How loud is your sunroof motor?

tgittens · 06-15-2009, 07:34 AM

At first I thought maybe the motor needed some lube because it was so loud but now I'm thinking that it might just be the way it's supposed to sound. the car is a 1969, anyone else have experience with these older sunroof motors? are they just noisy?

Formerly Steve Wilkinson · 06-15-2009, 07:57 AM

I can't even hear the motor in my '83. All I hear is the roof sliding.

tgittens · 06-15-2009, 08:00 AM

14 years of mechanical advancement?

Zeke · 06-15-2009, 08:11 AM

Mine is the same as the Boxster top motor. I know, that helps a lot. But, I assume since the Boxster has always been about the same and it being a newer car.....

red 2.7 · 06-15-2009, 08:15 AM

My 77's sunroof motor is very loud. Now oh boy another project! Stealth sunroof:-)

JFairman · 06-15-2009, 08:32 AM

My '87's sunroof motor is the loudest I've ever heard but it opens and closes fast.

I think it's just the older design of the sunroof and motor because it doesn't sound like it's dried out or laboring until the panel reaches the end of it's stroke since the motor will keep running if you continue to hold your finger on the switch... same as the windows.

If it's loud because of a lack of heavy luxury car foam rubber soundproofing in the roof around the motor thats ok with me.

Miguel Antonett · 06-15-2009, 09:12 AM

After the intial pop from the close position, my 78 just hummmmms. However, I've had other 911s that were louder.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

my '73 had work done on it by a PO

it is loud and rough - sounds like the gears are widely spaced or something

axvel · 12:24 PM

sorry OT but my sunroof is stuck when i press on the switch all i hear is clicks like the motor is trying to do something but something is stuck. any ideas? on 77' can i manually turn it by hand?

kolies · kolies's Garage

You can turn them by hand. When you open the zipper in the back of the headliner, you should be able to see the sunroof motor and transmission. There should be a circular head with a slot in it. There is a tool that will fit into the slot, but a a large flat screw driver will do the trick.
Mine was stuck from sitting outside for 6 years, but there were repair records about a slow sunroof. I scraped as much of the old grease out distributed new grease on the gears, and lubed the bushings on the input and output shaft with Teflon lubricant. It worked like a champ when I did it. Haven't tried it this year yet though to see if it still rotates easily

Paulporsche · 06-15-2009, 02:09 PM

Before I replaced mine, the motor was very loud w/ a kind of scraping type noise. The new replacement is very quite and smooth sounding.

axvel · 06-15-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kolies

You can turn them by hand. When you open the zipper in the back of the headliner, you should be able to see the sunroof motor and transmission. There should be a circular head with a slot in it. There is a tool that will fit into the slot, but a a large flat screw driver will do the trick.
Mine was stuck from sitting outside for 6 years, but there were repair records about a slow sunroof. I scraped as much of the old grease out distributed new grease on the gears, and lubed the bushings on the input and output shaft with Teflon lubricant. It worked like a champ when I did it. Haven't tried it this year yet though to see if it still rotates easily

thanks for reply

carlosR · 06-15-2009, 04:51 PM

Just thought I'd add my sunroof to the discussion, very loud but oh so German. Sounds like a panzer lid opening and closing!

dentist90 · dentist90's Garage

Mechanical whir, not bad at all, until it reaches the limit of travel either opening or closing, then it makes a terrible GRRRONNKKK sound like plastic gears are stripping. Is this the sound of some sort of clutching system? It works fine, but you have to let go of the switch as soon as it is closed or.... GRRRONNKKK!

3.2Carrera · 3.2Carrera's Garage

mine is not quiet, i can definitely hear it when ever i use the sunroof.

StayGold808 · 06-16-2009, 02:31 AM

In my car the sunroof motor is a little noisy..
However, in my Dad's car (both are 3.2 carreras although his is a G50 car), the motor is very quiet.

My only possible explanations are:
1) Maybe the G50 car motors are quieter (there were a fair bit of "refinements" made with the G50 cars)
2) the motor has at some point been replaced and newer motors are quieter
3) the sunroof cables have been replaced with the 964 felted cables which are quieter (as OEM cables are no longer available)

Sunroof · 06-16-2009, 04:39 AM

I have a 1973.5T model and I have been trying to perfect my sunroof operation now for over seven years!! First, the older sunroof uses a different transmission to motor connector, which is a longer reach between motor and transmission. A simple re-enforced plastic tube with pressed on female fittings. By the way, these ends will twist and comes off first before the sunroof jams on something. DO NOT BUY NEW ONES! These are costly! Instead, use a good two part epoxy and re-glue the ends onto the plastic tube. Press the ends onto the tube as snug as possible. I have several spares in my door pocket! The sunroof cables have to run over a foot through the tunnels and overtime wear on the transmission gear will occur and that bite between cable and transmission gear will get louder as the wear progresses. The newer cables are now threaded with black felt for quieter operation, but the thread can cause a grab issue for the older transmissions. General opinion was that by removing the felt the tranny gear will get a better bite on the cable, but it just makes for a noisier cable run. Also, lubing the cable was never recommended, because the lubrication gets hot and runs past the tranny and the slider and ultimately messes up the headliner. If you have to lube, use "dry lube" and use minimal amounts of lubrication. Its not the motor thats noisey, its the cable/transmission, cable run through the tunnel and slider. After three 911's, all sunroof coupes, I am convinced sunroof noise no matter how you try to quiet it down is pure Porsche!! At least in older cars. Its like the fogging guage! First to second 915 tranny shift! If you have a smooth and quiet operating sunroof I congradulate you. For now everything is perfect, but sooner or later...............................screeeech!

Bob
73.5T

One of the toughest parts of sunroof repair is the alignment issues where adjustments have to be made. I found the task rather tricky, but slowly figured it out over trial and error.

Miguel Antonett · 06-16-2009, 04:51 AM

Talking about fogging guages... not to steal the thread, but how do you clean the inside of them?

Sunroof · 06-16-2009, 05:24 AM

You cannot...............
No one has complained about internal corrosion or the guage malfunctioning yet as a result of fogging. Its the closest to the window, door and weather, but the fogging goes away. If it did not fog it would not be a Porsche 911!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob

PeterRT · 06-16-2009, 09:35 AM

Very smooth and fast, but sounds like it's busy opening the lid of an ICBM silo...