Todd at TODDANDCHARITY@peoplepc.com

sent me a used sunroof relay for $25 with priority shiping that has a part number 944.615.117.00 . This is different from the original (88 TS) 944.615.117.02 relay as it doesn't have the #1 leg. Well, who cares as it works! I don't know what the #1 leg does but as long as it doesn't start my car on fire I don't care.

So you fellows that had the same problems in the thread back a week or two, guess what? The main relay is probably the problem.

Fortunately, I snagged this one for $20. If you need a new one it is going to run about $130 plus the shipping.

But talk to Todd as he may have a couple extras. Good guy to deal with.

 

your problem was that the arms would not retract with the key in the #1 position, but would raise the roof when the car was running?

thats what I have

 

Yes, Mike.

The main relay switchs polarity and the stop signals from the micro switches around.

I hate to say it but I think you are screwed. Talk to Todd about a used replacement relay or buy a big can of KY jelly and bend over.

 

my problem is the same in that the arms won't retract to release the roof in Key position 1 but works fine in position 2 with all other commands. Main relay for me too you think?

 

Not really. I'll just "borrow" the relay from one of my father's Porsches.

He's the one that's screwed!

 

Can anybody tell me which relay it is on a 1984. Clark’s says its relay #2 but my factory owner’s manual says that relay #2 is my fuel pump relay and it can’t be the same relay. The owner’s manual does not list a relay for the roof. But relay #5 says no connection but there is a relay in the socket, but I can’t get my hand in there without taking something apart.

The electrical diagram on pelicans site show what I think we are calling the relay and on the diagram it is labeled as CONTROL UNIT – LIFTING ROOF + RADIO. The pin out labeling matches with the Clark’s Main Sunroof Relay Testing diagram pin out. But the question is where is it?

 

I have this same problem. Originally I found that the bracket holding the two limit switches was tweaked and I bent it back so that the switches worked properly. I was going to double check the switch that allows full retraction but this sounds more like the fix I will need. $120 for a relay!?

 

I'm glad I have a manual sunroof...

 

It is not in the main relay panel. Here's the best way for me to describe to you how you find it.

Sit in the driver's seat. Put your right foot on the accelerator pedal. The relay is under the dashboard, directly above your right shin. You probably have to remove a small cardboard-like cover to see it.

 

I had a problem with sending money to toddandcharity's paypal account (I think paypal accounts are cap sensitive and I didn't know this when trying to send payment) when I was trying to buy a window, but I left town right after I sent it and it bounced back while I was gone, so I never got the chance to do business with them, but from my dealings, they were very quick at getting back to me and would have saved me $35 on a window if I didn't need it in a rush when I got back from vacation. Besides problems on my end, good people to deal with.

 

Rich, PayPal is now part of EvilBay so can be a nightmare to use. A real marriage made in Hell. I short paid Todd and had to wait for more funds to show up in the account to make him whole. But he was a trusting fellow and sent my parts off in the meantime. Probably because I'm so well known as a square shooter.

Scooter, Yes, I think that is your problem. We should have a travelling relay that we send around the world and everyone can try it out. If it solves the problem then you know for sure and can either start salting away the $130 for a new one or make plans for going to manual sunroof.

Jon, yeah that relay is very expensive to buy aftermarket. A rip off if you ask me but what are you going to do on a 15+ year old car? I noted the different part numbers that will work so there must be options for a cheaper solution. But you will probably spend $130 of your time finding one. I'd suggest going my route and try finding guys like Todd that are parting out cars. This does have some risk as relays have a limited service life. So many cycles and they are done. For good. The reason I use top quality relays in my headlight package.

 

Iceshark - According to the electrical diagram for a 1984 the #1 terminal (on the “relay”) is what gives power to the radio. It may differ on the newer cars. When I removed the “relay” to take a look at it, I tested to see what didn’t work with it removed and the radio and the sunroof were indeed dead. They came back to life when I reinserted the “relay”. I am putting “relay” in quotes because it is a bit of an oversimplification to call it that. I took it apart to see what it was made up of. I now see why it is so expensive. If I owned a digital camera I would have taken a picture of it. There is quit a bit of circuitry stuffed in the relay housing. There is even a little variable resistor (potentiometer) in there. I have no idea what that would adjust. Maybe the speed (MPH) at which the latches will activate if you start moving without the roof latched.

So if you have an 84 (and maybe some other years) if the #1 terminal is missing I would venture to say that your radio wouldn’t work, unless you get power for it from somewhere else.

89magic98 – the “relay” was exactly where you said it would be. Thank You.

I still have the problem with trying to release the roof for removal. Because of the errors that I have discovered in the testing write ups that I have discovered, I am hesitant to trust what they say the voltage reading should be. I jumped 12 volts to the right place and got the roof to release. So it does look like it is the “relay”. I am only reading about 10 volts where there should be 12 volts so I will have to look at this closer soon, another day, but I am done for now.

 

kevin, I guess that number one leg got superceeded by 1988. My radio still works. But I better check if something else is offline.

I took the relay apart, also. you are right that it has quite a few things going on in there. But come on, $130 bucks? You can buy a computer for that much money.

 

When the "radio relay" part of my sunroof/radio relay broke, I put another relay in parallel with the defective radio relay.

Rather than cut the harness, I spliced into the relay related lines, and placed a second $1.99 relay in parallel. It has worked properly for over a year now.

 

UPDATE: It was the main relay, thanks Iceshark. I got a used one for $60 Cdn and it's the updated one. The part number ending in 02 supercedes the 00 and does have one extra leg. So if you buy a new one from Porsche you'll get the 02. So, if anyone wants a relay that won't allow you to unlock the roof but operates in every other way, make me an offer.