'98 Boxster Convertible Top

[1schoir]

Posted by Stephane 1515:

thanx,I am not a mecanic, so i'll describe in my own words... my convertible top cover goes up and the top goes down 1/4 of the way and then i hear a loud clik, and it stops, i have to do it manually . to put it back on, i have to do it manually all the way to the 3/4 and then it works with the button...of course the top light is always on when i drive...and i noticed that the 2 gears that turn the pushrods are not in the same position, is it normal?

thanx, any advice would be great

Stephane

Stephane:

Unless one or more of the four pushrods (or parts of those pushrods) are broken, it is not possible to move the top manually, assuming the convertible top gears are not stripped.

First verify that all of the following parts are intact and/or not missing: left and right side front pushrods with the plastic ball cups attached, intact, and connected (pressed on) to the steel balls at the base of each side of the B-pillar; left and right side black "hydraulic" pushrods are connected at the steel ball at the rear arm of each V-lever and at the body-colored support arm that is attached at its upper end to the underside of the clamshell.

Also verify that each V-lever has no "play" when you manually forcibly try to rotate it either clockwise or counterclockwise (preferably with the pushrods disconnected). That will tell you whether the half-moon gear inside each of your "A-Version" transmissions is stripped or any of the teeth are broken off.

If you are not sure about which parts are which, do a search here for "pushrod" and you will find photos of the various parts. If you have a Bentley manual, there is a good diagram of the various parts. In the alternative, take some photos of the parts and post them here so that we can see if there is something amiss.

To answer your other question: The gears and levers that move the pushrods should be in the same exact position, but should be a mirror image of each other. If they are not, then your mechanism has to be re-synched.

The light remaining on all the time also involves timing and the position of the B-pillar microswitch, and sometimes a faulty double relay.

Regards, Maurice.

[STEPHANE1515]

thank you for the quick answer, there is one of the pushrods missing, it broke again, that's why i can do it manually, i am afraid to replace it again, it brakes every time, the v-levers are not aligned , how do i align them ?

[1schoir]

thank you for the quick answer, there is one of the pushrods missing, it broke again, that's why i can do it manually, i am afraid to replace it again, it brakes every time, the v-levers are not aligned , how do i align them ?

You can align the V-levers by spinning the inner speedometer-like cable inside the black vinyl cable housings in a cordless drill.

Do a search here for the procedure, which involves pulling the cables out from the sides of the electric motor.

After you align them, you can double check your work by observing the clamshell when it is in the process of closing all the way down. When it gets about two inches away from the trunk lid surface, you can measure and adjust accordingly by spinning one of the cables until the clamshell is level and even.

Regards, Maurice.