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Subject: How to remove the engine hood lock bar Author: DavidC (moderator) : member since December, 2003 : 11221 posts Posted on: 2004-08-02 01:30:31

I decided to paint the long pipe/bar that goes across the width of th engine bay at the base of the windshield, the one that turns to lock the left and right latches of the hood when it closes. Yes, it's a disease.

Removing the assembly is reasonably straightforward, as depicted in the photos below.


Remove the three 10mm bolts on the passenger side.


Remove the corresponding three 10mm bolts on the driver side. Also loosen the set screw that secures the wire from the hood-release handle in the interior. Use a pair of pliers to bend the wire straight so that it can be slid through the hole beneath the set screw. You can pull and push the hood-release handle inside the car to get the wire out of the hole. It won't fall through to the inside of the car.


Remove the two 8mm screws securing the left and right brackets. There's a 13mm bolt at the base of the bracket near the radiator expansion tank that must be removed as well. The metal bracket can now be removed.


Remove the other 13mm bolt on the top rear side of the expansion tank, too. This will allow the expansion tank to be moved just enough to get around it when we start moving the lock bar (the long metal pipe).

Next, remove the metal brackets that hold the wiring harness to the firewall. We need to have some slack in the harness to get the metal pipe out.


Slide the metal pipe out toward the passenger side of the car, taking car not to put undue stress on the expansion tank or the wiring harnesses. Use a cloth to protect the paint on the fender, too. The lock bar comes out as a single unit, with the two brackets in the middle and the latches on the ends.

David Cecil
'97 740iL, 125k miles
'86 735i, 94k miles

www.e38.org has links for everything about your BMW 7-series automobile

• How to remove the engine hood lock bar (pic) - DavidC 2004-08-02 01:30:31 (2300 views)