'89 Sunroof tilting up too early

[GeorgeM]

I recently had my sunroof out for paint. I simply removed it and it worked fine before removal.

After reinstallation, I slowly opened it and all seemed fine, but when I try to close it, the rear tilts up shortly after it starts moving instead of when it's almost closed and clear of the roof.

I switched to manual operation so that I'd have more control and I'm fairly sure that I stopped it before contact with the roof... but now what do I do?

Any ideas how to get the sunroof out without damaging my freshly painted panel? Perhaps disconnect the motor and try to pull it out by hand?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

[john walker's workshop]

Maybe slip a piece of thin cardboard over the panel and see if it will come forward enough to pop the headliner down and slide it back so you can remove the fasteners and lift out the panel. Sounds like the whole works needs a disassemble and clean, Cables need to slide easily and no lube. If you used 964 cables, they need to be de-fuzzed or they won't slide.

[GeorgeM]

Thanks for the tip, John.

I used cardboard from a case of Diet Coke... thin but strong, and hand cranked it until I could get to the bolts.

Unfortunately, the panel was not unscathed, but hoping the few scratches can be buffed out.

Now to figure out what happened....

Cheers.

[Paulporsche]

I don't think the top should start lifting up until the sliding ends of the cable impact the round bumps on the rails and the arm starts to pivot. Are you sure you have those ends oriented correctly and in the right place? Are those bumps OK?

I'm grasping at straws a little here because I'm not sure how you could have them in incorrectly...

When the panel is closed completely are those pivoting arms of the sliders in an upright position and up against the bumps?

[proporsche]

when i do this job i always close the top manually-not by crank..once closed you lift the left and right ends by screwdriver to it final position.if the height has to be adjusted...do it this time....only after this i would connect the el.motor and open the sunroof with it.And lastly i connect the headliner. Also ,take pictures of your ends so we can see the height adjustments....

Ivan

[David Inc.]

Mine did this recently, the leather on the headliner had torn and bunched up enough where it jammed while closing and that cued the rear to pop up. Took a chunk out of the paint at the edge.

Just painted the car last year.

[proporsche]

One more thing..did you remove the rails? If yes, make sure you placed them in the correct position ,on the end are guiding pins..for that purpose

Ivan