Fixed that annoying dash rattle. Hood hinge fix!

[Terry Posten]

I have had some feedback that there are some other people having the same rattle.

My problem was a very loud and annoying rattle at every bump in the passenger side dash. At least that is where it sounded like it was coming from.

I found that the hood hinge on both sides (mostly passenger side) has a little play in it ONLY when the hood is closed.

Here is a pic.


To test to see if it is loose, grab the back of the hood (must be closed) right where my hand is and lift up and down several times. Mine was just loose enough to rattle.

Here is the fix I came up with.


The rubber piece is from a 3" to 4" plumbing adapter I had laying on the shelf. The rubber strip is about 1/2" wide and about 6" long. The rubber is about 3/8" thick.

Here is a pic


Here is a pic of how it is folded and stuck into the hinge.


I hope it stays put. It should, but if not, I will use some RTV to make it stay.

This worked perfectly for me. No more rattles.

Good luck.

I put this in this forum to get more attention. It can and should be moved to the "how to" forum after it runs a few days here.

Thank you.

 

[boostx]

i am having that same problem, i will try your fix

 

[Barnes]

Sweet. I think I have the same problem, always suspected the driver side hinge but wasn't sure how to get ride of the problem. I'll check this out, thanks for thinking of that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Hertz]

Is it a design flaw, adjustment issue or just plain worn out hinge?

 

[Terry Posten]

The rivit that connects the hood plate to the fender plate, allowing the pivoting action, has worn causing a small amount of play.

I would concider it a worn part. Not really a design flaw, they are 15 years old.

The fix is a lot cheaper than the replacement.

 

This is hilarious. It took me a year to realize that my dash rattle was comming from the hood hinge too. Driver side only so far. I think you can correlate the amount of play in the hood hinge with how many times the car has broke down. And, if both sides have good play, it's a real bucket.

 

[jepherz]

Nice find. Now, if only you could figure out what's causing the whistle sound above 60 by my passenger mirror... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Terry Posten]

Thats what the JDM mirrors do for you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[CP]

Spray-on white lithium grease worked for my drivers side hood hinge.

 

[gtluke]

JESUS CHRIST
i'm doing this mod in the morning
5 years of this crap. i swear i took my glove box out 5 time looking.

 

[fastasleep]

And all this time I was blaming my a-pillar...

 

Yep, I had that too! I looked inside the car so many times before finally realizing it was that hinge ( mine was the LH side which of course is my pasenger side) I fixed it by getting another hinge from a wrecker yard .... so-far so-good!
I had tried a piece of foam as a packer first and it worked, but the warrant-of-fitness testing station wouldn't allow it because they said it would hold water and so cause rust - that's why I went and bought another hinge.
It's uncanny how that rattle sounds to be inside when it isn't at all!!!

 

[SleepinGVR4]

Quote:
Nice find. Now, if only you could figure out what's causing the whistle sound above 60 by my passenger mirror... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



I have the same thing in my driver side.

 

[sleepyvr4]

a new hood hinge is around $20 from the dealer...


I replaced mine 2 years ago. Comes in sick ass jdm bronze...


Mods - put this thread in the "how to" section.

 

[atc250r]

HAHA!! I went through this last year with #108 before I sold it. It would only do it on very specific types of bumps but one day for some reason I was standing next to the car and felt the urge to grab the rear edge of the hood and pull it up. Bang! I found the noise.

John

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

There's a much better fix for this problem

one - the easy way - New hinges for $17 a piece
http://www.autopartscorner.com/cgi-bin/apc/browse-catalog.html?make=MITSUBISHI&model=GALANT&year=1991&cat=ALL

Or two - the not very hard way
tools needed: + screwdriver, 12mm socket and ratchet.
remove the hood, remove the wipers, remove the cowl cover. Remove the hinge that is rattling and clamp the rivet in the vise, as tight as you can. then remove it from the vise, take a small chisel and tap it between the two pieces of metal for the upper half of the hinge. Once you get it out you should be able to figure it out. You're just trying to eliminate slop.