What is the purpose of the Hood latch assembly?
By
Vroomouk
This article will give you a brief knowledge about the “hood latch assembly” and its working. In addition, we will also explain whether it is a good idea to install a scoop on the bonnet of your car.
What is the purpose of the Hood latch assembly?
The hood latch assembly is installed in the car for locking the vehicle’s bonnet.
Suppose the hood latch assembly is not installed on the vehicle. In the 1950s, the car used manual hood locks for keeping the hood in one place. But today, due to technological advancements, hood latches have been introduced into the automotive space.
If the hood latches are not installed on the vehicle, the bonnet will be free to move. However, if the bonnet is free to move, then during the vehicle’s motion, the bonnet will automatically open and reduce the driver’s visibility to zero. Therefore, in such a case, the chances of an accident will increase. Moreover, the hood latch keeps the hood locked, which protects the vehicle’s major component from water and other debris, which might affect the working of the car components.
Working of Hood Latch Assembly
When the hood is opened
The hood latch mechanism consists of two locks that enhance the hood’s safety. Mostly, the latch is present behind the front grille of the vehicle, but in some large cars, the hood there are two hood latches present behind the headlight assembly. The latches are operated with the help of a wire called the “latch cable”, which is connected to the hood release lever present below the dashboard.
On lifting the release lever from inside the car, the spring mechanism attached to the latch is activated, and it unlocks the latch fitted on the bonnet from the second lock of the hood. A popping up sound is created once the latch comes out of the second lock.
When the driver lifts the latch lever from outside of the car, the first lock of the hood is released. Then the hood is completely unlocked, and it can be lifted and supported with a hood prop rod present inside the engine bay.
When the hood is closed
After removing the hood prop rod, which supports the hood when it is open, the hood of the car is dropped, and the latch automatically locks into the first lock. This is the same condition where the hood is the pop-up position.
After this step, the hood is pressed with a slight force, the latch present on the hood engages into the second lock of the latching mechanism. The hood is now completely locked. When you pull the hood release lever from inside the car to open the hood, the second lock is released first. However, while closing the bonnet, the second lock is engaged at the end.
Is getting a Hood Scoop a good idea?
What does a Hood Scoop Do?
The primary purpose of the hood scoop is to provide a restriction-free source of air to the engine, which is present below the scoop. However, you might have observed that some cars have a hood scoop while others don’t? The answer is related to power output. The power output of an engine is directly related to the air and fuel which enters the engine. Since most passengers don’t need extra Power during the vehicle’s operation, they are not fitted on the top of the engine.
Moreover, few cars in the market might perform better with a hood scoop. But due to budget constraints, the idea of installing a hood scoop is dropped. In addition, because installing a hood scoop increases the air supply to the engine, different intake paths need to be created that directly link into the engine. Thus the cost of manufacturing the engine will increase.
Getting a Hood Scoop Increases the HorsePower of the engine
For producing 1 horsepower from an engine, 1.6 cubic feet per minute of air is needed. If the airflow is below this value, then Power produced by the engine will be less than one horsepower. Due to this reason, the Dodge Demon, one of the muscular-looking cars produced by Dodge, has a large scoop similar to the original Hemi super stock hood and the air catcher inlets present on the hood and some hidden behind the fender.
The large under the hood air cleaner and lid can provide sufficient air for producing one horsepower. The other important parameter of the equation is the ambient temperature which might reach over 200 degrees in certain conditions. With an increase in the Power, the heat generated by the engine is also more, hence the density of airdrops which reduces the oxygen quantity entering the engine. Moreover, with an increase in the engine temperature, the chances of detonation also increase.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained the “hood latch assembly” in detail. Moreover, we have also explained the working of the hood latch mechanism during opening and closing the hood. Also, we have given a brief idea about why there are two latches present on some hoods. Besides the design of hood latch assembly, we have explained the benefits of the implementation of hood scoops and how they contribute to increasing the engine’s horsepower.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Hood latch assembly
Are Hood Scoops bad for your car?
There are some disadvantages of installing hood scoops on the muscle car. First, installing hood scoops on the car can increase the noise produced by the car, which can break the noise laws in some cities.
Do air Scoops Give more Power?
Adding a hood scoop on top of the engine is one of the cost-effective ways of increasing the engine’s horsepower. In addition, the air that will enter the car through the hoo scoop will be denser and denser air and have more oxygen in it.
Which car had the first hood scoop?
One of the first cars with a hood scoop installed on it was the 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta. The car was beautifully designed and had a little front hood scoop.
Is an air scoop worth it?
The air scoop is worth it because, with the air scoop, more air can enter inside the engine, which increases the pressure. Thus as air rams into the engine, better scavenging is achieved, and more Power is produced.
