pchak

My Targa roof has been working great, with the exception of rattling roof axles. I've been thinking again about selling it, so have been taking care of all the little things on the To-Do list.
Reading all the stuff on pcarworkshop and TSB's, I used some loctite on the loose bolts, and adjusted the roof. Everything was nice and moved smoothly, until I tried to close the top all the way. The main window stops, there's a small click, and everything stops. The deflector does not go down.

Is it possible that I tightened the axles too much, and knocked the timing gear out of position? Any way to tell? Everything is square, and the top moves smoothly.

Thanks!

Amfab

the main window stops, then you hear a click. Then you press the switch again and the deflector doesn't go down? Doesn't go down at all? Or doesn't go all the way down.

When you tightened the axle bolts and then activated the top, did it seem to jam or stutter on the way to closed

Did you operate the mechanism with the roof unbolted.
Does the roof close tight—all the way up in the back?

Sorry for all the questions. This just seems a little odd for it to work then not work after simply tightening bolts.

Mike J

Andrew wrote a great article on pcarworkshop - http://www.pcarworkshop.com/index.ph...ration_Outline

That shows the transfer of the operation from the main roof to the visor. Lets see if its electrical or mechanical. Please describe the sequence including any noises, and they the occurred. Its important to see if the motors try to engage to close the visor but cannot, or they are not running at all.

Cheers,

Mike

pchak

Mike and Andrew,
Thanks gtetting back to me. After reading every detailed post on R/L and the pcarworkshop article , I was hoping one of you would respond.

Mike-I was using the article for guidance to start.

Andrew-np with the questions-how eelse can one offer an informed opinion?

When you tightened the axle bolts and then activated the top, did it seem to jam or stutter on the way to
closed
-no, it moved fine

Did you operate the mechanism with the roof unbolted.
-no. I only did the right side, as it was the noisy side. I backed out the front axle screw, put on loctite,
then lifted/retightened. Same with rear axle plate screws, one at a time. I then adjusted height
accordingly.

Does the roof close tight—all the way up in the back?
-everything looks norrmal, as if I'm just driving around w/the deflector. That's why I was puzzled. You
guys have covered just about every other scenario on R/L or pcar!

Sequence:
1. push button-main glass moves forwaqrd
2. Glass raises into position and stops -release button.
3. Push botton-"click", and wind deflector does not move.

I do not believe that there is a binding noise afterwards. I will confirm this, but did not want to do anything else until I got a little guidance. I'll pick up at that point when I get home.

I did read the timing section again. What if somehow, I knocked it off by a gear tooth? It might be so close to look locked, but not hit the stop switch, to allow the visor to lower? Is there a good way to check this, or at least make sure I don't lose my current place?

Thanks!

Amfab

There are two drive motors that work in tandem to drive the top.
One has a timing gear that triggers a microswitch to stop the top when all the way back, or all the way forward. Once the microswitch is triggered at the forward roof stop point the controller box then requires another press on the switch for the motor to start up again and drive down the deflector. It is the same motors and same cables continuing on for another little bit that drives the defector down.
One tooth off on the drive cable gears, or one tooth off on the timing gear on the one motor shouldn't be enough to cause the deflector to not actuate.
It has been a long time since I have had it apart, but if I remember correctly the second stage of closing (wind deflector stage) requires a complete rotation of the motor. But it probably is one of three thins. Something is wrong with the stop switch. Or the logic in the controller or the end of the cable not grabbing the deflector mechanism correctly

I cannot see how simply tightening roof axles would have anything at all to do with these. Probably the first thing to do is take off the rear deck, which is a pain, and manually turn the drive gears with an Allen wrench. If I recall correctly there are little red caps on the motors that you can remove and the motors will free wheel. Allowing you to you manually move the top and then the deflector. You just have to be sure that you get the motors to the right position stop-switch-wise to match with the top position when you put the caps back in.
But again, this isn’t making a lot of sense that this happened by just tightening the axles. Also the top would stop too soon if the timing was off “on the early side” because the microswitch would end the first stage early. The deflector would go partially down on the first stage if the timing was off “on the late side” So, hmmm. I have to run to work, let me think more on this. But I think you will probably have to start by manually turning the drive mechanism to first eliminate a problem with the microswitch or controller.

Mike J

The controller has relays that can go bad (I am dealing with this right now) and the control circuit for the relays that drive the cable from the roof closed position to the deflector closed position is distinct from the one that controls the main roof.

I would remove the rear deck (its not that bad, unbolt the bottom of the rear seatbelts, flip down the rear seats, take off the four screws holding the rear deck cover, pull the cover forward (may require a bit of wrestling, undo the connectors to the speakers, and pull the cover out. This exposes the rear deck, motors and controller (the black box bolted to the rear firewall). Disconnect the two motor connectors (the black and white two wire connectors to the right side of the box). Put a voltmeter across the pins of each connector and try to close the visor - you should see voltage applied to those pins as the relay closes. If so, it likely means the motors are getting power. If not, you have a problem in the controller.

Let us know what is happening..

Cheers,

Mike

pchak

Ok, now things are a little different. The top slides to closed position, then when I hit the button again, the visor/windscreen closes to within 1/2"...

Mike J

What did you change, or it just happened?

pchak

Just cycled it, after removing the rear cover to watch the motors. Opened it, then closed. Pushed second time, and it closed within 1/2 in

Amfab

Great

pchak

I tried to turn the cables with the allen keys by disengaging the motors (red c aps), but they are as far forward as they will go. any suggestion on next steps?

Thanks!

pchak

As I told you, I only took one bolt out at a time. What I did not realize was that when I took out the front axle bot, the "carrier/rocker pin" that the bolt hold in place to the frame slipped out. It was just being pushed along by the gates, but would not allow the locking block to disengage. After I moved it a couple times, I must have pushed it enough so that it would partially push thevisor down. I simply levered the roof up (the front end was unatached and floating) and put the carrier back into place, tightened the axle, and voila.

I feel like a complete idiot chasing after a self-inflicted wound, but I'm happy to have it working as good as it was before. Thanks guys for talking me through this. It made me slowly look at what was going on, without ripping things apart.

Now if I could figure out my washer pump...

Cheers!

Mike J

That is great news! Now you know more about your Targa than you likely really wanted to know! :-)

Amfab

awesome, Im so glad you didnt have to dig any deeper into it

pchak

Agree completely (with both of you )!
Thanks again!