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Roof fault-bong of doom

flybobbie
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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by flybobbie » Sun Feb 28, 2021 7:22 pm

So did a better repair today.
Back to original wiring.
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Then used some flexible audio cable with enough to form a loop.
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I finished the job off by wrapping some old sock around the wires. I wanted something that would give but hold the wires in place. Not wrap it all in black tape for instance.

See why it breaks, here's roof on it's way down and the bend the wires have to follow.
Marked the break point red arrow.
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Last edited by flybobbie on Mon Mar 15, 2021 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Smartbear
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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by Smartbear » Mon Mar 15, 2021 3:33 pm

I thought those wires were a continuous length in that area, why would a wire cropping machine be used there? :?
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flybobbie
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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by flybobbie » Mon Mar 15, 2021 3:43 pm

Mass production the wires would be cropped each end.
The wires are different colours so different part numbers, not sure if both are Hall or one is Mechanical switch.
Need check wiring diag.
So two pairs would be almost same length for each end of cylinder.
So why change the machine setting.
The operative "could" have set a wrong crop on the machine.
Or reused wires from another job.
Be interested to know if there have been any failures of wires on the left side, as these would be totally different lengths.
I have yet to look at the left side, be interesting to see what i find.
Place a bet they are fine.

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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by Smartbear » Mon Mar 15, 2021 3:59 pm

Where the wires have broken, is it just the copper conductors that have snapped or has the plastic insulation been broken/cut in the same place? I’ve read an opinion that bmw used an inferior grade of wire that just wasn’t up to the rigours of the job. Be pretty bad if all these problems are poor quality control!
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e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

flybobbie
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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by flybobbie » Mon Mar 15, 2021 4:03 pm

wires2.jpg
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My failed was the hall switch, which is what Foxwell reader said.
The other is microswitch.
I assume wire lengths might be different.
But why break at exact same point.
No sign of any rubbing on the other wire in each pair.
Just that the other wire was slightly longer with the twist in it.
Perhaps the twist made that wire slightly short and was being pulled when operated and just finally snapped.
But would need some pull for the insulation to go first.
I think the goo on the black tape might have made the wire insulation stiffer/brittle..

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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by ProfCJJ » Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:29 am

I got the boing and roof operation stopped halfway on way down then on way up (when I press the switch again it continues and operates correctly). Carly tells me there was a Hall Sensor on LEFT side issue. I’m going to investigate this weekend but I would bet on a similar issue - if I were a betting man of course, which I’m not, :)
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flybobbie
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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by flybobbie » Tue Mar 16, 2021 10:25 am

Be interesting to see what you find.
I'm tempted to look at the left wires, might be preemptive strike.
Try poking the wires from inside the cabin.

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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by ProfCJJ » Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:20 am

ProfCJJ wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:29 am I got the boing and roof operation stopped halfway on way down then on way up (when I press the switch again it continues and operates correctly). Carly tells me there was a Hall Sensor on LEFT side issue. I’m going to investigate this weekend but I would bet on a similar issue - if I were a betting man of course, which I’m not, :)
Well, yesterday and today I investigated this further. The errors reported were a bit confusing but always occurred at the same point when opening / closing the roof. Each time, pressing the button again allowed the process to complete.

I took out all the boot trim to get to the CTM and the connector where all the switches terminate, but I preemptively unravelled the cables on both left and right at that “bend” in the bundle to see if I had any broken / detached cables ... Sod’s law, no - all cables intact!

I then got a multimeter on the outputs of the switches at the CTM plug end - I then realised one of the Hall Sensors seemed to not be doing much with roof open or closed. I took it out, took a look at it - nothing untoward there - although there was some slight corrosion at the connector. I pulled out one of the two hall sensors I had bought pre-empting this eventuality - got a connector on the end, plugged it in, cycled the roof - worked - up and down - no errors :)

I neatly taped up and cable tied the cables as they were and all done.

I found an interesting table that helped me in the diagnosis- I’ll try and put a pic of it here.

Finally though - a question: when I fixed the roof I put it up and down a few times to make sure it was working consistently. What happened was that on putting the roof UP, at the point where the rear cowl lifts itself off the roof to settle back, I could hear the hydraulic pump whining but no movement for about 5 s or so, the roof then moved - albeit a bit reluctantly. I repeated the process and it did the same. I left it a few minutes and tried again and it worked fine with no hesitation ... could it have been an issue due to my operating the roof up and down perhaps a dozen times as I was manoeuvring my way around the wires and sensors??

I hope this helps someone who might be diagnosing a similar problem.

Cheers
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Christopher

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Roof fault-bong of doom

Post by RobbiZ4 » Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:25 pm

ProfCJJ wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:20 am ...I could hear the hydraulic pump whining but no movement for about 5 s or so, the roof then moved - albeit a bit reluctantly. I repeated the process and it did the same...
Mostly this is reasoned by old microswitch coupling locks, which should be replaced after 10 years on both sides.
Pardon, je suis Allemand :oops:
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