Automatic cabriolet top problems

I am looking at a 1989 Cabriolet with an automatic power top and I am wondering if they hold up. I've read about motor failures and expensive repairs. Do they hold up, are they expensive to fix, and can the motors be disconnected for manual operation or will I be stuck with having to maintain it?
Thanks for your reply

They can easily be made manual. I did this to mine as one side seemed slightly slower than the other and I was concerned about twisting and eventually snapping some of the roof rib supports.

Hey Monkeyboy could you give some details on what you did to convert to a manual top. (parts and such). Mine has given me problems and I can tell the PO had many adventures with it also.
david 89 turbocab

Anyone care to post a pic of the automatic mechanism and how it works?
My cab top is manual, and that's specifically what I wanted, but I can't imagine they redesigned the whole top just to make it automatic (like where is the motor and how does it power the top)?

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Kurt B
'84 Carrera Cab.
carrera_cabriolet@yahoo.com

I made my top manual last year, the latches are still automatic however. I would reccommend it, there is a lot of stress on the main support bow, and mine snapped last year ($1300 OUCH!) Take off the rear side covers to expose the linkage. Disconnect the linkage from the transmission assembly to the top, then remove that piece on both sides. Now make sure that the arm is not touching either microswitch on the tranny assembly. Next remove the rear panel that covers the motors and disconnect them, I believe they are green and black wires? That's all there is to it, and it works great. Now I have a question. I am in the process of reassembling my car, however now my top doesn't want to unlatch(The latch motors won't run). Is their any convertible top service manual that I can purchase and try to figure out where the problem is?
If you need any clarification on the
auto->manual procedure let me know.


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___________________
Dante Oliverio
86 Turbo-Look Cab

I am having trouble with my electric latches. I also like manual up/down but am stuck with electric latches. They open fine, but do not close unless I short the relay under the floorboard. Any ideas?




[This message has been edited by wdarner (edited 05-04-2001).]

[This message has been edited by wdarner (edited 05-04-2001).]

Sorry I missed the earlier post directed toward me - I was on vacation that week. If I remember correctly, mine didn't want to latch either. I think the problem was that I had disconnected the connector to the microswitch. When I reconnected it, it worked. Give it a whirl and let me know if it works. If not, I'll try to find the time to screw around with it and repeat the problem.

[boxes]

Does anyone know how to change the convertible top setup to manually put up the top and then just bypass all the damn micro switches and via button actuate the latch down motors?

88cab here

[reachme]

There already is a button to do that. Under the dash to the left, same one that brings up the roof.

Once the roof is in place, (arms that raise the top hit the limit AND the pegs in the holes) then the microswitches turn and lock down the roof. No sense activating the locks if the roof is not in place, If that is not working it may be better to fix that part of the the system as designed than try to rebuild the same on your own.

That way you can raise and lower the roof on your own, then press that button to lock/unlock.

[megerian]

Yes, the only thing to add to what reachme said is that you must first loosen the bolts that move the rear control arms, and that is easily done. The word of caution is that once you do this, it would be a more involved process to re-align the arms to revert back to motorized operation.

[famoroso]

Some info on converting to manual... Cabrio top damage....OUCH!

[rekstein1]

I have a 1988 911 cab after years of fiddling around with the top microswirches top adjustment electrical wire testing and buying a used CPU I finally we close to going manuel

Found a company ECs or u that actually tests the CPU for the top for 75 bucks

If it fails it's 359 for them to open it up and replace the ic chip I guess with an updated version I coughed up the replacement because my unit fail and received the undated CPU it has a seal on it if removed voids the warrenty
Yeah I would like to look inside de me see what they did but so be it
Have had it for 2 years it's been trouble free knowing what I do now I would send the CPU in for testing and be done with it

Buying used or testing other things when the locks don't open or such was a complete waste of time

Now if I can only deal with a gas smell comming from the engine arghhhh!