Replacement roof motor issues

[RichA]

Hi all, I replaced the roof motor the other week in the misses Z4. Getting the roof out is such an easy job! Shame the rest of it doesn’t go to plan!

I replaced the motor with a motor from roofmotors.co.uk, so new or recon, I’m not sure but it looked shiny and new.

Everything is bolted back together now, and the roof still won’t go down. It unlatches like the motor is broken, I hear a mechanical noise but no going down. I think the oil is leaking out of the banjo connections, but I have to take it apart to check this, does anyone know the size of the washer before I attempt this? Then I can do this all in one go. M4? M5?

I suspect the washers as I didn’t change them ( didn’t come with spares), and they didn’t want to seal up when I put them back in initially.

 

[Number5]

Haven't you still got washers on your old unit that came out ?
If you've relocated the motor into the boot then it should be an easy 5 minute job to whip the banjo's off and change them...or did you put it back in the original position ?

 

[redtailed78]

I had a similar issue with the roof sounding like it worked but no movement until I realised that I connected the roof lines in the wrong order to the pump, I thought because they are paired they go on the same connection but they should split. Once I sorted that the roof worked fine.

If it's leaking though I would double check washer positions (3 on each) and check lines to see if you may have pinched one of them and it's leaking..

 

[Number5]

There should be three copper washers per banjo. One before, one in the middle and one after each of the lines go onto the bolt.
One is the up lines for both sides and one is the down lines for each side. if you've crossed these over, then your pumping the Up against the Down at the same time, which may explain the leak, due to double the pressure.

Also, after removing and reconnecting the banjo's you will have lost some fluid and thus creating a possible airlock. Operate the roof Manually in one direction ( i.e Down) and then use the pump to lift it up again. Several of these operations should self-bleed the airlock.

(I assume you've re-engaged the red hoop and that you've not still got the hydraulic bypass operating)

 

[RichA]

Thanks for the replies.

I stupidly put it back in the original position. This will be rectified when I take it out and sort this.

I left all the copper washers in place when I took it off the old one, but the old unit was in a bad state, I don’t know is there was some corrosion that could have damaged the copper washers when I took it apart.

The other option is they are the wrong way around. I hadn’t thought of that. When I attached the new motor I had them side by side and thought I’d put the lhs tubing on the left and the rhs on the right.

I actually think the red tab (which I don’t have on this car) has disconnected at the unit as I tried to lower the roof whilst pulling the cable and it really didn’t want to go, as if it wasn’t disengaging. Another thing to fix.

All of this would be a couple minutes work with the motor in a more suitable location... still it doesn’t take too long to get the roof off the car. Just really need two people.