Filling convertible top hydraulic fluid

[RobbieinSF]

Hi, silly question, but can anyone tell me how far to fill up the convertible top hydraulic fluid?

I believe there's a "max fill line" on the reservoir, but even shining a light behind it, it's very difficult to see anything as the reservoir is buried so deep in the car.

The other reason I'm confused is that I've also read to just fill it up until the fluid starts coming out of the filler hole...but I really don't want to do this as the hole seems a good bit higher than the reservoir (and thus, above the max fill line), and I don't want to put too much fluid in there and create any problems.

Any advice would be appreciated-
Thanks so much

2002 911 Carrera convertible

[alabamatoy]

Mine had a max and min fill line on the little view window. The pump began cavitating when the fluid was below the min mark. I used a long piece of plastic tubing inserted into the oil can like a soda straw, then sucked the oil up in the tube until it was a few inches from my mouth, then pinched the hose off, moved the other end of the hose from the oil can to the fill hole (having already removed the little screw) and let the oil drain from the hose into the reservoir. The tubing was very small, like weed-eater fuel line, so it took a couple of repetitions to bring the level up to the max mark. I then cycled the top, and the cavitation went away, and the reservoir level dropped slightly, as I suppose some air was flushed from the hydraulics. It didnt take much to fill the reservoir from min to max, probably only an an ounce or so, like half a shot-glass full

HTH.....

[PESUAZO]

This is the set up when I did mine......I still have more than have of the fluid bottle left in it.

[alabamatoy]

I used a long piece of the tubing, and sucked it into the tube from the container by mouth. Once it filled to about 6 or 8 inches from my mouth, I stopped, pulled the tube from the container, put a finger over the end of the tube, stuck it in the reservoir fill hole, and let it drain in via gravity. If you got too much in the tube, you can stop the flow with a thumb over the end of the tube. It worked quite well, and cost nothing. It doesn't take much to fill the reservoir if its just a wee bit low, no more than a couple ounces. HTH

[RealRideRacing]

Great info thanks. I'm about to do the same for my 996.2. I'll probably go to the local hobby / craft store to get a syringe and tube. Can anybody tell me what diameter tube I should get? Thanks.