98 Soft top won't come down but motor is running

[Boxster98newbie]

Good day,

My top will not work any more (currently in top position) however it isn't the sensors problem since the motor is running in the background when i click on the button. I have read up the forum and i think the first thing i need to do is open up the services cover to look inside. Sorry i am new to this, but if i cannot get my top to lower to begin with, how can i access the service part? Any advices for my problem? Any help would be great! Thanks all!

Eric

98 Boxster

Canada, BC

[Chris_in_NH]

1. are you sure it's the conv top motor running in the background? if you shut the car off, and turn the key so that the dash lights are on, then press the button, do you then hear the motor running? sorry, i have to ask. ;)

2. the services cover you're referring to is affectionately called the 'clamshell'. it is the C-shaped metal piece that partially covers the top when it is down. also called a tonneau cover.

3. it is better for your top to be stuck in the up position, rather than down. it is much harder to reach the top internals with the top down, so consider yourself 'lucky'.

the basic checklist is:

- dash brake light comes on when you pull the handbrake?

- windows drop when you unlatch the top?

ok, if you've made it this far and it's the conv top motor that you hear in the background, the only thing that i can think is that the conv top cables (one on each side of car) have stretched enough that they have pushed themselves out of the conv top motor. they may still be 'connected' to the motor, but since the outside of the cable stretches over the inner 'drive cable' it effectively pulls the drive cable out of the conv top motor.

if this is the case, it is the first i have heard of both cables doing this at the same time. usually it happens to one cable, so one side of the top starts to move while the other side is basically locked in place. this usually ends in disastrous and expensive results.

so what you need to do is check your conv top cables. to do this, you need to get the clamshell open. reaching into the back from inside the car (with a pry bar or a long screwdriver, etc.) you will be looking for a black canister (looks like a mini-shock absorber) connected to a 'V-lever' which is surrounded by a round black piece of plastic. it will be very hard to miss this 'canister' which is the clamshell push rod. there is one on each side of the car. it is attached to the V-levers via a ball/socket connection. you just need to pop off/pry off the end of the canister that is connected to the V-lever. do this on both sides of the car. it may be on there tightly or it might pop off easily, but don't be afraid, just pop it off/pry it off/lever it off however you can. you won't break anything.

once you've done this, you will be able to lift the clamshell manually. after you've done that, see this thread to learn how to check your conv top cables for length. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=68

let us know how it goes...

Edited July 3, 2007 by Chris_in_NH

[Boxster98newbie]

Thanks Chris for your help!

1) Yes i am sure it's the motor cuz it is running in the background even when the car is shut off!

2) dash brake light comes on when pull the handbrake

3) windows does drop when it is unlatch the black handle for the top

4) oh NO... "usually ends in disastrous & expensive results =(

right now is almost 12pm here, i will check it out first thing in the morning following your instruction getting the clamshell to open. I have never done it myself. I hope it works. I will update you guyz with info.. again! I feel really good that you guyz can help me.. thanks so much!

Eric

[Chris_in_NH]

4) oh NO... "usually ends in disastrous & expensive results =(

only if you keep pressing the conv top button when you hear snapping noises. if this happens, LET GO OF THE BUTTON! :lol:

[Boxster98newbie]

HI Chris, so i tried to open up the damshell but fail. at first i was trying to open the engine cover but finding out that wasn't the part i need to open "as you can see i really don't know much". I am not sure which is the black canister and really not sure what to pop/ pry off! i have attach a picture. Would that be the canister, with the red dot that i am pointing in the picture, that you are talking about. Thanks for any help!

[Chris_in_NH]

no, that's not it. here it is...

this is a pic from the rear of the car (driver's side) with the clamshell raised. the black canister with the white sticker on it is what you need to pop off. at the bottom of the canister where it attaches to the 'V-lever' (that V or A-shaped piece held on by the red-colored bolt in this picture (the bolt is not really red)) is where you need to pop it off.

so reach in between the rollbar hoops, or pop out one of the rollbar hoop mesh pieces so you can back there. it is all the way down the inside side of the car. look for what you see in the pic, although it will be reversed since you'll be looking from the opposite direction. you may also be able to reach it if you are sitting sideways in the driver's seat with your legs out the door. look down the side of the car between the body and the driver's rollbar.

there is a pry tool in the Porsche toolkit that should be in your car. the long(ish) pole in the toolkit has a red tip on the end. if you take off the red tip, the pole becomes a pry tool. it may be long enough for you to reach the 'canister' (clamshell push rod) and pop it off the V-lever. you will need to pry it 'away' from the side of the car. same thing on the other side.

hope that helps. let us know how you make out.

[Boxster98newbie]

oh! ha! lucky i ask before i break anything. going to run outside right now and give it a try. Thanks!

[Boxster98newbie]

hey chris, i finally see the canister. Kinda pain in the butt getting that black plastic piece. Good luck for me to put it back on!

Anyway, when you mean "pop" do you mean i should unscrew that red-colored bolt?

Thanks!!!!!!

[Chris_in_NH]

hey chris, i finally see the canister. Kinda pain in the butt getting that black plastic piece. Good luck for me to put it back on!

Anyway, when you mean "pop" do you mean i should unscrew that red-colored bolt?

Thanks!!!!!!

haha, i almost think you're playing with me now.

no. you need to dis-attach the bottom of the canister where it connects to the V-lever (the V-lever is held on by the red bolt - you don't remove it.) put the pry tool in between the V-lever and the bottom of the canister and pry the bottom of the canister (where it attaches to the V-lever) away from the V-lever.

you can't see it yet, but the V-lever has a little silver ball on it. the bottom of the canister has a socket which is shaped to fit the ball inside it. that's what's holding it on. pop the canister's socket off of the ball. then do it on the other side.

here's a picture. see the little ball on the V-lever? see the dis-attached canister? that's what you need to do.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Chris_in_NH

[Boxster98newbie]

playing with you???? NO WAY!!! HAHA...

MAN I am really not good at this. I took out my tools and almost started to unsrew the red bolt. I stopped and thought that i should double check with you. Anyway, i will go out and try again. it's dark now let me see how far i can get it done......

yea yea.. i know i know.. i am not good.. ^_^

thanks thanks!

[Boxster98newbie]

Hey Chris,

I just want to make sure, that's where I just FORCES to slape open? I already tried, but it's on very very tie. I again want to make sure!

Thank you!

[Boxster98newbie]

also, is it easy or HARD to slap it back on?

thx..

Eric

[Chris_in_NH]

YES YES YES!!! :lol: that's it! pry that off! as i mentioned, it might be tight, but it's an all-or-nothing connection. it's either 'on' or 'off', there's no in between. so that's why it 'pops' off.

that second picture is perfect. just get the pry tool in between the v-lever and the canister and pry it away from the v-lever.

it will be much easier to put back on. you just 'pop' it back on. :lol: (you'll have your clamshell open when you put it back on so it will be much easier.)

Edited July 8, 2007 by Chris_in_NH