how can i open the hood of my 1986 nissan sentra, latch isnt working

Trying to open a hood with a broken cable is a big PAIN, Black Mistress- some of us love pain but I would advise that this is a simple and inexpensive job for a pro with a lift- unless you can find one of your slaves who is willing to do the job- or one of the Gurus here will succumb to your demands

need a mechanic's prybar to push it open, then replace the cable: you'll find them on ebay~

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDPyIV9BwRU -- this for a Saturn but should work for you too

you're talkin' about a fishing expedition, I'm talkin' about beefin' the thing open with a 1/2 square chisel point bar 30" long~....enough strength to push on the lever at a great distance...would not trust a piece of wire for this operation~...just one roy's opinion~

If going to use a chisel point bar 30" long you might as well just break out the cutting torch and cut the hood off the car--in my opinion--

You see, Black Mistress, you have the Gurus debating which tools will probe, poke, penetrate and even CUT better- cars prove it- pleasure IS pain

NO. dandyoun---it's a mechanic's prybar and was my favorite tool at the garage...used it for everything~ this would involve the space between the radiator and engine...would provide the 'twisting' force needed to "jimmy" the latch open...once open a person could undo the safety latch and set up the prop rod~...just a thought....have done these....not this exact model, but something heartier then a piece of wire is what I'm thinkin'....that is all~

okay maybe the grille-work and radiator...we'd zero in on it and was never any good at the game "barrel 0 monkeys"...that is why to craft a special s- hook out of a coat hanger may work okay, but takes a minute to conjure up~ judge out~

I understand what you are saying judge. But just the thought of the look on BlackMistress s face when she sees you coming at her hood with a pry bar that is almost three feet long is just way to funny. Lmao.

could "tool up" for the job, then would have that tool then~....quite useful...you'll find~

$18.99 isn't that much money and if it ever happened again this way, you'd be prepared...you could hit it over the guy's head (the intruder) and keep it near the door....Your black and white photo is the only hint of blackness I'm seein' there....jeez, don't let your monkey out of the barrel already~~:|

I have one just would be afraid of damaging the grill or taking paint off of the hood opening. But I am sure it could be done without doing either just probably not something I would try.

you got a point there dandyoun, yes...a wooden dowel could get it's teeth into that...is spring loaded (unless the inactive pull portion is blockin') so a little twisting motion with a perhaps 28" dowel should do the job~ looksee what might be needed here~

assuming there's a straight shot to the latch....you know dandy-0 you are probably right....fiddlesticks~

And so it was, that the Mistress of the Night was able to confound men's minds, so that they would use strange and twisted tools on themselves

Lol

jamnblues, would you stop trying to turn up the heat...try 89.com for that business please~ not on our CARGURU site...nuh -uh don't belong HERE~

Hedy Lamarr can still "turn up the heat"!?!

Black Mistress look between the hood and grill at latch you will see a hump on the latch at the lower part of the latch just behind the safety latch, there two horizontal holes about 3/32" wide and 3/16" long insert ice pick or other strong pick similar into the hole on the right side facing latch push in on the release lever real hard and shove to right this should release latch if it don't try to get pick into the hole as far to the left side of right hole as possible and pas release latch then push to the right. If this don't work you will have to unbolt the hood latch which difficult to do. before starting this proses find a care like yours and get a good look at the latch and how the release lever works. Hope this works for you