Man this is a great thread.
I just purchased a 993 targa- 96 model year (delivered in late 1995), last week and driving it home (2700 miles) the top started malfunctioning. The right side seems to be binding up a little as it gets to the point where it is about to lift into place, this causes the motor to make a ratcheting sound. I lubed the track and the little notch-ey thing halfway back and it seemed to help, but it still does it 50% of the time. Anyone have any ideas?
Sometimes it gets all the way forward and up and then the front deflector glass does a weird thing- strange angle-not closing all the way
It was working fine for half the trip, then clunk, and it started this.
Im pretty good at fixing this kinda stuff, its just so hard to see in there to figure out what is going on.
Is there a source for a diagram of how the whole system works?

My mechanic told me to buy a coupe because of the targa roof problems.
I told him I wasn't gonna listen, the roof is amazing.
Man is he gonna give me crap.
Thanks in advance for any advice
-Andrew

 

I have not experienced your problem but it could be just adjustments...the cables do stretch over time and if one side stretches a bit more you can get your roof twisted and binding. Remember these cars are now 11 years old. If the roof is "bound" and you help a little with your hand does that make a difference? There are procedures in manual for this kind of adjustment (I think) but its,a usual, complicated.

I have the training manuals, shop manuals, TSB's, notes etc and there are no really clear explaination on how it works. The training manuals come the closest. The mechanism when the roof is almost closed and is raised is using cams. The movement of the roof front and back is driven by cables on the right and left side.

I am not sure if this is any help...

Cheers,

Mike

Cheers,

Mike

 

For what it's worth, I love my '96 targa. It's ideal in the summer (I don't close the roof hardly at all in Mar - Sep in NC) and it's very light and uplifting in the winter. The only way I'd sell the targa for a different 993 (or course) is for the power of a tt (that's in the long-term plans).

For over a year, I've had close to zero problems with my targa roof (one maintance issue that took less than a week to resolve thanks to this board). It's simply awesome!

Michael

 

+1 on the TT comment. OR maybe a GT3.

 

Well, I have a 1991C2 Targa. It's a fun car, but I would like to move up the 993 version and be done with my path through Porsches. I want to stay air cooled.

The 964 Targa is nice, last of the original body style but you have to stop, get out and do the top, just about as annoying as the cab.

So my vote, FWIW is go with a 993.

 

I had a '95 Cab until a few years ago whem I purchased a '98 Targa. As you have seen others say, you get the best of both worlds with the Targa. Targa gives you open the air feel with with on the move open/close and without as much wind so it is easier to have a conversation with the roof open. With the top up, the Cabr felt a little like a cave with poor side visibility - the area behind the dtiver's and passenger's window is solid in the Cab and glass in the Targa. My T-top has some rattles; but, nothing that bother's me. I agree that you need to drive the cars to know how you really will feel about them. Good luck, Mark

 

Mike J:
Any scans of pictures that would help me understand the mechanism better would be greatly appreciated. And yes, I can get it to close properly if I "help" it by reaching back, grabbing the back edge of the top on passenger side and pulling forward a little and pushing up as the top comes to its final closed position.
It takes a couple of trys sometimes, but I can get it closed.

From what is happening I am divining that maybe there is some sort of sensor switch that is tripped when the top is all the way forward - and that lets the deflector close?
It seems that the top sometimes gets far enough forward to let the deflector work, but not far enough up for the deflector to come down properly (if that makes any sense)

So the right side of the deflector tries to close, but the back edge of the right side of the deflector doesn't go all the way down, and the front edge raises up.
Here is a picture:
It seems like the top kinda jams a bit on the right side just at the end of forward motion, and as it is lifting into final position. You can see in the picture that the back right edge of the top hasn't come all the way up, then the deflector does the funky lift thing as it is closing.

If I can get the back edge of the top to close correctly (by human assist), the deflector closes correctly.

Thanks for any advice
-Andrew

 

OK I took it apart a bit. It seems like the cable/springs that act as the rack gear to push the top forward and back are stripped and deformed a little- at the motor drive, in the place that corresponds to where the top seems to bind a little. Can these be replaced?
The cables I mean.
-Andrew

 

The cables can be replaced but I understand they are a bear. I have not done it. Do you have all the manuals? I can email you the manuals if you want.

You can adjust how high the rear of the roof gets by the rear cam...if you look inside under the rear of the roof you will find an adjustment with two screws (hex). The adjustment from this base to the rear of the roof provides the amount of lift on the rear window.

If the gear drive is stripped then you are likely to need to replace the cables...I am not sure but I think you have to order the "Repair Kit" P/N 993 565 907 00. I could be wrong, its hard sometime to makes sense of PET.

The alignment procedure I bet will be a pain but then you will have brand new cables...which should not give you trouble for several years.

Cheers,

Mike

 

MIKE! the manuals for this procedure would be a godsend.
I took the glass off the carriers and lubed and adjusted as much as I could, then I also tried to straighten out some of the "gear teeth" which are actually coils of the spring/cable. And no go, they are too trashed.

It seems they tend to strip where it binds, adn when it gets a little stripped, then there is less power available before stripping when it binds the next time and so it strips more. It gets trashed fairly rapidly once it starts to go.

I had the thing virtually completely torn apart this morning, but didn't want to take it any further untill I had the new cables. Looks like I be doing the whole tear apart once I sort out the parts. Ill just look at it as an opportunity for a DIY picture series.

Funny thing, one of the reasons I bought this particular car was because the PO said the top had just been gone through...

I can get it almost all the way closed, and all the way open, and Im in L.A. So Im ok until the parts come, weather is beautiful

Thanks in advance for the help Mike

-Andrew

 

Dumped a bunch of info your way....its megabytes worth so be patient with the email. Let us know how well you are doing..

Definitely if you take it all apart and get it together take pictures....it would be good to have a record. I have done adjustments and taken the roof off the car but I have not gone into the guts. It would be good to know how the microswitches work and just how it all works together. Its pretty complicated and there is not much information.

Cheers,

Mike

 

Thanks again Mike, for all the info. Only one number off in the part number.
It is 993 562 907 00
For other peoples reference the "repair kit" has a list price if $1050.00, from Sunset it is $809
It includes cables and "a ton of other little doo-dads" as the parts guy described it.
Hopefully as part of the kit there are some instructions too.
-Andrew

 

Hi,

I have just bought a 97 993 targa - I had it shipped over from england to ireland. Since delivery I've noticed the carpets were wet. Upon further investigation I have dound a leak at either side in the back. The water seems to just flow in & I'm worried this could be very expensive to fix.

Can you send me the pdf files by email you mentioned so i can see what work is involved in fixing this problem ? I dont use pm, but my email address is desrod@gmail.com


Thanks in advance

Des

 

Everything you need, or at least that most people have on the subject is here: Mikej's Pcar.com

 

We are several owner in France that have this problem, but only on the driver's side back seat foot.
There is an absorber under the carpet that was not in my car (right side behind) and I was wondering why.
We suppose there is some hole inside the wheel arch (behind the plastic protection) that put water in the car.
just investigate this on your car, you will perhaps find something.
fred