I went to power the top back....the right front latch got stuck and then something in the back went snap! Both motors spin but the linkage doesn't move. What to do? Just before this happened, the top worked slow and sometimes got stuck on the way up or down. It may have been due to a low battery, but I'm not sure. I also bought the Bentley manual, but it doesn't cover tops. Thanks for any and all help.

Thanks!
Keith

 

I've been here before.

If the "snap" was loud, then it might just be a cable. If the snap sounded like a shotgun, then you might check the convertible support pillars to see if they are still in one piece. You might also check to see if you have torn the right or left convertible top transmission units from their anchors.

In the back, behind the rear seats, their are two motors that are both attached to one mounting unit. There is a right motor and a left motor. Both motors turn an approx. 2' braided cable the runs along the back of the seats to a right or left transmission unit on either side of the car (behind the panel where the rear speakers are located).

The cable itself is braided, and stamped into a square on the motor end. On the other end, its attached to a screw drive that sits in the transmission unit and moves a gear (and your top) up and down. In my case, the square end became rounded (due to age) and one motor turned one transmission but the broken cable did not turn the other transmission. Without realizing one was working and one wasn't, I continued moving the top up. Because of the leverage involved, these little motors can produce a hell of a lot of force, enough to completely break the support strut that runs just aft of the door window glass and tear the transmission from its anchor points.

My suggestion: DO NOT operate the top with the motor. If you must, you can disconnect the top from the transmission by removing the center bolt on the transmission unit on both sides. Now you will have a manual top instead of an automatic top. Since this arm only fits on the hub in one orientation, removing this arm will not effect the alignment. The syncronization of the two motors, cables and transmissions is probaby better left to a professional. It seems as it its only a half turn out of alignment, the top won't sit right when it makes contact with the front window and will then not lock into position.

One more word of advice. If you disconnect the main drive arms, make sure you either completely remove them or watch both sides when moving the top up or down. If they are allowed to just dangle, they have a way of binding up the mechanism when you move the top by hand.

Another FYI - Each cable will set you back about $200-$225. Each drive motor will set you back about $400-$450 and each transmission unit is $450-$550. Motors on the front edge of the top that lock the top down are also about $450 a piece.

If you find components at a lower price, please let me know.

Have a professional fix and align. You can cause a lot of damage very quickly if they are just slightly out of alignment.

Don

 

As I re-read the post it occured to me that one of the gears in your right front motor may also be stripped. I have successfully fixed this problem without having to spend $450 for a new motor and locking mechanism.

If the right front motor spins but the lock dosn't move, let me know and I'll talk you through that part.

Don

 

Thanks for the wealth of knowledge. How did you obtain all this? Did you work at a Porsche dealer or did you design the system? I'm sure the advice will be more than helpful! Thanks again.

Keith

 

Didn't work at Porsche, didn't design the system, but did hear the shotgun sound when all hell broke loose (from moving it up and down once it broke).

So far I've relaced the broken cable on the drive side but when disaster struck, the driver side transmission ripped away from the anchors. The tabs on the transmission unit that hold it to the bolts on sheetmetal, ripped off - so I'm looking at $500 for a new transmission unit, which I have not yet replaced.

One of the anchor points also utilizes a nut which has been welded to an inaccessible area on the other side of the sheetmetal, so now there is just a hole where their should be threads. So I've got a little more work to do.

The good news is that in "Manual" mode, my top only takes about 3 seconds to go up and down and the front locking mechanism still works to latch it down tight.

I've actually grown rather fond of "Manual" because you have to get out of the car to put the cover boot over the top anyway - so its barely any extra work.

Don

 

Donnie,

I would like to take you up on your offer of getting some advice on how to get the front locking motors to release when the front motor spins, but the lock doesn't release.

Thanks,
-MD

 

When I bought my 1987 911 TL with cab, I alway wanted the power top and while chit chat with Porsche owner and they recomended manual top, due to the age of the year of car I want to buy. Now I know the pain that you going thru

Good luck on your repair

TC_SJ