Last night I was jacking up the '74 and I did not have the floor jack cup centered on the cross member. It slipped forward off the jack and the jack cup hit the engine sump. It did not appear to have done any damage but the engine hood popped open! This morning on the way to work I hit a dip in the road and the engine cover flew back open.

Should I jack up my 914 by the center of the engine cross member? Have I flexed the body in some way by doing this? I have jacked up 914s for years like this. The car is rust free. The longs are solid.

Comments....

I am unclear where you jacked it...

But, look at the pin in the engine lid...you can adjust that pin forward and back...left and right...The pin that engages the lock.

You can also adjust the lid itself, but if its not rubbing the firewall, and it lines up correctly...dont move it...
Move the pin to stop bouncing open..

Rich

I think the lid pooping open was just a cawinkydink.



KT

I placed the jack under the center of the engine cross member. When the car slid forward it dropped off the jack cup placing the jack uder the sump in a rather quick motion.

I was holding off adjusting the pin until I figured out what happened to make it out of adjustment. It seems like the fall off the jack somehow tweeked the body enough to cause the pin to barley engage.

Is this possible?

yes its quite possible...
How are the door gaps on both sides....are they still the same?

You basically jacked the car up with 80% of the weight of the rear of the car behind the jack...then you dropped it a few inches and stopped it...
Yup, you could have tweeked it a bit, but once you put it on the ground and drive around, it will be fine.

That pin location is pretty sensitive...
It has to miss the latch by 1/16 of and inch in the rear...and get right in the center...even a littl bit off and she will pop open.

Rich

yea don't do that no more.
Lift by the donut under the car just aft of the door jam. Car is balanced enough to pick same side weels off the ground at once. I removed the jack recievers because they are usless anyway.
Only other place I lift the car is under the transaxle but not very often. I have had the car get wiggly balancing on the front tires even chocked.

Thanks for the quick replies.