another roof motor question!!!

[mac27040]

My roof worked but had to give it a helping hand to open so i thought i would relocate the motor into the boot. Once i got the old motor out which was sitting in water !!! i decided to replace it. Now i have installed new motor but roof closes ok but is even worse for opening, i have checked the pump and topped up, what could be causing it to open so poor.

before i removed old motor the fluid was ok in the pump reservoir.

 

[Marlon]

In what way is it worse for opening - slower, noisier, needs a helping hand, doesn't release properly?

 

[maxman]

Open the roof half way and give the front catches some lubricant .On the outer catches I put copper grease on the pivot points.On the centre catch I sprayed a little 3 in 1 oil.

 

[cherrym]

try altering the angle of the motor very slightly as it can affect it.

 

[mac27040]

The roof unlocks but hardly moves without giving it a helping hand, it the opens but does lock in place, have to get out a push it down. However if I close it it works fine!!!

 

[Marlon]

I believe theres another motor that activates the release, could that be the problem I wonder?

This from dietcokeman:

You should also remember that there are 2 motors that operate the roof mechanisum , when you press the lower button the first motor operates to unlatch the roof only, this motor is in the roof panel above the interior mirror , it generally doesn't make a lot of noise , as its electrical only and only runs for a few seconds

 

[Cookie]

I am also having the same issue which started a couple of weeks ago. On the first top down activation each day the First motor activates and releases the catches, roof slowly creeps clear of the windscreen, motor still operating but roof just sits there. Give it a gentle push with a finger and away it goes at normal speed. When down it does not (and never has) latched. Comes back up fine. If I want it down on the same outing all works fine, no assistance required. I have lubricated all moving parts that are visible. Just keep fingers crossed it doesn't give up.

 

[Anonymous]

As Colin had rightly quoted me from another thread, the roof has 2 motors . One Unlatches the roof , this only runs for a few seconds , then the main motor lowers the roof . If the roof latches and un latches at the windscreen then the unlatch motor is working fine .

In cases like these, generally there is nothing magical about a fix or the issue . It's caused normally by a dirty armature contacts in the motor . The main motor that drives the hydraulic pump suffers from corroding contacts inside the motor if it gets to sit in water trapped inside plastic casing . This can easily be cleaned up in most cases by submersing and running the removed motor in a diesel or duck oil solution for about 15 mins in each direction .
If you have relocated your motor to the boot make sure when upright the hydraulic fluid is about half way up the fluid resoviuir , there is a mark that indicates that . And the motor when mounted in the boot should be as vertical as possible , but anything up to about 45 degrees is normally ok .

In some cases the folding mechanisum has become stiff and needs lubrication or adjustment , but this is rare . It's a good bet the motor needs some TLC .

 

[mac27040]

I have relocated my motor to the boot and replaced it from www.roofmotors.co.uk, the pump/motor is in a vertical position and the reservoir is about half full !!! could it be a problem with the pump? like a say it closes fine but wont pull the roof open once the unlatching motor has released.

 

[owm]

Clean and lightly lubricate the areas which latch the roof to the A frame and see if that helps.

 

[Anonymous]

Clean and lightly lubricate the areas which latch the roof to the A frame and see if that helps.

Why do people keep saying this ^ ^^^^

The roof has 2 separate operations on roof opening , the first is to unlatch the roof from the screen , this uses a completely different motor and is completely different operation from the lowering/raising operation , the op has clear stated that it Unlatches ! Lubricating these areas will just attract unwanted dirt if over lubricated , if it works fine ....... Don't fix it !

Ok now ....... If your motor is now located in the boot , and works one way only ...... Carefully and one pair at a time remove the hydraulic lines union bolts and washers from the pump block and swap the pairs over ! ie : take the two from the left and replace then with the right pair and vice a versa , make sure they stay one above the other in there pairs, with all there cooper washers etc ( if you look at the block where they bolt on they are marked 11 and 13 one side and 12 and 14 the other side , and the pipes are marked too , so you can make a quick sketch to be sure , when you put it back after this check ) tighten the union bolts up again and , if you find that the motor now works ok the other way around, from the way it was, ie: goes down but not up , chances are the motor or pump are faulty....., weak in one direction . I've had this once from the source your link is for ,but he replaced it without question .

It is also possible that you have kinked a hydraulic line whilst doing the relocation. ,causing the pump to struggle to pump the fluid through the linked area . But if you follow the pipe swap trick above it will still struggle the same direction as it did .

 

[AlienZed]

As cherrym says , try it mounted on an angle, this is mine,

 

[Anonymous]

As cherrym says , try it mounted on an angle, this is mine,

He already said its upright ! Tilting it will not improve anything . The more upright it is the better .

I would politely also point out that with your motor pictured above , in the position it is ,the pipework is liable to get damaged. You should really have the pump the other way around so the hydraulics are nearest the bulkhead and thus the pipework away from the folding mechanism . .

 

[AlienZed]

We'll have to disagree on that then.the motor was done by charrym's mate.who has done a few now.
And the pipework is ok.ive checked .
In its original position it is not vertical but is mounted at slight angle .all I was saying wad try it on an angle and see if that improves anything.

 

[Anonymous]

Well given the choice I wouldn't want the pipe work near to the mechanisum,all the ones I've done I put the pipe work at the other end as its then we'll away from any harm . Also why is there black tape on the bracket ?
And no the motor isn't originally fitted totally vertical, but it's very close, and it will work fine at any angle up to above 45 degrees, after that the ports become too low for the resoviuor.

 

[owm]

1. Because even if the latches operate smoothly, they might still be in a slight bind/in contact with the pins on the A frame
2. Regarding the dirt built up issue, hence why I said lightly lubricate.

Since the motor appears to work when folding up the roof and only has issue when dropping it, I assume there is something preventing the roof from folding down once the unlatching mechanism is completed.

In our case, nudging the roof slightly once unlatching is completed helped in lowering the roof. The quick clean and light lubrication solved this issue.

Clean and lightly lubricate the areas which latch the roof to the A frame and see if that helps.

Why do people keep saying this ^ ^^^^

 

[AlienZed]

Well given the choice I wouldn't want the pipe work near to the mechanisum,all the ones I've done I put the pipe work at the other end as its then we'll away from any harm . Also why is there black tape on the bracket ?
And no the motor isn't originally fitted totally vertical, but it's very close, and it will work fine at any angle up to above 45 degrees, after that the ports become too low for the resoviuor.

Hs ha wot big eyes you have.
The tape is there to stop any rattles coz ive taken the parcel shelf out temporary. To give a bit more boot room for mi eurotrips. ie suitcases. Spare wheel .packs of Guinness etc.
Cheers M

 

[Anonymous]

Well given the choice I wouldn't want the pipe work near to the mechanisum,all the ones I've done I put the pipe work at the other end as its then we'll away from any harm . Also why is there black tape on the bracket ?
And no the motor isn't originally fitted totally vertical, but it's very close, and it will work fine at any angle up to above 45 degrees, after that the ports become too low for the resoviuor.

Hs ha wot big eyes you have.
The tape is there to stop any rattles coz ive taken the parcel shelf out temporary. To give a bit more boot room for mi eurotrips. ie suitcases. Spare wheel .packs of Guinness etc.
Cheers M

Lol well you can't argue with the Guinness !

 

[Ducklakeview]

As cherrym says , try it mounted on an angle, this is mine,

He already said its upright ! Tilting it will not improve anything . The more upright it is the better .

I would politely also point out that with your motor pictured above , in the position it is ,the pipework is liable to get damaged. You should really have the pump the other way around so the hydraulics are nearest the bulkhead and thus the pipework away from the folding mechanism . .

+1 for what he said, risking trapped pipes there!

Mike