*Pop! Pop!* went my top... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Overdrive · 08-31-2011, 10:40 AM

Clamshell is down (otherwise the hurricane would've REALLY sucked), hence I can't see what's broken just yet. Like I was saying before, the clamshell was trying to close when things went pop, and once I removed the bag from underneath it and let go of it, the clamshell dropped right down into place.

What you've explained sounds do-able, but the only problem is that my switch does nothing right now. Pressing the button in either direction provides no movement or sound from the top, clamshell, or the motor, so this is why I'm trying to find out how I'm supposed to raise the clamshell with no power going to any of the moving parts of the top operation.

Mark_T · 08-31-2011, 12:26 PM

that sounds like a blown fuse, unless....

Um, you do have you hand brake on when trying to operate the top, right?

Jaxonalden · 08-31-2011, 03:53 PM

OD....you do have the convertible top locking handle unlocked right? Parking brake set? and whatever else you're suppose to do to drop the top? (I have a SmarTop and those aren't my requirements). If you still don't have any movement Mark T is right...no power.

Overdrive · 08-31-2011, 08:28 PM

I tell you what guys, I'm about 99.9% sure I did the usual when I pulled over and had the brake up and handle unlatched when I tried to move the top before and after removing my lunch bag from under the clamshell...but now you've got me doubting, lol. At the same time, I know that all activity stopped with the brake handle up because that's what happened when things went pop. I tried pressing the switch in either direction after the pop and nothing happened. I'm going to try tomorrow evening to work the top and see if the clamshell moves. The brake is already up so the latch is the only thing I'll have to do. Watch it make a liar out of me.

If not, then could the fuse have blown just as ironic timing or as a result of the malfunction?

insite · 09-01-2011, 03:21 AM

1. check to be sure your e-brake light on the dash comes on when you pull the brake up. if it doesn't, your ebrake microswitch could be bad.

2. if you can't get the clamshell to open:

a. remove your rollbar screens

b. looking at paul's 3rd picture above, use needlenose pliers to remove the clip holding the black bar to the clamshell hinge. do this on both sides. don't worry about damaging the clips; they're like nine cents.

c. push the black bars out of the hinges; you may hear a pop.

d. lift the clamshell by hand

e. remove the clips & put the back of the convertible top (at the window) upward into its service position; this will expose the motor hatch & the convertible top transmissions.

f. take a picture of the convertible top transmissions & post here.

Mark_T · 09-01-2011, 02:50 PM

I think the fuse would have tripped because of the load on the motor trying to close against a blockage.

Overdrive · 09-01-2011, 10:36 PM

Insite, I'll work on doing that this weekend.

In the meantime, I went out again tonight to see if the top would move. Sadly, it did not budge, and neither did the clamshell. When I hit the button, top unlatched, and e-brake up, I get a momentary noise like the mechanism is trying to operate, just a very abrupt "Tunk" but no movement. If I held down the button, every two seconds or so I'd get that 'tunk' again and again so long as I held the button down, but no movement.

Steve Tinker · 09-02-2011, 01:39 AM

Just be carefull - if you keep depressing the button and the fuse does not blow, you may find that the motor can strip the gears in the transmission.
Big dollars.......