Here's what I'm talking about.

So, I decided to tackle the next easter egg that the PO left for me on my car today... the "non-working sunroof." The sunroof motor would run, however I noticed the "tube" the cable is in would run in and out of the plastic block it sits inside on the motor (this should've flagged me to check the motor-side of all of this first.). So I thought the gearbox in the headliner had locked up or something with hard grease/plastic chips. So I decided to take it out.

After taking out the sunroof drive arms and "gearbox" in the center, and then taking apart the gearbox, I saw that the gears inside were not stripped (They were also metal... is that normal? I only see plastic ones on ebay.) and the grease was plenty soft.

So then I decided to check the track/motor mechanism to see if the plastic chunk that slides about had seized up. I took off the "top plate" off of the plastic block in the rear so I would be able to slide the cable around as I needed. To my surprise the cable was free to slide in the track. I cleaned it and lubricated it anyways.

I turned my attention to the drive gear of the motor and saw metal shards inside the plastic block... prompting me to take the above picture.

Big question: Has anyone ordered the P/N 944 564 941 00 from pelican/porsche before? Anyone know if it comes with all the "tubed cables?" Does anyone have JUST this tube/cable assembly lying around that they'd like to get rid of? Anyone have the whole assembly? I don't want to drive 2hrs to be disappointed at the junkyard.

Also, if anyone needs some pics on how this thing goes together I'll gladly take them... since everything is torn apart (PICS) and sitting in the hatch area right now.

 

Hey I am near you have some SF parts drive , panels etc. I need to run out so only read your post quickly, message me back . what year is it?
Ken, Southern Pines NC

 

In case anyone is curious about this still. I have an update.

I went out on a limb and bought This kit from 944online. I was able to feed the new cable through the C-pillar without cutting it open, even though the instructions stated to cut the C pillar open... screw everything about that.

I then thought about seeing if I really needed to install the "adapter brackets" by pop-riviting them to the roof per the intructions. I ended up not having to do that at all since they did nothing but add some support. I DID however, have to smash down one of the original mounts on the driver's side so the new gearbox was able to line up to the "tracks" in the sunroof itself.

Now then, at this point I set the lifting arms in their retracted position, attached the "bar" that trips the micro switches onto the cable, and then slid the cable down the track until both switches were depressed. This is when I engaged the cable with the motor's gear. I then mounted all of that in the quarter panel.

By a stroke of luck both lifting arms stopped in their correct positions when I depressed the sunroof switch to "engage" in ACC. I cycled that a couple of times and noticed a bit of noise from the driver's side gearbox. I turned the ignition to ON and started opening the roof. To my dismay the drivers side lifted but stopped while the passenger side still continued.

Upon opening the gearbox I found that the metal cable tube's bracket had broken off, and since the middle length of flexible cable is about 15mm too long it was causing the metal tube to slip outwards and disengage the plastic gear. My plan is to cut 5mm sections out of the middle tube, while the passenger side lifting arm is out of the gearbox, until the center section sits "straight" between the gearboxes. Hopefully that will be the last of this sunroof crap.

Super Duper Deutsche Gründlichkeit.