PaulStewart

Has anyone solved this issue?





Found this in the drain tube.



It's happened twice now when trying to open the top. Within the first 5 seconds of top operation there's a loud pop when the clip flies off.

aron in toronto

Are your top drive cables the newer type with the cross hatch pattern on the outer sleeve? If not, the early housings may have stretched or swelled, preventing the inner cable's square end to remain inserted in the drive motor's "sockets". When this happens power to raise & lower the top is applied to only one side and the top and clam shell will distort, usually bending the clam shell. It may be possible that this is your tops problem but the force is popping the arm off instead. I had a similar problem with my top and this was the issue.

In my case I was able to shorten the housings ~3/4" and re-synchronize the transmissions so that both sides of the top are operating in sync.

You can check your cables to see what type they are. The early ones have a smooth housing and the later ones have a diamond or cross hatch pattern on the housing.

You could also have a broken plastic ball socket joint. These were also updated with an improved part.

RennTech.org has an entire section in the 986 forum devoted to top issues. You may find a solution over there.

PaulStewart

Thanks, I'll check it out tomorrow. I suspect the car (a 1998) has all the early style parts.

PaulStewart

Which version are these?





Notice I have a red rod end on the driver's side and a white on the passenger side:





I replaced the clip and watched the top's operation, both sides seem to be operating in unison.

aron in toronto

The first pic (smooth) is the early cable. the second looks like the newer type. The plastic ball ends are also two different versions, although I'm not sure which is early and which is late. IIRC the red socket is the updated part.

Its strange that someone would update one side and not the other.

PaulStewart

This car is a frankenstein (I mean that in a good way) in that it is about as far from stock as it can be electrically and mechanically.

PaulStewart

So it appears that I have the updated parts on the side that I am having issues with, probably the reason they were changed in the first place by a PO.

Carreralicious

The red ball cap is the older version. They updated the part to white (which is a stronger plastic, and less likely to crack apart). What probably happened was that the red cap shattered and they replaced with the updated part. The cable with the smooth covering is the older version as well, and should be replaced with the reinforced rippled covering when you have a chance. It is less likely to stretch, and cause problems.

Charlie C

Sorry to bud in... do you know what year they upgraded the part? I have an '04, just wondering if I have the upgraded parts.

Carreralicious

Don't quote me, but I think they updated the cables in 2000, and changed the red caps to the white ones in 2003, so I think you're good to go. You can easily inspect both items by just lowering your top part way.

Charlie C

Duh, of course, why didn't I think of that.

99firehawk

Sounds like you have a side not moving. I cant imagine why someone would only upgrade 1 side. Your going to need to unhook the 19mm center bolt on the operating arms. Then have someone run the top and watch the transmissions, do they both turn?