Hornet Cowl Vent

JDutra
JDutra Member
in HUDSON
I’ve run into a problem with the cowl vent on my 1952 Hornet. It is stuck in the down position. No amount of pushing on the under dash lever will open the vent. I thought it perhaps was disconnected, but there is a metal rod attached to the lever. I’ve been under there, but am not visualizing what that metal rod is attached to or how it works mechanically to cause the vent to open. Not sure if careful prying up on the exterior of the actual vent will work (don’t want to scratch the paint, but perhaps can use a plastic scraper.   Assuming someone here has experienced this issue and can provide some needed advice. 

Comments

  • Rocket
    Rocket Senior Contributor
    Just a thought if it has not been open in some time maybe the rubber seal is stuck to the cowl vent area around the vent door on the outside you may be able to pry it up around the edges would not hurt to use soapy warm water as you try to pry the door open so the rubber seal dose not get torn.
  • JDutra
    JDutra Member
    Rocket, thank you for the suggestion. It was indeed stuck to the rubber cowl seal. Was able to pry it up. Quick question—is what is shown in the attached figure the fully open position? It seems so, just wanting to double-check it isn’t supposed to go more open. 


  • Rocket
    Rocket Senior Contributor
    JDutra if your if your lever under the dash is as far as it will go than I would say that is far as the vent will open one of the other members with a step down may add to this I own a 36 Terraplane not a step down type car one other thing do you have the bug screen that goes in your vent door I could not tell from the picture Tom.
  • JDutra
    JDutra Member
    Thanks Rocket. Yes, screen present on the front of the vent. It looks to be as far forward under the dash as it can go. Hopefully another stepdown owner can confirm. 
  • railknight
    railknight Expert Adviser
    That looks exactly like the open cowl vent on my '53 Super Wasp.  
  • JDutra
    JDutra Member
    thank you thank you for confirming Railknight. 
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    edited August 2023
    The 1948 owner's manual makes no reference to a "partly" or "full" opening, so there must be only one position.  (Unless things changed by 1952.)  No 1952 owner's manual is available at the Club library online.

    "COWL VENTILATOR HANDLE—Should be pushed forward to open cowl
    ventilator and pulled back to close it. When Hudson Weather-Control is installed,
    temperature is regulated by ventilator opening. (See Weather-Control Instruction
    Booklet.)"

Categories

In this Discussion