Soft top

J

JoeR

Member
Hello, I'm new to the forum and I have a question/advise.

I have a 2004 2.5L Z4 with a hard top. It's been with me all these years with no problems except now. Once a year or every other year I take the hard top off and use the soft top for about a week or so and then hard top goes back on.
This weekend the soft top was too slow to come up and too slow coming down. Did it a couple of times and in one of them the top after 3/4 of the way open, came slamming down and it would not go up, except manually. Drains are not clogged and are dry then I saw a puddle on the drivers side (Left side) and it's fluid.
Did any of the hoses break?
How do I fix it?
Do I need to remove the soft top and relocate the motor/pump to the boot?
Do I leave it and just open and close it manually, since I only use it sporadically?

Thank you
JoeR
 
Could be one of the hoses or the hydraulic hinges are leaking. Your last two questions are up to you. Moving to the boot is fairly easy and cheap if its the hinges that are leaking that is more involved and a lot more expensive.
 
Assuming you're in the UK?
On behalf of a lady I was trying to help out, I asked Ross at RBM (Hook) for a rough quote, based on a diagnosis by Number5 on here that the right side hose was leaking at the elbow by the ram.
He told me it was a couple of hours work for him and he would replace the hose with HEL braided hose. Total was in the region of £220, including VAT.
If yours is leaking on the left side it may be slightly different as obviously the hose doesn't have to run across the car.
I guess the decision is whether you actually need a working roof given that it seems to only be used for such a short time.
Once the oil has all run out then you'll have no more leak to worry about and could simply live with it, in the knowledge it can be repaired if you want to sell the car. At which point, selling the hard top separately will more than cover the repair costs. :wink:
 
I had a very similar issue that was uncovered when having the roof motor relocated, hydraulic hose had corroded an split at the elbow. RMB sorted it for £350.00 all in thereabouts, so not a particularly expensive fix at a specialist - of which there are a few on here :thumbsup:
 
Thank you enuff_zed. I'm in the United States, that's why I mention left drivers side.
The oil was coming down the drain after I insisted before trying manually, but it was a good amount, so it must be empty, because the roof does not come up.
Car is not for sale, it's been with me for all these years and I do love the hard top
 
Thank you JamesClements. I'll make another search for images and video and hopefully some specialist in here can shed some more light.
 
JoeR said:
Thank you enuff_zed. I'm in the United States, that's why I mention left drivers side.
The oil was coming down the drain after I insisted before trying manually, but it was a good amount, so it must be empty, because the roof does not come up.
Car is not for sale, it's been with me for all these years and I do love the hard top
Click to expand...
Doh!
Must read more carefully!
 
No worries enuff_zed.
Update: I just tried again and only the motor to disengage the latch works, them complete silence. Don't know if a fuse blew, the motor fried because leaked all the oil or something else.
I was able to fit my hand to make the case where the motor is loose, but I can't take it out of that hole.
It works wonderfully manually.
 
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