Sunroof only works manually

TopsailBeach · TopsailBeach's Garage

The sunroof in the newly acquired 944 works great when operated manually. The drive gear motor spins and nothing happens when the switch is engaged. I'm assuming that a cog/gear on the end of the motor shaft has stripped. Any ideas and help with next steps? Thanks!

jts924s · 02-25-2004, 05:36 AM

The motor gear is strong, the cable (and everything else) is weak. I doubt that a stripped cable would work manually. By "manually", do you say that you are turning the big nut on the motor? That nut, along with the nut underneath it are a clutch for the motor, used to stop stripping other components when the switches fail to stop the motor when the sunroof is fully open or closed. Maybe your clutch is so weak that the motor spins without moving the cable?

I suggest the Clark's Garage write-up on the sunroof. URL is (?):
www.clarks-garage.com

TopsailBeach · TopsailBeach's Garage

Yep, turning the nut works the system just fine, although it isn't backing the locking components out of the sunroof completely before it begins to back out.

jts924s · 02-25-2004, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TopsailBeach
Yep, turning the nut works the system just fine, although it isn't backing the locking components out of the sunroof completely before it begins to back out.

Ya lost me. IIRC there are three positions of importance: raised, locked, and remove. In the remove position the lever arms retract from the locked position and nest against the gear assembly housing, so you can remove the sunroof. This is where the clutch on the motor disengages to prevent stripping. If you are saying that you can't manually go from the locked position (and retract the arms) to the remove position, then I would guess this is where the cable (worm gear actually) is stripped. Check the archives as I remember this thread before. I believe the phrase PITA was used from those who had to replace the cable.

Another possibility is that the lifting arms are not correctly aligned, and the motor retracts the cable fully before the levers disengage from the roof. Again I recommend the Clark's Garage write-up for a better discussion.