cant open door (fixed)

[Jcrow]

I know its been posted 100 times but when i searched i got a 404. The driver door wont open - not even from the inside. Does anyone know a not-to-involved way to open it? (without damage ) -Thanks

[Crazy K]

well... if you can remove the lower panel that covers the seatbelts, you can reach behind it and get to the machansim. it may be easiest to remove the drivers seat to gain access though.

 

what prompted it to not work? did you adjust the doorhandle or did the cold just jamb the door?

[Euro]

whoa...and outta nowhere JCrow posts!!!!!

 

 

 

[Jcrow]

It was frozen and I was pulling at it, so I put it in the barn and cranked the heat - So I must have broke something.

Thought id stop by and say hi

[Crazy K]

you probably bent the rods. I usually just straighetedn them out and they work. many people just like to tune the adjuster hut, but i find that the slightly bent rod sems to bend or felx more. IMO.

 

 

I would take the lower panel off, or the entire panel (seat too if you having space issues) by pulling on the handle while looking/feeling the machansism, you will be able to tell what moves... push that a bit further and the door should open.

 

I usually will pull the entire rod out and stretch it slightly, and then reinstall. MOST IMPORTANT: do not shut the door while testing adjustment, if you have the adjustment too tight the mechism will bind and not open(right now the adjustment is too loose you've compressed the rod). test it by flicking latch closed using your finger of a wood dowel or something, make sure it opens by both handles. Next try locking it and then unlocking it and do the same thing, at least a dowzen times with each handle.

 

Buy some dielectric grease (advanced auto has a large tube) and lub up your rubber seals around both doors. and spary the machanisma with wd40.

 

And a final note. my brother 94 CS sedan had a continously failing drivers door handle, I have added an emergency rope, tied around the joint where the exterior door rod and the lever meet. It runs out a drain hole in the bottom of hte door and serves as an auxilary door handle. it is not subject to the flexing or bending of the push rod.

[Jcrow]

I'll try that, I do like the idea of the rope. There is a trick like that for corvettes- you tie a string to the hood latches for when your cables dont open the hood.

[Euro]

you positive its not still frozen? im at school..my car sits outside. all 4 doors were frozen this week...took me forever to get them opened.

 

 

btw car looks hot!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Crazy K]

I'll try that, I do like the idea of the rope. There is a trick like that for corvettes- you tie a string to the hood latches for when your cables dont open the hood.

hmm I might look at the same for W's sometime. Their hood cables goof up. thanks!

 

if there's any doubt, I adjusted PsychoMatt's door handle. It felt like a new car.

 

maybe I should do a write-up on how to do this?

 

 

again make sure you cycle and lock and unlock with the door open while clicking hte latch closed. here's why. if you have it adjusted too tight you will have to reach at the meachism inside the door, and physically push it up on the lever that is pushed by the handle rod to unbind it. Some pre-load seems to be necesray for the handle to work, too much pre-load and the mechanism will jamb, especially while lokcing and unlocking. You may have to lock and unlock it while holding the handle lever inside the door up should it jamb.

[slick]

Once you finally get it all apart, be sure to put some graphite lubricant in the door jambs locking mechanism. I would also suggest taking some wd40 or silicone lubricant, spray it on a rag, then wipe down your door jambs weatherstripping to prevent them from being frozen together again(wipe down the weatherstripping on the door and the door jamb all around, make take a coat or two depending on how dried out it is).

 

 

I would do what Ken said and try bending the rods. I've had this happen to me a few times in the install bay, taking off the door panel, the rods get slightly bent, then when I got to close the door, it either doesn't want to re-open, or the lock/unlock doesn't work.

[csracing]

Now I know what to try on my Z, can"t get mine open either.

but mine is in the lock.

[digitaloutsider]

Last time that happened to me, this is how I had to get the door opened:

 

[FordBoy]

ouch i just took a long skinny screw driver and pushed on the rod. When i did my pass. door handle the rods didnt line up right i close door it no open. but i left the platic cover off.

[Jcrow]

I removed the whole latch and door handle assembly and soaked it in kerosene swcrubbed and re greased everything, put it back together and it still didnt work! (everything works smoother now though) I had to lay in the back seat and work the latch to open the door about 10 times trying to figure out whats wrong. In the end it turned out the rod going up to the outside door handle was not going up high enough so when you lock the door it cant be unlocked. So I put a spring inside to help pull it up and it works great now!