Hey guys,

just picked up my 2004 s2k last week and so far so good. One minor thing that I noticed is the hood alignment is slightly to the left. It’s not huge, but enough that I notice. Before I go tinkering and make it worse, I wanted to check and see if there was an easy way to just bump it over the tiniest bit. Picture below, thanks for any advice!

 

I would just give it a shuv over with hood up,care that catch is aligned

 

Search youtube hood alignment. Similar process all cars. So no need to search S specifc.

Basically, its lift hood, mark hinge to hood junction so you can keep track where it is now (pointy sharpie, etc). Trace around hinge bracket onto hood.

Be sure you're marking correct location. Where hinge overlaps hood.

Put masking tape on fenders. So it covers top edge and the inner sides where hood meets. Also tape hood edge.

No loosen, not fully, each hing to hood fastener. Loosen it, then make it hand tight.

Repeat all 4 fasteners.

Now very, very gently & carefully lower hood. Don't want it to shift. If it did get shifted, don't want gouge paint if hood hits fenders.

Close hood. Now use some plastic prybars, to shift hood to ideal position. Masking tape should protect paint. Idea is you loosened bolts just enough for it to move when forced, but then stay put as you lower and lift.

The whole key to this is getting that exact looseness on these fasteners.

But if it gets way off, you can start over by putting it all back how it was. Hood open, shift until alignment marks back how started.

Once its perfect, carefully lift hood, doing all you can to not let it shift from perfect. Torque down bolts.

Test close hood. Again, super carefully in case its going to hit fenders.

If still perfect, remove tape. Otherwise, start over. Loosen, shift so marks align. Close hood carefully, confirm its back how started.

Repeat entire process.

 

Thanks so much for that detailed response. I'll give it a go this weekend!

 

I think there are plastic electric-insulating washers between the hinge and hood. Guessing these are to help prevent dissimilar metals from starting a corrosion reaction. Guessing!

-- Chuck