GTSPEC front strut bar w/engine cover help

Grab it on both side and lift up using gentle upward force to loosen the two push pin clips in the frontal part of the cover. Once the front part is loosen, pulling it toward the front of the car to release the two rear clips.
 
la_fx35 said:
Grab it on both side and lift up using gentle upward force to loosen the two push pin clips in the frontal part of the cover. Once the front part is loosen, pulling it toward the front of the car to release the two rear clips.
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Sorry for bringing this thread back from the abyss, but I tried to remove the engine cover the other day just to see how easy it would be because I'm FINALLY going to install my strut bar and it didn't want to pop off for anything. It looked like the plastic was a second from bending permanently so I stop pulling up. I was pulling straight up in front by the two clips. I even tried pulling up one side at a time and still it felt like the cover would break before it was going to pop off. Anything particular I should be doing to make it pop off easier?
 
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Also try not to yank slowly hard. I think the secret is to pull hard very quickly up. When you go slow hard may feel like you are bending the cover more than needed. Also I would put both of your hands at the front of the cover not the sides when pulling up.

You will pull up fast and quick to get the front loose and then pull towards you to slide out the rear.
 
jdTrader said:
Also try not to yank slowly hard. I think the secret is to pull hard very quickly up. When you go slow hard may feel like you are bending the cover more than needed. Also I would put both of your hands at the front of the cover not the sides when pulling up.

You will pull up fast and quick to get the front loose and then pull towards you to slide out the rear.
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Did my oil change today and I tried again while I was under the hood. I managed to get it off without damaging it but it wasn't easy. No matter how hard I pulled, quickly or slowly, using both hands the plastic just bent upward but the clips wouldn't pop out. I actually had to pop the clips out one side at a time. I used one hand to hold the cover up a little right in front of the right clip, then used the other hand to reach under and push upward directly around the clip area. Then it popped right out. Then I repeated the process for the left side. Once the front clips popped out, the rear clips popped out pulling it forward like you guys described with minimal effort. I think it was the first time in a long time if ever that the cover was removed. I know it was my first time removing it so maybe the clips were just super tight.

I also took a tiny amount of Napa Sil-Glyde and rubbed it around the inside of the rubber mounts that the clips side into. The Sil-Glyde is very temperature and weather resistant as most of you know already and it won't damage the rubber or plastic clips. I'm sure the next time I get ready to pop the cover off, the clips will slide right out now.
 
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