Manual roof release issue

[jpvd]

Hi all, just after a bit of help please :driving:

Have a 2.2 2003 z4, with a failing roof motor.

Tried swapping it out last week, going via the boot and could not get it to budge - talk about a bloody stupid place to put it!!...looking to have another go in a week or too with some different tools to help destroy the stupid plastic cup that seems to be strapped down!

Anyway - my problem now is the manual raising of the hood is not working. I pull the red ring and lock it in place. But the roof will not pull up - it can be forced, but it takes two people and feels like the hydraulics have not been disengaged. Anyone else had this issue?... Could it be the cable needs adjusting or could the release mechanism be all rusted up (like the stupid pump!!?)

Help would be appreciated

Thanks
Paul

 

[markplant]

From memory the cable acts on pin on the end of the motor, the pin will have siezed, several forum members offer roof motor relocation / repair services

 

[Number5]

Don’t force it up/down against its will. You’ll break the pump

There are several members on here who can extract the motor within minutes and relocate it safely and tidily to the boot within an hour or so.

Depending on your location, consider letting an expert do it.
People are based in Bristol, Hampshire, Cumbria and Cheshire

 

[jpvd]

update:

in the end i decided to have another go - i have worked on cars all my life so not afraid to get dirty - have installed full homemade turbo kits to past cars, swapped engines, rebuilt heads, etc....just don't tend to do it much anymore, because i really can't be bothered!..

Anyway I did manage to get at the pump and after a couple of hours of tugging and swearing it was out...someone had cable tied it to the base on the compartment, so it was a nightmare to get out - but broke free eventually....The pump was soaking wet and the case was full of water...so i drained it all out and soaked the motor in wd40 for an hour or so....amazingly the pump came back to life and now works like a dream, relocated into the boot, sat in the original case out of the way.....why bmw didn't just put it in the boot to start with i have no idea, but its done now and all working again....

can do a write if people want, but others have already done it so don't see the point - its a fiddly, annoying stupid job and one i don't want to do again, but well worth it....

thanks for your help...

 

[BumpyZ4]

update:

"someone had cable tied it to the base on the compartment, so it was a nightmare to get out - but broke free eventually....The pump was soaking wet and the case was full of water"

thanks for your help...

Believe it or not that's how BMW engineered it!!

 

[colb]

The cable tie that holds the plastic container in the well is what they use to secure it when they build the cars, when I did mine I had to use a long metal lever to spear between the container lid and using a built up pivot point in the boot forced it upwards till the cable tie broke free. Once it was free it lifted up and was pulled back into the boot. Mine had ben replaced before at sometime in its life and was bone dry so relocating it into the boot was preventative to avoid any future problems. I just cable tied the unit behind the carpet in the recess in the boot, ther is a handy bracket behind the carpet to cable tie it to. Didn't use the plastic container just wrapped it in some foam to lessen the noise when it operates, its not going to get wet in the new location.