Electrical convertible mechanism unsynchronized

[pk2]

Hello,

Any body had the unfortunate occasion to refinstall the convertible eclectic top mechanism? My car was t-boned and in the process of rectifying the smash, my body shop disconnected one of the push rod things. Messed every thing up. Put the two sides out of sink...unusable.

Even following the factory manual to a tee, it wound up sounding and behaveing like on side was closing and the other was trying to open. Seasoned factory trained Porsche mechanic say their a b_tch…estimate 6 hours ($600)

I’m pretty clever and can figure out most stuff out. But this one has evaded me. Thinking of taking the whole mechanism out and trying to synchronize the 2 sides on a bench, or, trying to open it up and down one side at a time and synchronize that way.

Ideas ? tips? Experience to share?

P.K.

(I chose not to take my car back to the body shop,,,no confidence there…quiet awhile ago any way)

[1schoir]

Hello,

Any body had the unfortunate occasion to refinstall the convertible eclectic top mechanism? My car was t-boned and in the process of rectifying the smash, my body shop disconnected one of the push rod things. Messed every thing up. Put the two sides out of sink...unusable.

Even following the factory manual to a tee, it wound up sounding and behaveing like on side was closing and the other was trying to open. Seasoned factory trained Porsche mechanic say their a b_tch…estimate 6 hours ($600)

I’m pretty clever and can figure out most stuff out. But this one has evaded me. Thinking of taking the whole mechanism out and trying to synchronize the 2 sides on a bench, or, trying to open it up and down one side at a time and synchronize that way.

Ideas ? tips? Experience to share?

P.K.

(I chose not to take my car back to the body shop,,,no confidence there…quiet awhile ago any way)

First place to start is definitely by checking to make sure that both of the drive cables (on the side that goes into the motor which is in the center, under the clamshell, just forward of the third brake light) are sticking out of their black plastic sheaths by 3/4". You can check them by pulling off (up) the small brass clip that is holding each metal ferrule end into the side of the motor. If either one is not sticking out or sticking out by less than that, that cable may not be able to be inserted or stay inserted into the motor's drive on either side of the motor and therefore will not operate the convertible top transmission on that side. Depending on what you find, you may able to repair the cables or you may have to replace them. Look at this thread for a detailed explanation by Tool Pants, with photos on this issue: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...pic=68&st=0

What year is your car? Do you have the old style (97-99) transmissions ("Version A" in the factory manual) or the newer style ("Version B") or a combination of the two?

Could you describe what specific steps you took when you followed the manual and what results/symptoms you got. Are you referring to using the "marking notches" with the V-Levers positioned in between those notches as a starting point?

If both sides appear to be operating in the opposite direction from each other as you describe, is it possible that you installed one of the V-levers 180 degrees off. With the keyed cutouts, it is possible to install the V-levers in only two positions: either the correct way or 180 degrees off.

Regards, Maurice.

[pk2]

Hello,

Any body had the unfortunate occasion to refinstall the convertible eclectic top mechanism? My car was t-boned and in the process of rectifying the smash, my body shop disconnected one of the push rod things. Messed every thing up. Put the two sides out of sink...unusable.

...Ideas ? tips? Experience to share?

P.K.

(I chose not to take my car back to the body shop,,,no confidence there…quiet awhile ago any way)

First place to start is definitely by checking to make sure that both of the drive cables (on the side that goes into the motor which is in the center, under the clamshell,...If both sides appear to be operating in the opposite direction from each other as you describe, is it possible that you installed one of the V-levers 180 degrees off. With the keyed cutouts, it is possible to install the V-levers in only two positions: either the correct way or 180 degrees off.

Regards, Maurice.

Hi Maurice

Thanks for the quick reply. I did stumble on that thread and, it and others were extremely helpful. Told me a lot, I almost took this post down. 1 point, even after the wreck, the top still worked just fine. Currently I’ve disconnected the tie rods. Opening and closing is purely manual (lift the hatch, undo the latch & pull the top back and down, hatch back down).

As to your questions, my drive cables appear to be the “new” (bumpy) variety. That is the variety where sheathing presumably doesn’t stretch. Also, as I recall (when I attempted to fix this thing a couple years ago) there was no obvious “shortcoming” in the cable length and they did definitely drive the transmissions…aggressively.

The car is a 99. As far as the version of the transmission, my manual describes versions references both “A” & “B”. By extrapolation I think I have an “A” in that it has raised bumps for aligning the “drive lever”, whereas in the “B” model, they talk about measuring down to the ball on the drive lever (illustrations are inconclusive).

As to the steps I followed: I’ll try to attach them…makes it look so easy. As to the transmissions running in reverse to each other, that’s just what it sounded like might be happening, it would just make a grrrr -( painfull, loud:)-THAaUNK!-grrrr… with the top going nowhere. Needless to say I didn’t’ try it many times.

Having seen on some thread here, the guts of the type “A” transmission, I guess what had me vexed, that’s the free wheeling section of the half moon gear…just couldn’t visualize it. That may help me visualize it into the correct position.

Aside from ineveditable pratfalls, it really seems easy. But with so many threads on this topic . I anticipate I’ll be around this forum for some time while I try to get this thing working.

Questions: Assuming I have all my ducks in a row after aligning drive levers into position, how should the rear clam-shell/cover and convert top be positioned for attachments of tie rods? Also why, how, and when do I adjust the length of these rods? Feel free to comment or impart any tidbits of wisdom.

Thanks, Peter

Edited September 5, 2007 by Loren
Copyrighted materials removed

[1schoir]

Hello,

Any body had the unfortunate occasion to refinstall the convertible eclectic top mechanism? My car was t-boned and in the process of rectifying the smash, my body shop disconnected one of the push rod things. Messed every thing up. Put the two sides out of sink...unusable.

...Ideas ? tips? Experience to share?

P.K.

(I chose not to take my car back to the body shop,,,no confidence there…quiet awhile ago any way)

First place to start is definitely by checking to make sure that both of the drive cables (on the side that goes into the motor which is in the center, under the clamshell,...If both sides appear to be operating in the opposite direction from each other as you describe, is it possible that you installed one of the V-levers 180 degrees off. With the keyed cutouts, it is possible to install the V-levers in only two positions: either the correct way or 180 degrees off.

Regards, Maurice.

Hi Maurice

Thanks for the quick reply. I did stumble on that thread and, it and others were extremely helpful. Told me a lot, I almost took this post down. 1 point, even after the wreck, the top still worked just fine. Currently I’ve disconnected the tie rods. Opening and closing is purely manual (lift the hatch, undo the latch & pull the top back and down, hatch back down).

As to your questions, my drive cables appear to be the “new” (bumpy) variety. That is the variety where sheathing presumably doesn’t stretch. Also, as I recall (when I attempted to fix this thing a couple years ago) there was no obvious “shortcoming” in the cable length and they did definitely drive the transmissions…aggressively.

The car is a 99. As far as the version of the transmission, my manual describes versions references both “A” & “B”. By extrapolation I think I have an “A” in that it has raised bumps for aligning the “drive lever”, whereas in the “B” model, they talk about measuring down to the ball on the drive lever (illustrations are inconclusive).

As to the steps I followed: I’ll try to attach them…makes it look so easy. As to the transmissions running in reverse to each other, that’s just what it sounded like might be happening, it would just make a grrrr -( painfull, loud:)-THAaUNK!-grrrr… with the top going nowhere. Needless to say I didn’t’ try it many times.

Having seen on some thread here, the guts of the type “A” transmission, I guess what had me vexed, that’s the free wheeling section of the half moon gear…just couldn’t visualize it. That may help me visualize it into the correct position.

Aside from ineveditable pratfalls, it really seems easy. But with so many threads on this topic . I anticipate I’ll be around this forum for some time while I try to get this thing working.

Questions: Assuming I have all my ducks in a row after aligning drive levers into position, how should the rear clam-shell/cover and convert top be positioned for attachments of tie rods? Also why, how, and when do I adjust the length of these rods? Feel free to comment or impart any tidbits of wisdom.

Thanks, Peter

Peter:

I'm familiar with the description in the manual that talks about measuring down to the ball on the drive lever. You can also use that measurement to double check (after getting the V-Levers into position with the marking notches) that both V-levers are in the same position relative to that rail. Again, if you have the half moon gears, you definitely have the "Version A", early style transmissions.

The clamshell pushrods are not adjustable, but they do extend when they are under pressure from the V-levers. That is what keeps the clamshell down tight on top of the open and retracted convertible top. That is also why it is sometimes incredibly difficult to separate the pushrods from the corresponding metal ball on the V-Levers.

So, once you align the V-levers into position, start out with the clamshell almost closed and then pull on the arms of the clamshell in either direction until you can get the ball cup on each pushrod to pop onto the metal ball on the V-Lever. Once you do both of them, the clamshell can only be in one position with the V-levers rotated at that starting position.

Again, you cannot adjust the length of those (black hydraulic tube) pushrods, but you can adjust the other pushrods that operated on the base of the B-Pillar of the convertible top. Be sure to mark the length with which you start out so you can re-assemble them to that length as a starting point. The reason I dissassemble them is that it is much easier to pop those on (the white plastic ball cup part) that way when the top is almost completely up. Then you can re-assemble them with the 10mm bolt and thick washer. In time sequence, this is the last step before you try to operate the top.

The adjustment that those pushrods (with the white plastic ball cup) provide is to adjust where the two tongues on the front of the convertible top engage the receptacles in the top frame of the windshield.

When you have everything together, if you can have someone else push the button with you standing behind the car, you will easily be able to judge is the two sides are synchronized, especially from the motion of the clamshell.

Regards, Maurice.