Help-How to open hood on older FSJ?

[Dave Jeeper]

My in-laws have an older Cherokee or Wagoneer, early 1970's. I tried to open the hood, but I didn't see an interior hood release handle under the dash. I presume that there is a release that is reached through the grill, but I couldn't find it. The Jeep is in a field with other old vehicles and it is hard to access the hood area. Can anyone tell me how to open the hood? Any photos of the release?


David

[threepiece]

Unless it has been modified there is a lever that is accessed through the front. There are a few variations but they are near the center.

[mwood65]

Where it's at on a 74' Cherokee.... mine at least.


In the hole on top at center, lift up

[Heep-J4000]

Did a Google search and the other jeep forum shows a couple pictures of the hood latch mechanism from the full size Jeeps.

https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13135

[tgreese]

Did a Google search and the other jeep forum shows a couple pictures of the hood latch mechanism from the full size Jeeps.
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13135

That link won't help the original poster. It shows the later style with an inside cable release. The earlier models have a release lever that's between the hood itself and the "hood bar" that is located above the grille. See MWood65's picture. On my '77 it hinges out, not pushes up.

[Heep-J4000]

That link won't help the original poster. It shows the later style with an inside cable release. The earlier models have a release lever that's between the hood itself and the "hood bar" that is located above the grille. See MWood65's picture. On my '77 it hinges out, not pushes up.

Yes I know , but from the pictures you can see how everything is in place and get the idea how it works when doing this without a view

[Dave Jeeper]

Thanks Everyone,


I should be good at this point.


I'll try this out next time I am at my wife's work place.


Dave

[mwood65]

On my '77 it hinges out, not pushes up.

That's interesting. Wonder why they changed it, makes no sense to me if it works why change it?

[Dave Jeeper]

Thanks Everybody, I got the hood open today. The latch was in the center of the hood and I lifted up on it.



It is a 1976 Cherokee I believe. I think it has a 360 but not sure of what a 401 would look like. No A/C. It has a 4 speed manual and 4WD. Almost 100k miles.


I have to finish fixing up our 89 Grand Wagoneer before I think about getting the 76 running.


Dave

[goldhammer]

Take a look at the Vin, if it has a "Z" engine code, it's 401. Also can check on the side of the block above the motor mount. Displacement is cast in. Even if the code says it is, check the block anyway. I looked at a Z code once, crawled underneath and found a 304.

[Dave Jeeper]

Is the displacement on the driver side or pass side of the block?


There were no Z's on the firewall nameplate.



It is an 8 cylinder.

[goldhammer]

Driver side for sure, maybe both. If no z, And a V8, most likely a 360. Never used the 304 in SJ's, though I've seen engine swaps....block externals are the same for all three.... straight bolt in.

Second digit is the year, for a ' 76, would be a 6. Seventh digit is engine code....N-360, Z-401.
That coding is good from 72-80.

[babywag]

Is the displacement on the driver side or pass side of the block?


There were no Z's on the firewall nameplate.



It is an 8 cylinder.

Displacement is cast into both sides of the engine block, look behind engine mounts brackets can't miss it.
amc 304/360/401 engines look virtually identical

[goldhammer]

That's interesting. Wonder why they changed it, makes no sense to me if it works why change it?

Probably because you can get more leverage than the lift style, maybe easier to access, since they were becoming more mainstream vehicles.

[tgreese]

It is a 1976 Cherokee I believe. I think it has a 360 but not sure of what a 401 would look like. No A/C. It has a 4 speed manual and 4WD. Almost 100k miles. ...

Most of these Jeeps were automatics. A 4-speed is particularly appealing to some of us, and avoids some of the issues that the automatic examples can have. They are all 4WD. Note that they also came with a 3-speed floor-shifted manual, which you should not mistake for the truck 4-speed. The 4-speed compound low first - "granny gear" - is a long throw forward, and reverse is to the right and forward.

A 304 was available in '71-72, gone from '73 on. The 304 has an H in the VIN. Almost all of these Jeeps got the 360, either a 2V (N-code) or a 4V (P-code). The transmission type is also in the VIN. Post up the whole VIN and we can advise. If you worry about posting a VIN online, leave off the final 6 digits, which are the sequential serial number.