. I usually give it a shot of WD40 every couple of weeks
and that takes care of the problem for a while. I was wondering if any of
you had the same problem and if there is a more permanent fix?

Steve

[Michael Heinitz]

My 90 has the same problem, I think. Mine is more of a squeaky rattle
caused by a worn striker(the metal loop attatched to the hood). The
excess slop makes it rattle and squeak and no adjustments would help. I
used electrical(plastic) tape and wrapped a little around the striker.
Works well, but I have to replace the tape about every 6 months.
My glovebox door had a similar problem; it would rattle on rough roads
and the latch was at fault. I used the same trick for it too-keeps it
quiet, but makes the latch a little stiff.
-Michael

[Peter Owitz]

Holy Shit did it take a long time for me to find this on my 90. I would
hear when going over bumps, and would swear it was coming from the passenger
side. When I had a passenger they would tell me it was coming from the
drivers side. So, of course it had to be coming from underneath the
dashboard, right? For months, I couldn't locate anything loose.

Then, one marvelous day, I got out ahead of my passenger was was waiting by
the front of the car when he closed the door, and viola! I found it.

The solution is white lithium grease (still have my tube, although my 97
doesn't repeat the problem).

P
Steve Antaya wrote in message ...

[Alan Thompson]

holy sh*t too!

it took me weeks to find the same squeak, AND the same exact glove box
rattle!

i fixed the glove box with the tape trick mentioned below, but i do the
wd-40 trick on the hood latch every two weeks as well... i was driving
around last night on 3rd (in san francisco) and the squeak starting
again - time for a new spraying of wd-40...

> Then, one marvelous day, I got out ahead of my passenger was was waiting by
> the front of the car when he closed the door, and viola! I found it.

that's exactly how i finally found it!

> The solution is white lithium grease (still have my tube, although my 97
> doesn't repeat the problem).

so, what is this "white lithium grease?" and where can i find it???

any other solutions out there?

--alan
(who's really excited to find someone else with the same exact nagging
problems!)

Michael Heinitz wrote:
>
> My 90 has the same problem, I think. Mine is more of a squeaky rattle
> caused by a worn striker(the metal loop attatched to the hood). The
> excess slop makes it rattle and squeak and no adjustments would help. I
> used electrical(plastic) tape and wrapped a little around the striker.
> Works well, but I have to replace the tape about every 6 months.
> My glovebox door had a similar problem; it would rattle on rough roads
> and the latch was at fault. I used the same trick for it too-keeps it
> quiet, but makes the latch a little stiff.
> -Michael
>
> Steve Antaya wrote:
> >

> > Hi all, I have had my 90 Miata for ten happy years now with only one small
> > problem, my hood latch has a squeak after the car has been driven for a
> > short time. Let me tell you finding where that squeak was coming from was an
> > adventure in itself. I usually give it a shot of WD40 every couple of weeks
> > and that takes care of the problem for a while. I was wondering if any of
> > you had the same problem and if there is a more permanent fix?
> >
> > Steve

--
alan thompson...........................................
Director, West Coast Technical Operations
DIGEX West Coast Facility, Cupertino, CA
408.873.4253
.........................................al...@digex.net

[Peter Owitz]

white lithium grease is ...uh...white lithium grease. Its a thick, gloppy,
white, messy, grease, that you can get nearly anywhere.

Its particularly good for jobs like this, where it needs to hold tight for a
time.

P
Alan Thompson wrote in message <378A7B3B...@digex.net>...

[BHotaling]

>problem, my hood latch has a squeak after the car has been driven for a
>>> > short time.

* a more permanent fix than any mentioned yet is to get some black silicone and
"build up" the rubber stops that the hood rests against (in other cars they are
adjustable for the same purpose). I did it for my 92 right after I got it
three years ago and have not had squeek one since.

Bob in Orlando