Z4-forum.com

Posted: **Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:08 pm**

I'm gonna try a squirt of contact cleaner; can't do any harm and may sort it semi-permanently. They are only microswitches after all; ie small switches.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:24 pm**

Hi ,
You can’t get contact cleaner inside the switch as it is covered over , leading to zero access . I have swapped mine over two weekends ago , easy diy , don’t be afraid to have ago. If you need any advice Please ask , it’s not a difficult task. You will have to dremel the screws off , as they are a 2mm hex head loctited on , so they just round off on applying any force . A carefull bit of tinkering and it’s easily achieved.

Posted: **Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:17 pm**

304frp wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:24 pm Hi ,
You can’t get contact cleaner inside the switch as it is covered over , leading to zero access . I have swapped mine over two weekends ago , easy diy , don’t be afraid to have ago. If you need any advice Please ask , it’s not a difficult task. You will have to dremel the screws off , as they are a 2mm hex head loctited on , so they just round off on applying any force . A carefull bit of tinkering and it’s easily achieved.

Thanks for the encouragement. I don't have a dremel (other small whizzy things are available), but I'm sure I can get the b*ggers out somehow. I've got 4 1/2" and 9" grinders but fear it may be a bit tight for either.

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 6:19 am**

Hi ,
41/2 9 inch grinders ……… good bye roof !!! , only joking , it’s way too intricate for those size grinders , it’s easy with a dremmel type .

Andy

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:07 am**

Well my roof issues are definitely to do with the two bootlid closing microswitches. I am still not 100% sure it is the switches themselves, or the lid just not quite closing properly therefore not making the switches.
Yesterday after the wife having an issue with it on the way to work, I tried the roof up and down.
When raising it stopped at the last "phase" of lowering the rear window section. It didn't fault, it was presumably waiting for the bootlid to lock and make the two switches which obviously wasn't happening. So I got out and physically pushed down on both front corners of the bootlid. Neither side looked raised at all and pushing didn't move them but enough to make the switches (got a feeling it's just the nearside). Roof then closed as it should.

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:27 am**

That is exactly word for word what mine was doing , a quick bang on each side of the lid made it continue . Having now changed both , and in constant use now the sun is out , I’ve had zero errors at all . So I would guess it’s your switches as most have mentioned. Certainly sorted my issues out .

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:54 am**

304frp wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:27 am That is exactly word for word what mine was doing , a quick bang on each side of the lid made it continue . Having now changed both , and in constant use now the sun is out , I’ve had zero errors at all . So I would guess it’s your switches as most have mentioned. Certainly sorted my issues out .

Thanks. I am going to order the switches. Do the new switches need registering, or is it just a case of "plug and play"? Also how did you have the roof when doing the job; bootlid vertical and screen section on top? Does the bootlid not start to drop after a while?

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 1:37 pm**

Hi ,
Yes roof on roof , and boot in open position just before roof retracts inside. I cut a length of timber to ‘wedge’in between the rear panel behind seats and the open boot. You will be working on each side for a short while so any loss in hydraulic pressure will result in boot dropping , the method stated solves this . First of all thought remove most of the carpet fitted pieces via the boot open in its normal position, as though loading goods, you also need to remove some push fit studs when roof is on roof and boot lid is open to store , gain access to the three nuts holding the hinge arms to the inside of the inner arches , MARK THE POSITION OF EACH NUT CAREFULLY! Remove nuts , and wriggle your hinges out and up , you will have to ease tension on some wiring as you release the hinges . Hey presto switches come into view . Dremmel each tiny bolt with a new slot , remove and replace . I bought new bolts from bmw , but they are too long , I couldn’t be bothered to cut them down so reused originals no problem. Also loctite these back on , reassemble . It’s a lot harder to type this out than actually do the work .

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 2:20 pm**

304frp wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 1:37 pm Hi ,
Yes roof on roof , and boot in open position just before roof retracts inside. I cut a length of timber to ‘wedge’in between the rear panel behind seats and the open boot. You will be working on each side for a short while so any loss in hydraulic pressure will result in boot dropping , the method stated solves this . First of all thought remove most of the carpet fitted pieces via the boot open in its normal position, as though loading goods, you also need to remove some push fit studs when roof is on roof and boot lid is open to store , gain access to the three nuts holding the hinge arms to the inside of the inner arches , MARK THE POSITION OF EACH NUT CAREFULLY! Remove nuts , and wriggle your hinges out and up , you will have to ease tension on some wiring as you release the hinges . Hey presto switches come into view . Dremmel each tiny bolt with a new slot , remove and replace . I bought new bolts from bmw , but they are too long , I couldn’t be bothered to cut them down so reused originals no problem. Also loctite these back on , reassemble . It’s a lot harder to type this out than actually do the work .

Thanks very much. I will have a go when the switches arrive next week. I'm not used to working on cars so like to know what I'm doing beforehand. I'm not one to just get stuck in and see how it goes. I am a mechanical engineer, so I think I'll be fine.

I haven't had a look yet, but why the marking of the nuts??

Posted: **Thu Jun 10, 2021 4:29 pm**

Hi ,
The microswitches are just plug and play.
You must mark the nut positions as they are adjustable , so if you don’t , the roof will not align , and that could be a whole new world of trouble in that it won’t close or may catch on something and inadvertently scrape paintwork or worse .
Mark up the nut in relation to its position on the hinge and it will be fine , I used an old silver paint touch up to just paint around the nut . When the nut is removed it leaves the outline so you know where it adjusts to.
If you need any further info just let me know . Glad to be of assistance.

ANDY

Posted: **Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:18 am**

304frp wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:24 pm You will have to dremel the screws off , as they are a 2mm hex head loctited on , so they just round off on applying any force .

Why to "dremel" and not simply drill out?

Posted: **Fri Jun 11, 2021 1:34 pm**

Hi ,
I thought it easier to dremmel a slot for a slotted screw driver , it also warmed the thread and it came off easy , also I reused the same tiny bolt with a little loctite , it literally took seconds , zero damage and reusable screw, that was my take on removal .

Andy

Posted: **Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:20 pm**

Ok, understood.
I've bought a bunch of M3 x 5mm screws on ebay for a couple of euros to be able to drill the old screws out. Takes only 10 seconds for each.

Posted: **Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:42 pm**

Hi Robbi ,

Give the slot method a try you may be surprised, I was !.
I bought the genuine screws from bmw, but they are just generic m3 , but they needed cutting down to fit , as 1 will foul the switches action rendering it in operable.
So I decided to re-use the originals with new ‘slot’ they are much better with a slot , as you can get better purchase on them .
But thanks to you,I now have an operational roof again .
Also your roof diagnostics equipment is an amazing piece of kit , hats off to your good self

Posted: **Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:51 am**

304frp wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:42 pm Give the slot method a try you may be surprised, I was !.

No, I won't!

My "bunch" of allen screws is a small zip bag with 500! screws. That fits for drilling the next about 125 pairs of microswitch coupling lock.

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