How to replace soft top motor without removing roof.. DONE!

RROB · Post by **RROB** » Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:02 pm

How far does the brass bypass plunger pin actually come out ? ive cleaned it, lubed it and it moves freely... still not convinced its out enough though ?

the roof still needs a good push to get it going..... it wont quiet take it all the way to the anchor finish it falls just short (Motor still runs) so that's not cutting out ?

it will however fully close with no help ?
Any ideas ?

Can the power supply be connected wrong way round ? not that i think it is ?

RROB · Post by **RROB** » Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:53 pm

I've noticed when I press the brass pin in the collar around it goes in too..... does this collar sit flush with the block when pin pops back out ?

Bob dobalina · Post by **Bob dobalina** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 12:02 am

Hi Mike, i found you on ebay but for some reason couldnt send you a message. I joined here and i cant send you a pm and i need my roof sorting asap. Please can you get back to me to sort something out. Sorry everyone else, i couldnt find another way.
And im guessing you're the guy on ebay.

jbellis · Post by **jbellis** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 1:27 am

I repaired my 2007 BMW Z4’s convertible top hydraulic unit by removing the entire convertible top, with the help of a great Youtube video. Others have posted that you can get to the motor by reaching it through the trunk. I tried reaching it that way and decided it was too difficult. When reinstalling the whole top, I realized that you should be able to access the pump by removing only the rear, aluminum “C-channel” that holds the rear of the top, and lifting up the rear window section. In the following video I show the procedure, although not every step (since my roof was already detached by that point).

I am pretty sure this procedure enables accessing the motor without removing the whole convertible top but I won't consider it definite until someone confirms it. Please post a comment on the Youtube page if you use this procedure successfully. Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRwSJq64wBM
Full notes page:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WVV ... sp=sharing

jbellis · Post by **jbellis** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 2:02 am

RROB wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:02 pm How far does the brass bypass plunger pin actually come out ?

If you mean for the manual bypass activation, it looks like it rises 1/16th to 1/8th inch above the pump body. This is consistent with the dimensions of the lever that presses upon it, and that amount of travel works on my reassembled pump.

paulc_bkk · Post by **paulc_bkk** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:21 am

These updated instructions definitely give another perspective for what seems like an otherwise daunting task

I’ve tried twice already to “fish around” from the rear and been unsuccessful so this sounds like a good idea that doesn’t require a complete roof removal

This could be my next plan of attack, so thank you for sharing

Roberltd2 · Post by **Roberltd2** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:34 pm

One more thing I found out elsewhere on the Forum recently which I didn't know before. If you keep your finger / thumb on the unlock button on the key fob for about five seconds, the roof will retract - magic! Not sure if it works for all models but mine's a 2007 facelift.
Robert.

enzed4 · Post by **enzed4** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 9:11 am

Roberltd2 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:34 pm One more thing I found out elsewhere on the Forum recently which I didn't know before. If you keep your finger / thumb on the unlock button on the key fob for about five seconds, the roof will retract - magic! Not sure if it works for all models but mine's a 2007 facelift.
Robert.

If it's been coded on your car, pressing and holding the lock button will put the roof and windows back up and lock the doors

Roberltd2 · Post by **Roberltd2** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:14 am

Thank you enzed. Will try this.
Robert

JimD · Post by **JimD** » Tue Mar 26, 2019 9:03 pm

Hi all,
Just revisiting this thread. Am contemplating doing this fix but equally tempted to use Bowser 34 as I am not too far from Camberley. Does anyone know if he still does this fix? I would PM him but being new to the forum I am not allowed to.
Cheers

rumbamark · Post by **rumbamark** » Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:03 pm

Hi I hope you can help me. One of the few sunny days we had last week my wife put the roof down on our Z4.
Unfortunately it doesn't want to come back up. My friend and I tried to raise it manually by following some suggestions found online, without success. So it back in the garage
Mike you sound extremely knowledgeable any ideas please.

Nharris89 · Post by **Nharris89** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 6:06 pm

So after following the amazing instructions at the start of this post, along with much....much sweating, shouting and general cursing at the boot of my zed, I now have a motor in the boot!!! Good news right? No....I took the motor away from the hydraulic unit, cleaned it all up with wd40 and got.it spinning freely by hand, plugged it into a battery, nothing! It's dead. Plugged it all back into the car and unit, put new crimped clamps on and new in line connectors to replace the rusty old ones and it still didn't do anything, no noise no nothing. Ok I thought, it turns out the bracket the bowden cable sits in on the pump end is broken and not doing anything, meaning the motor is permanently stuck in manual mode. Not sure if I broke it or it was broken before and that's why the motor wouldn't work, but that's neither here nor there now I guess. Does anyone know how to override the manual switch? At present the brass pin is stuck out, does it need to be forced in and hd with anything? Any help would be hugely appreciated! I've also pm'd Bowser134 to ask about a replacement motor.

Grizzly9 · Post by **Grizzly9** » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:37 pm

Just last week I went and had my roof motor relocated by Ross (Bowser34). He did an excellent job and I just wanted to recommend him if like me you would rather pay and get someone else to do the job. I would post pics but haven't sussed out how to yet.
He took about 40 mins and I'm well chuffed with the result and peace of mind I have now. Based in Hook and even provides a 'hidden' compartment for the motor. Top man.

Mangozac · Post by **Mangozac** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 1:15 pm

Can anybody confirm that these instructions are the same on a facelift E85? My roof motor has failed and I've just spent hours trying to pull it out through the boot. That insulating box it's in just won't budge, even after I managed to cut the cable tie between it and the hydraulic actuator!

SparkyZ4 · Post by **SparkyZ4** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:49 pm

Good evening

Is Bowser34 still carrying out roof repairs?

Yep mine has stopped working

Regards

Jeff

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