Hydraulic line help Ducklakeview
- Thread starter Jas- USA
- Start date
Just out of interest, you are trying to put the bolt into the lower of the two holes aren't you? The hose fitting goes into the top one, BUT it will also slide into the bottom one, which is the bolt hole, and then you won't be able to put the bolt into the other, as it's not threaded...
Mike
Mike
This is one of those ironic jobs that would have been sooooooo much easier and quicker removing the soft - top in the first place!! Hindsight eh?!
When I relocated mine, there was no way the motor was coming out of that hidey hole. Pipes and wires wrapped everywhere. I removed the top following this guide
https://youtu.be/k31nU0FWmtE
And I was so glad I did. If only for the opportunity to clean out the cavities on each side of the car and clean the drain holes. And felt like a job properly done rather than struggling in inaccessible places.
One tip.......when putting the top back on, protect the roll over hoops by something because as the softop is pulled over manually, the hooks/claws on the top that go into the top of the windshield frame will gouge into the plastic. Trust me on this :x
Very best of luck.
Andy.
When I relocated mine, there was no way the motor was coming out of that hidey hole. Pipes and wires wrapped everywhere. I removed the top following this guide
https://youtu.be/k31nU0FWmtE
And I was so glad I did. If only for the opportunity to clean out the cavities on each side of the car and clean the drain holes. And felt like a job properly done rather than struggling in inaccessible places.
One tip.......when putting the top back on, protect the roll over hoops by something because as the softop is pulled over manually, the hooks/claws on the top that go into the top of the windshield frame will gouge into the plastic. Trust me on this :x
Very best of luck.
Andy.
Hi Andy
It's sort of a crap shoot, I invested 2 hours and got the motor out and ready to be changed out. However, It was the hydo line which tripped me up.
If you can work in small places, I'd still recommend giving the thru the trunk method a shot. There's simply a ton of bad stuff which can happen when you take apart something like this. Now lets take what happened to me, if I had taken it apart and saw that I needed a hydo line, I would have had to stop and order the part and get it in two or three days (with the car out of action with the top off). If you did it thru the trunk, the car was still 100% drivable and usable in all weather. Actually, in my case, I'm retired and 64 years old and the car is for weekends so it's sort of a mute point
However, if you don't like working in small places, simply pull the top. The Video you highlighted and shipkillers papers are the Bible of D/I/Y for Z4 top removal.
Andy, since you have "hands on" with pulling a Z4 top, is there any way I'd be able to do a partial take apart and reach the hydo line area of the Drivers side (USA) lifter. I need to install a plate smaller than a postage stamp with a super small screw that holds the line into the lifter. I'd still like to avoid a total take off only because of the problems I've seen posted concerning getting the Aluminum U and lifters back into the car, the rubber seal around the top cracking as well as your and others warning about the hoops getting chewed up.
John
It's sort of a crap shoot, I invested 2 hours and got the motor out and ready to be changed out. However, It was the hydo line which tripped me up.
If you can work in small places, I'd still recommend giving the thru the trunk method a shot. There's simply a ton of bad stuff which can happen when you take apart something like this. Now lets take what happened to me, if I had taken it apart and saw that I needed a hydo line, I would have had to stop and order the part and get it in two or three days (with the car out of action with the top off). If you did it thru the trunk, the car was still 100% drivable and usable in all weather. Actually, in my case, I'm retired and 64 years old and the car is for weekends so it's sort of a mute point
However, if you don't like working in small places, simply pull the top. The Video you highlighted and shipkillers papers are the Bible of D/I/Y for Z4 top removal.
Andy, since you have "hands on" with pulling a Z4 top, is there any way I'd be able to do a partial take apart and reach the hydo line area of the Drivers side (USA) lifter. I need to install a plate smaller than a postage stamp with a super small screw that holds the line into the lifter. I'd still like to avoid a total take off only because of the problems I've seen posted concerning getting the Aluminum U and lifters back into the car, the rubber seal around the top cracking as well as your and others warning about the hoops getting chewed up.
John
Hi John.
Its really not that bad to be honest.
I only lifted up the softop a few inches on each side and the motor and pipes and wiring just fell out and off what they were tangled around.
So I suppose you could undo the 2 big bolts that go into each side from behind the seat trim and lift up. May work.
I dont mess about here. Mine had to come off to make it easier, so off it came. Wasn't too bad really.
I certainly admire those who can relocate in less than an hour. My back wouldn't allow me to do that.
You choose your poison I suppose.
It certainly was a good feeling to get it all on the floor and be able to clean up everything.
Andy.
Its really not that bad to be honest.
I only lifted up the softop a few inches on each side and the motor and pipes and wiring just fell out and off what they were tangled around.
So I suppose you could undo the 2 big bolts that go into each side from behind the seat trim and lift up. May work.
I dont mess about here. Mine had to come off to make it easier, so off it came. Wasn't too bad really.
I certainly admire those who can relocate in less than an hour. My back wouldn't allow me to do that.
You choose your poison I suppose.
It certainly was a good feeling to get it all on the floor and be able to clean up everything.
Andy.
Hi Andy
Thank you for the info.....every bit of info I collect is important.
Andy, I can see from your post that you haven't read this thread from the beginning. In that, on June 9 I posted in this thread that early last spring, I initially had prepared for a top off motor exchange, purchased a new motor and lined up my son-in-laws for the heavy lifting on a Saturday. I had printed Shipkillers paperwork and watched that same video on youtube about 5 times. A day or so prior, I wanted to check the car over, and pulled the red release in the boot/trunk---nothing, the emergency release had failed. The top couldn't be moved and as you know, the top has to be moved freely for the take-off to work. Basically, at that point, I believed I was truly screwed and soon to be a financial victim of the friendly BMW dealership**. Then I came across this Forum and Ducklakesview posting, with pictures on how he removed his motor from the Boot/trunk. I followed this thread and saw numerous others doing the same thing. Well, long story short, it was give this thru the Trunk method a shot or the dealership. If it failed I would end up at the dealership anyway, so why not give it a try!
Well, now that the motor and line's are in the trunk, I can release the hydo pressure and move the top as need(or go manual top down/up).
Anyway, I was going to call a another person who's worked on some BMW's today but....my wife has other plans for me. She will be at her class reunion on Saturday and I'll try calling him while I attempt to work on the hydo line.
John
** It's my understanding from reading posts on the USA Z4 Forums that the dealership, well at least in the USA almost always cuts the hydo lines when the motor and red emergency cable have jointly failed.
Thank you for the info.....every bit of info I collect is important.
Andy, I can see from your post that you haven't read this thread from the beginning. In that, on June 9 I posted in this thread that early last spring, I initially had prepared for a top off motor exchange, purchased a new motor and lined up my son-in-laws for the heavy lifting on a Saturday. I had printed Shipkillers paperwork and watched that same video on youtube about 5 times. A day or so prior, I wanted to check the car over, and pulled the red release in the boot/trunk---nothing, the emergency release had failed. The top couldn't be moved and as you know, the top has to be moved freely for the take-off to work. Basically, at that point, I believed I was truly screwed and soon to be a financial victim of the friendly BMW dealership**. Then I came across this Forum and Ducklakesview posting, with pictures on how he removed his motor from the Boot/trunk. I followed this thread and saw numerous others doing the same thing. Well, long story short, it was give this thru the Trunk method a shot or the dealership. If it failed I would end up at the dealership anyway, so why not give it a try!
Well, now that the motor and line's are in the trunk, I can release the hydo pressure and move the top as need(or go manual top down/up).
Anyway, I was going to call a another person who's worked on some BMW's today but....my wife has other plans for me. She will be at her class reunion on Saturday and I'll try calling him while I attempt to work on the hydo line.
John
** It's my understanding from reading posts on the USA Z4 Forums that the dealership, well at least in the USA almost always cuts the hydo lines when the motor and red emergency cable have jointly failed.
John, to be fair to Andy, he doesn't need to have read your thread from the beginning - you now have the release valve working, so the roof can come off now. As you said, the car is a weekend toy, so having the car unavailable to drive while it is worked on is a moot point.
I have now removed/installed the roof 4 or 5 times and yes, the first time is always a bit nerve wracking, but like you, I have SK's guide, and followed it slowly and carefully. I didn't have any problems other than reconnecting one cable incorrectly (which was my fault for removing one plug too many during disassembly). As Andy pointed out, you probably don't need to remove the roof completely to achieve what you're trying to do, (although I can't actually picture the plate you're trying to attach).
Best of luck with that last fiddly bit, however you get it done - and hopefully not via a BMW workshop.
I have now removed/installed the roof 4 or 5 times and yes, the first time is always a bit nerve wracking, but like you, I have SK's guide, and followed it slowly and carefully. I didn't have any problems other than reconnecting one cable incorrectly (which was my fault for removing one plug too many during disassembly). As Andy pointed out, you probably don't need to remove the roof completely to achieve what you're trying to do, (although I can't actually picture the plate you're trying to attach).
Best of luck with that last fiddly bit, however you get it done - and hopefully not via a BMW workshop.
Enzed4
I don't think Andy grasped this method wasn't my first choice, but was actually a last resort. Yet, this unorthodox method saved my butt, so I'd be hard pressed to bad mouth it. However, physically it wasn't fun.
I've hopefully attached a picture (one I copied from ebay) of a lifter. The plate and screw I've had issues with are at the bottom of the lifter. The hydo hose plus into the hole, there is a thicker round section in the middle of the hoses plug. The plate has a u shape, this u shape fits the hose. The plate sits on a slight ledge built into the lifter. Finally, the small screw goes thru the hole in the plate into the lifter.
Yea, there's honestly no rush. Since you pulled the top a few times, and If have to go with this option, I may bother you with some question as I'm doing this....or worse if I can't get it back together.
John
I don't think Andy grasped this method wasn't my first choice, but was actually a last resort. Yet, this unorthodox method saved my butt, so I'd be hard pressed to bad mouth it. However, physically it wasn't fun.
I've hopefully attached a picture (one I copied from ebay) of a lifter. The plate and screw I've had issues with are at the bottom of the lifter. The hydo hose plus into the hole, there is a thicker round section in the middle of the hoses plug. The plate has a u shape, this u shape fits the hose. The plate sits on a slight ledge built into the lifter. Finally, the small screw goes thru the hole in the plate into the lifter.
Yea, there's honestly no rush. Since you pulled the top a few times, and If have to go with this option, I may bother you with some question as I'm doing this....or worse if I can't get it back together.
John
