Gen 4 Hood Vent Screen Removal

**SA Heat** · 05-10-2015

Anyone know the best way to remove the plastic hood screens? I tried to pull out the pins with a couple of trim tools I have, but they didn't seem to want to budge...don't want to screw them up not knowing exactly how to get them out.

**ACRucrazy** · 05-10-2015

I popped mine out using a plastic panel removal tool.
Put it between vent and hood and carefully pried while I pulled on the vent at the same time until the push clip popped, worked my way around the vent 1 at a time while putting my thumb over the push clip so it didn't fall into the engine or elsewhere. The vent was pretty flexible, the more clips your remove the easier the vent gets. IIRC I started in 1 corner and worked my way around.

It was pretty painless, just took my time not to damage or lose anything.

**SA Heat** · 05-10-2015

Okay, that makes sense. I'll try it your way. I was trying to pull out each individual pin by prying under the head and it wasn't working. Thank you.

**venomous08** · 05-10-2015

I did mine all by hand, I really didn't want to take a chance since my hood is black.

**SA Heat** · 05-10-2015

Your method worked perfectly....they came out easily and no damage. Thanks again.

For anyone doing this in the future, you might want to lay a big towel or something else down under where you're working to catch the rivets in case they pop out so they don't get lost in the engine bay.

**SA Heat** · 05-10-2015

Originally Posted by venomous08

I did mine all by hand, I really didn't want to take a chance since my hood is black.

I could see that being possible now that I've taken them off. I was afraid I'd screw something up pulling them off by hand as they didn't seem to want to budge at first.

**venomous08** · 05-10-2015

Originally Posted by SA Heat

I could see that being possible now that I've taken them off. I was afraid I'd screw something up pulling them off by hand as they didn't seem to want to budge at first.

Well my trick was right after I drove it or changed to oil it softened the vents up some. I just slowly pulled down on the leading edge on the underside and they slowly came out. I have the trim tools but would rather have done this way instead. It was tough and hard on the hands but would rather that than an oops with a trim tool.

**cubican** · 05-10-2015

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Wea...pas5609-50.htm Here's where you can find the retainers at a great price same as oem. The price on the oem is like 3 dollars per you need over 40 of them. The link is for 50 of them for 6 bucks don't use the old ones trust me.

**ACRucrazy** · 05-10-2015

Originally Posted by cubican

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Wea...pas5609-50.htm Here's where you can find the retainers at a great price same as oem. The price on the oem is like 3 dollars per you need over 40 of them. The link is for 50 of them for 6 bucks don't use the old ones trust me.

Ordered. Thanks man! cant beat it to have some spares! I had a few missing when the car was new even.
A little tidbid about those clips."Weatherstrip Retainers Chrysler Neon"

**SA Heat** · 05-10-2015

Agree with Crazy....great post cubican. That's a keeper of a website. Thank you x 2.

**cubican** · 05-10-2015

Thanks guys, it took a lot of research to find them, what I did; when to viper parts of America got the part # from the site and then did an extensive research, but now that the vpa has being sold is going to be harder to find the parts #.

**TrackAire** · 05-10-2015

Originally Posted by cubican

Thanks guys, it took a lot of research to find them, what I did; when to viper parts of America got the part # from the site and then did an extensive research, but now that the vpa has being sold is going to be harder to find the parts #.

Who or what company is now buying the VPA? Thanks for the link to the website, need some GM door parts and they have those too!

**cubican** · 05-10-2015

Not sure on the details but I think snakeoil is part of it.

**JGK95** · 05-25-2022

Originally Posted by cubican

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Wea...pas5609-50.htm Here's where you can find the retainers at a great price same as oem. The price on the oem is like 3 dollars per you need over 40 of them. The link is for 50 of them for 6 bucks don't use the old ones trust me.

Link still good!

My OCD Thanks you.

Jay K.

**Steve M** · 05-25-2022

All the info you need to do this in one place...definitely referenced it once upon a time when I took mine out many years ago.

To summarize:

1. Drive the car first to get the vents nice and warm
2. Lay towels across the engine bay to catch any clips that come flying out (and they will)
3. Go slow, and use a plastic pry tool to help
4. Never reuse the old clips that come out - buy new ones here ($5.99 for 50 + shipping as of May 2022): https://www.clipsandfasteners.com/We...pas5609-50.htm
5. Do not lose any of the vents should you ever want to put them back on - they are EXPENSIVE to replace, if you can even find them
6. If yours are stained/discolored, you can touch them up with this (SEM Trim Black): https://www.semproducts.com/product/trim-black/black

**Steve M** · 05-26-2022

Almost forgot, part numbers for the hood vent grilles (6 unique numbers, because they are 6 different shapes):

5030954AA; 5030955AA; 5030956AA; 5030957AA; 5030958AA; 5030959AA

And where they go (at least according to Mopar Parts Giant):

**SA Heat** · 05-27-2022

Originally Posted by Steve M

All the info you need to do this in one place...definitely referenced it once upon a time when I took mine out many years ago.

To summarize:

1. Drive the car first to get the vents nice and warm
2. Lay towels across the engine bay to catch any clips that come flying out (and they will)
3. Go slow, and use a plastic pry tool to help
4. Never reuse the old clips that come out - buy new ones here ($5.99 for 50 + shipping as of May 2022): https://www.clipsandfasteners.com/We...pas5609-50.htm
5. Do not lose any of the vents should you ever want to put them back on - they are EXPENSIVE to replace, if you can even find them
6. If yours are stained/discolored, you can touch them up with this (SEM Trim Black): https://www.semproducts.com/product/trim-black/black

Your #5 made me realize I haven't seen mine since I posted this thread and removed them seven years ago (wow time flies).....got a sinking feeling I put them somewhere stupid and they got thrown away. Whew! After a 30 minute search today I found them in a big box I keep all the stock parts from my Mitsubishi Evolution.

On a side note, I still like the no screen look. Aesthetically it looks cleaner and it's kind of cool to be able to see the engine and inside the bay. Functionally, when stopped you can see and feel the heat escaping more than with them and I also seem to remember seeing somewhere that downforce is increased minimally with them removed, which makes some sense.

**13COBRA** · 05-27-2022

Originally Posted by SA Heat

Your #5 made me realize I haven't seen mine since I posted this thread and removed them seven years ago (wow time flies).....got a sinking feeling I put them somewhere stupid and they got thrown away. Whew! After a 30 minute search today I found them in a big box I keep all the stock parts from my Mitsubishi Evolution.

On a side note, I still like the no screen look. Aesthetically it looks cleaner and it's kind of cool to be able to see the engine and inside the bay. Functionally, when stopped you can see and feel the heat escaping more than with them and I also seem to remember seeing somewhere that downforce is increased minimally with them removed, which makes some sense.

I'm not sure what I did with mine with I sold the car. I imagine I sent them with it, but I've moved since then. Who knows haha