Help ! Blood loss, anger bonnet issues

Well, since I last posted the rough idle cleared after two goes of Lucas oil injector cleaner saving hours and £'s. Probably helped by job relocation change and going up the motorway.
Anyways, the old girl uses a bit of water( leaky matrix) needing the water to be topped up weekly. So the other day went to pop the bonnet...... Snap! Cable went, ordered one from Craddocks. Cable came,looked at the advice on the site. Tried with tools I got... No joy finally called the RAC out as the car was in bits. He got the bonnet open ( with some air cushion effort that lifted the bonnet and almighty long 10mm spanner.)
I fitted the cable ( what a b###s ache) multiple tests to insure all was well. Dropped the bonnet shut....... Pulled the the bonnet release ......... Nowt!! Bonnet is shut, tried to undo the bolts on the latch again one bolt has come undone the other is rounding off. I'm at my wits end can't get access from underneath I'm at the stage where I think I'll have to cut the grille section of the bumper to get better access !!!!!anyone else got any ( simple like me ) ideas? Or if local to Solihull give me a hand ....?

Been coverd pal , do a search , I believe there's a how to , on it

I done the exact same thing when I changed mine, just a suggestion look at the bonnet release handle in the car....has it come off the cable support before it fits on the plastic handle? if not try removing the handle and pull on the cable with a pair of pliers. then once the bonnet is open try and realign the bottom part of the latch.... fixed my problem good luck

Yeah I've done that with the cable with no joy :-( it that rounded off bolt that's causing the grief. The other ones off no problems it's the offside latch bolt!!
Anyone else ?? Would cutting the first grill bar off to give better access work ????

Bruschi54 said:

Yeah I've done that with the cable with no joy :-( it that rounded off bolt that's causing the grief. The other ones off no problems it's the offside latch bolt!!
Anyone else ?? Would cutting the first grill bar off to give better access work ????

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Try getting a helper to push down on the bonnet as the cable is pulled. This might take some of the strain off the catch.

Well I relented RAC came out. Amazing when you have the spot on right tools !!
Threw the pain in bum plastic cover away. RAC bloke stayed and helped new cable checked all good. Repositioned everything check... Shut bonnet check. Pulled lever ...... Nowt !! Bonnet opened in minutes with the spot on tools. Looked around cable had come off again !!! It looks like a bit of the cable lever has either worn away or it broken off.

Bruschi54 said:

Well I relented RAC came out. Amazing when you have the spot on right tools !!
Threw the pain in bum plastic cover away. RAC bloke stayed and helped new cable checked all good. Repositioned everything check... Shut bonnet check. Pulled lever ...... Nowt !! Bonnet opened in minutes with the spot on tools. Looked around cable had come off again !!! It looks like a bit of the cable lever has either worn away or it broken off.

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Glad you sorted it.....by the way what was the spot on tool

It was two hand pumped bellows that he put at either end of the bonnet and when pumped up the bonnet lifted sufficiently enough for him to pull out (so to speak) a ruddy long 10mm spanner !! Hey presto off like a shot

are that tool.... I just used two wedges either side of the latch, bonnet didn't move but the plastic grill pushed down enough for a thin 10mm ractchet spanner.