Roof pump

J

JMT4071

Member
Hi again, reaching out for guidance again as you have been extremely helpful on previous posts.

I purchased my 2006 Z4 about 10 weeks ago. It is currently back with the dealer from where it was purchased for various issues to be sorted under the warranty. One of these items is the roof. It will no longer raise or lower electronically. I believe the dealership is lying to me they have told me that, "it is not the motor or the hydraulic fluid and that they believe it to be the hydraulic pump, but that is a special order part which can only be ordered from BMW in Germany." Everything I have read and seen on the Internet points to the electric motor/hydraulics being a one piece unit. Am I correct in my understanding or is there an additional unit for the hydraulics?
 
Hi it is all in one unit but the pump can be unbolted from the motor. The motors can be got quite easily, the pumps are a bit more tricky, but there are complete units available.
Before you spend too much though, what are the symptoms? Does anything happen? Do you get any flashing lights on the switches? Can you hear the motor running in the back left corner?
And where are you?
Several of us can usually fix these things for you.

A dealer will likely want to remove the whole roof and refit the new pump/motor still in the recess i front of the wheel, where it could well get wet and fail again. Plus the labour charge will be much higher.
 
If you do need the complete thing then talk to Stuart (bigwinn). He has a very good new assembly for sale:
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=137341&start=60

Depending where you are he can fit it for you too in a couple of hours, including relocation to the boot where it will live warm and dry.
 
Thankyou for the prompt response. The work is supposedly being done under warranty so the cost should be nothing. However he has had the car for nearly 3 weeks, as it was bought a second car for the summer is a big chunk. The symptoms are it will unlock and lock from the top of the windscreen and try to lift, but fails after about an inch of movement (if that). The light near the button flashes red. I have been able to manually put the roof up or down once the hydraulics have had the pressure released with the red pull ring in the boot. I am based in Norfolk about 15 miles from Kings Lynn.
 
If under warranty then getting a new pump sounds the best option. If you keep the drains clear it will last fine, not ideal, but I never had any issues with both my Zeds having the pump in the original location.

Obviously best if the car is parked inside, if not, then it becomes a whole different story
 
JMT4071 said:
Thankyou for the prompt response. The work is supposedly being done under warranty so the cost should be nothing. However he has had the car for nearly 3 weeks, as it was bought a second car for the summer is a big chunk. The symptoms are it will unlock and lock from the top of the windscreen and try to lift, but fails after about an inch of movement (if that). The light near the button flashes red. I have been able to manually put the roof up or down once the hydraulics have had the pressure released with the red pull ring in the boot. I am based in Norfolk about 15 miles from Kings Lynn.
Click to expand...
Well I'm in Attleborough.
I understand the warranty issue but that very much sounds like a dead motor. If you can't hear noise from behind the passenger seat the motor is seized. If you can, then its a failing pump.
If you want to get the car back and sorted quicker then I'm happy to do it for you.
I'll also relocate it to the boot so it never has issues again.
I have a spare working motor here if yours is too far gone.
 
enuff_zed said:
JMT4071 said:
Thankyou for the prompt response. The work is supposedly being done under warranty so the cost should be nothing. However he has had the car for nearly 3 weeks, as it was bought a second car for the summer is a big chunk. The symptoms are it will unlock and lock from the top of the windscreen and try to lift, but fails after about an inch of movement (if that). The light near the button flashes red. I have been able to manually put the roof up or down once the hydraulics have had the pressure released with the red pull ring in the boot. I am based in Norfolk about 15 miles from Kings Lynn.
Click to expand...
Well I'm in Attleborough.
I understand the warranty issue but that very much sounds like a dead motor. If you can't hear noise from behind the passenger seat the motor is seized. If you can, then its a failing pump.
If you want to get the car back and sorted quicker then I'm happy to do it for you.
I'll also relocate it to the boot so it never has issues again.
I have a spare working motor here if yours is too far gone.
Click to expand...
That would be great, any idea on costs?
 
JMT4071 said:
enuff_zed said:
JMT4071 said:
Thankyou for the prompt response. The work is supposedly being done under warranty so the cost should be nothing. However he has had the car for nearly 3 weeks, as it was bought a second car for the summer is a big chunk. The symptoms are it will unlock and lock from the top of the windscreen and try to lift, but fails after about an inch of movement (if that). The light near the button flashes red. I have been able to manually put the roof up or down once the hydraulics have had the pressure released with the red pull ring in the boot. I am based in Norfolk about 15 miles from Kings Lynn.
Click to expand...
Well I'm in Attleborough.
I understand the warranty issue but that very much sounds like a dead motor. If you can't hear noise from behind the passenger seat the motor is seized. If you can, then its a failing pump.
If you want to get the car back and sorted quicker then I'm happy to do it for you.
I'll also relocate it to the boot so it never has issues again.
I have a spare working motor here if yours is too far gone.
Click to expand...
That would be great, any idea on costs?
Click to expand...
I have a new motor which, if needed, would be £110.
I have a good second-hand one, which would be £60
Or I could source a good one from a Mini which bolts straight to your hydraulic pump and would be around £60 as well.
There is a strong possibility we could revive your own one too.
As for my time, that is entirely up to you. I don't set a fee as this is my 'sanity' hobby and I enjoy helping folks get their Zeds back up and running.

First thing is to ascertain whether the motor in the rear corner is running at all. If it is then your issue is more likely to be the pump or a hydraulic leak.
Check on that if you can, then let me know. :thumbsup:
 
Just sent you a PM with my address and phone number.
Here all afternoon and all day tomorrow if you're free and wanted to pop over, then I can show you on one of my cars what I'm on about.
 
Had an interesting few hours with John yesterday. He had been told that the problem was the hydraulic pump, but no progress had been made in three weeks. And the motor was still sitting snuggly in its casing, unmolested. After the usual faff I got it into the boot, soaking wet and a bit scabby on the outside, but still working perfectly well.
Didn't take long to discover that as fast as we poured hydraulic fluid in it was disappearing. Lo and behold a big puddle in the RH side under the ram.
So the next step is to replace the pipe which we suspect has failed at the usual point, the 90 degree bend where it enters the ram.
John has quite wisely decided we may as well do all four pipes while we're in there.

This is not a job I have tackled before, though Stuart has removed a roof or two so we'll be leaning on his experience.
Has anyone replaced these pipes?
Do we need the roof right off or can it be raised up enough the get access?

EDIT: I have found Shipkiller's 'How To' but the images have all gone.
Also, as that was a while back I was wondering if there's any more up to date info or anyone still active on here who could be on the end of a phone if needed.
 
The ongoing battle continues. The dealer was suggested the below as a way to sort the hydraulics. To me this looks like trying to repair a bullet hole with a plaster. Does anyone have any experience of these kits and their longevity. Many thanks. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283903094416?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338343596&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A283903094416%3BCjwKCAjwsMGYBhAEEiwAGUXJabQ8d4nJ-ZBSuPlMYtldzLARAk4ZOfdNdWB8vhfyYrcSRWb7WSWIlhoC5OoQAvD_BwE&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1TY-s1rKPSR6cEaxckGSoSg14&gclid=CjwKCAjwsMGYBhAEEiwAGUXJabQ8d4nJ-ZBSuPlMYtldzLARAk4ZOfdNdWB8vhfyYrcSRWb7WSWIlhoC5OoQAvD_BwE
 
John, I've just looked at that.
I'd politely tell your dealer to take a hike!
The likelihood is that the hydraulic pipe has fractured or split at the 90 degree elbow where it enters the ram (as advised by bigwinn)
Nothing in that kit looks up to repairing that!
The roof needs to be lifted anyway to get at it, so why do a patch up?
Whilst I'm more than happy to help you sort this, may I suggest you speak to Ross at RBM and ask him for a quote, based on him supplying and replacing all four pipes. If that is in the right ball park for the discussion you've had with the dealer then I think that may be your best bet.
Means a trip to Hampshire but you will come away with a warranted repair.
 
Thanks Martin, you have come to the same conclusion as I have. He is trying everything to keep the costs down. I gave him a breakdown of parts only (including the bits already done) of 750, and he isn't happy.
 
[ref]JMT4071[/ref], have you got any further with this since we last spoke?
For some reason I cannot find your mobile number on my phone any more?
 
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