Convertible Top Repair, Help!

[vfxbox]

Last week I was driving and got off from the freeway, so I decide to put top back on (SmartTop equiped) and driving 20mph as top was closing in to end position I hear weak motor sound from the back.. top indicator lights stay on then, "Bang!" I heard something broke off as top hit the windshield. What the "f***"???

Sure enough.. cable broke off (driver side) and one of the push bar ball cap for passenger side broke off.

I got home and looked at my boxster service manual and looks like I have to remove driver side convertible transmission to replace broken cable. but how? service manual I got from the Amazon.Com doesn't really say how and convertible top repair section is very WEAK!

Any idea? how to remove transmission and make adjustment? Anyhow, I ordered parts from Sunset imports, "Thanks again, Jeff !!!" :help:

Any help will be appreciate and if anyone who want to observe or give me help/hand/beer? :beer: as I am going to repair this with my buddy. I am planning to tape entire session and put it on DVD for future reference. May be sell it as anyone who wants it ($19.99 fair enough?)

:welcome:

Edited March 17, 2006 by vfxbox

[Tool Pants]

Remove the V-lever bolt with a 19 mm socket. It takes some effort to break the bolt free because there is locktite on the bolt threads. Then remove the round plastic protection plate behind the V-lever. Then pull back the black plastic foam to expose the transmission. The transmission is bolted to the car with three 13 mm nuts. Remove the nuts and then pull the transmission away from the three mounting studs.

You have a 2001 with the new style transmissions. The old cable will just pull out of the transmission.

Your replacement push rod will have a white plastic ball joint, instead of red. Don't you wish you could buy just that plastic ball joint instead of the entire push rod....

[vfxbox]

So, I don't have to take transmission out to replace the cable?

Thanks Tool Pants, you rule.

:king:

Remove the V-lever bolt with a 19 mm socket. It takes some effort to break the bolt free because there is locktite on the bolt threads. Then remove the round plastic protection plate behind the V-lever. Then pull back the black plastic foam to expose the transmission. The transmission is bolted to the car with three 13 mm nuts. Remove the nuts and then pull the transmission away from the three mounting studs.

You have a 2001 with the new style transmissions. The old cable will just pull out of the transmission.

Your replacement push rod will have a white plastic ball joint, instead of red. Don't you wish you could buy just that plastic ball joint instead of the entire push rod....

Edited March 14, 2006 by vfxbox

[Tool Pants]

The transmission has to come out of the car to replace the cable.

In this pic the left is the new style and on the right is the old style. You can see the cable going to each transmission.

[vfxbox]

Where is convertible top drive lid microswitch?

According to service manual, compartment lid microswitch should be in center of the motor. But I see no such switches.

Any idea? Little confuse with locating microswitches.

:help:

Also I have no idea what these things are, looks like switch of some sort of.. but can't figure it out.

:lightbulb:

The transmission has to come out of the car to replace the cable.

In this pic the left is the new style and on the right is the old style. You can see the cable going to each transmission.

Edited March 16, 2006 by vfxbox

[Tool Pants]

The switch above the top motor was only on 1997-1999, so you do not have it.

The black plastic wedges are to adjust the height of the clamshell if needed.

[vfxbox]

Top repair session went this morning, took all day long.. many adjustments, trial and errors :)

Replaced driver side cable (microswitch was in driver side transmission, Thanks Tool Pants) and replaced broken red ball cap with white, but used same old push rod instead. New revised push rod is bit longer and had difficult to make adjustment.

Top is working and keep making adjustments, but it came down to little problem. Passenger side hood wouldn't go all the way. Do I have to use force, push it down? I looked at inside where the push rod is and it is blocking guide arm at the end which lead to raise the hood to tilt up.

Edited March 17, 2006 by vfxbox

[Tool Pants]

Is the clamshell tweaked from when the top failed?

[vfxbox]

I couldn't tell. when it failed, I was driving 12mph as it was closing in.. then bang! joint ball cap broke off when cable got cut off. so it is possible.. if clamshell got tweak, how hard is it to fix it?

Is the clamshell tweaked from when the top failed?

[Tool Pants]

I cannot see your car over the internet.

If one end of the clamshell is not flush with the body of the car then the clamshell was tweaked/bent when the top operation failed.

All I can see in your picture is that a portion of the clamshell is not flush with the body of the car, and since I cannot see your car or the other end of the clamshell I do not know why.

This is an example of a tweaked clamshell, where the clamshell is not yet in the fully closed postion..

[vfxbox]

How do I correct this problem, picture you've post is almost same as mine, but mine is not that extreme. probably half inch up on passenger side. how do I flush with the body of my car? bang it with my bare hand? :D

Thanks Tool Pants.

I cannot see your car over the internet.

If one end of the clamshell is not flush with the body of the car then the clamshell was tweaked/bent when the top operation failed.

All I can see in your picture is that a portion of the clamshell is not flush with the body of the car, and since I cannot see your car or the other end of the clamshell I do not know why.

This is an example of a tweaked clamshell, where the clamshell is not yet in the fully closed postion..

Edited March 18, 2006 by vfxbox

[Tool Pants]

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6360

[Q-Ship986]

Top repair session went this morning, took all day long.. many adjustments, trial and errors :)

Replaced driver side cable (microswitch was in driver side transmission, Thanks Tool Pants) and replaced broken red ball cap with white, but used same old push rod instead. New revised push rod is bit longer and had difficult to make adjustment.

Top is working and keep making adjustments, but it came down to little problem. Passenger side hood wouldn't go all the way. Do I have to use force, push it down? I looked at inside where the push rod is and it is blocking guide arm at the end which lead to raise the hood to tilt up.

Hi. Other than what Jeff mentions, you may also need to adjust these:

Also I have no idea what these things are, looks like switch of some sort of.. but can't figure it out.

Slide them back/forth to set the clamshell flush. Plus, get a toothbrush in there; somewhere, Orient Express is having a heart attack.

--Brian

Edited March 18, 2006 by Q-Ship986

[vfxbox]

Slide them back/forth to set the clamshell flush. Plus, get a toothbrush in there; somewhere, Orient Express is having a heart attack.

--Brian

Yes Sir... lol

:P