Help! I jammed my top transmissions?

[CharlesE]

So long story short is that I was replacing the entire soft top with another one. It's just 3 bolts on each side and you disconnect the soft top from the V levers. I did everything fine except for when I was putting the clamshell back down (no top attached) I believe I held the button down for too long and my clamshell was stuck (could hear the motor but no movement). I somehow disconnected the clamshell from the v levers that were locked in place to get it free but now when I use the button the motor sounds fine but the 2 levers dont spin. Does anyone know how to fix this?

[phook]

Youtube search: 986 softop transmission.

There is a 22 minute video by fupabox that explains the entire soft top transmission system.

Towards the end of the video, he will show how to get the transmission aligned correctly.

Basically, take off the boomerang arms, and you have to align the line to the arrow.

[CharlesE]

Originally Posted by phook

Youtube search: 986 softop transmission.

There is a 22 minute video by fupabox that explains the entire soft top transmission system.

Towards the end of the video, he will show how to get the transmission aligned correctly.

Basically, take off the boomerang arms, and you have to align the line to the arrow.

Thanks I Just watched the video and learned how to align them but my problem is that when I hit the switch nothing moves I just hear the motor. Maybe the cable is disconnected? I'll have to check tomorrow

[BFeller]

Originally Posted by CharlesE

Thanks I Just watched the video and learned how to align them but my problem is that when I hit the switch nothing moves I just hear the motor. Maybe the cable is disconnected? I'll have to check tomorrow

IIRC there are some plastic gears in the transmissions. They may have stripped.

[CharlesE]

how much do you guys think the dealer would charge to fix it. Or should I try to do it myself or go to an indy shop

[911monty]

What year is your car. The early cars have a switch at the b pillar driver side. With no top bow depressing that switch the relay may be confused on timing. I'd try depressing the switch then attempt to open top. Of course this won't work on a later car.

[dghii]

Getting back into alignment is not hard but took me a bit of trial and error. Just attach a drill to the motor end of the transmission drive cable for each side to align.

[itsnotanova]

97-99 have different transmissions than the 2000+. The 97-99 have one big gear but the gear does not have teeth that go all the way around. It's only like 70%. Think of like a pie with a piece missing. Or something like PacMan. Your gears have rotated into that dead zone and will not reengage unless you manually turn where the V attaches to. The 97-99 can be a PIA because of that. You need to set both transmissions at the right spot or they will fall into that dead zone again when you cycle the top. Set them too far and it will rotate the gear into the dead zone towards the end of the cycle. My advice is to remove one of those transmissions and take a look inside it. Then you'll see what's going on. The 97-99 don't use that plastic gear that strips out on the 2000+.

[CharlesE]

Originally Posted by itsnotanova

97-99 have different transmissions than the 2000+. The 97-99 have one big gear but the gear does not have teeth that go all the way around. It's only like 70%. Think of like a pie with a piece missing. Or something like PacMan. Your gears have rotated into that dead zone and will not reengage unless you manually turn where the V attaches to. The 97-99 can be a PIA because of that. You need to set both transmissions at the right spot or they will fall into that dead zone again when you cycle the top. Set them too far and it will rotate the gear into the dead zone towards the end of the cycle. My advice is to remove one of those transmissions and take a look inside it. Then you'll see what's going on. The 97-99 don't use that plastic gear that strips out on the 2000+.

Aw man I hope I didn’t buy these gears for no reason. I’ll pull the transmission and take a look inside.

[itsnotanova]

There's a worm gear that the cable attaches to inside the transmission. Those are know to come loose or break also.

[CharlesE]

Well I pulled the right side transmission and re aligned the gear and everything was working until the end of the cycle the clamshell got stuck down again.

After popping the clips off and inspecting the transmissions this time the left one now isn't moving. I'm ready to get a shop or the dealer to fix it for me at this point. I'm Wondering if a dealership would be able to re-allign it.

[Stl-986]

believe there are limit switches for both directions.

[Toppy986]

Charles, what year top did you put on, 2000 - 2004 tops will not work with a 97-99 car with out changing the top transmissions as well, there is a part on 97-99 frames that was eliminated on 2000-04 frames that trips the B pillar micro switch. I had a similar problem when I installed a 2003 top on my 1999, I ended up changing out my 1999 top transmissions with ones from a 2000 along with the top relay. In 2000 the micro switch is incorporated in the drivers side transmission eliminating the B pillar switch. There is a good write up on the rewiring process if this is the case.
I can’t find it , search Maurice on this forum, he is wizard with this

[CharlesE]

Update: Re reading my old thread now, all of this was 2 and a half years ago but if anybody is reading this I ended up taking the car to a porsche specialist and they said my top rods were bent and they had to re allign everything. I think it took them like 3 hours but the top worked after that. Only thing that is off is that the handle doesnt automatically get pushed back in anymore and theres wind noise coming from the driver side with the top up. Oh well