Stupid me. Put those new headers on, tightened torxed all the bolts , redid them 2 days later, STILL loosened up and lost one and blew a header gasket... Causing the truck to run like crap again. As a bonus, when I went to open the hood, the latch cable broke off INSIDE the latch... sigh.

Had to remove the front bush guard, bumper. The headlights, and break the grill to get access to the plate of steel they folded over the latch to prevent you from operating it and bend it out of the way. Wishing now that I would have cut that damn plate off the latch before. No need for it, and it would have saved me a ton of grief.

Header is now fixed again, and trucks running sweet again, but now I have to order a used grill to replace mine and of course a new hood latch cable, which I'm seriously considering ditching in favor of hood latches.

 

Get hood pins!

 

If you broke the center plastic part just do the Saudi grill. It'll cost ten bucks.

 

I wish... I was able to get the bottom part of the grill loose, but could not get the 4 top screws, and had to break it off along the hood line. Nope, going to have to just get another.

 

Do you have one lined up?

 

If you follow your Uncle Spike's Maintaince Tips you can avoid some of these issues, not all of them, but most.
Lube every single thing that moves on your truck at least every 6 months.

 

LOL!

I do. In fact, I had just lubed that damn cable about 2 weeks before it broke As far as maintenance, I'm working on my cars even when they don't need it. It's my form or relaxation so I'm at them as much as possible.

To avoid an issue like this in the future you should really look at simply removing the grill, and taking a cutting wheel to the protective steel plate preventing you from accessing the inside of the latch. I understand it was there to prevent theft... but who in the hell would steel one today when you can buy one legally for the price of a Ps3....