986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post - 2001 B Pillar microswitch--can't find. HELP!

oldskool73 · 10-21-2017, 04:47 PM

Yes, if the microswitch is in the transmission you have the newer transmission, the older ones didn't have these and relied on the ones you're missing. A previous owner must have upgraded them in the past. It'll have a small plug coming out of it, and the signal from that takes the place of the signals that used to come from the rear and b-pillar microswitches. You probably find one of the wires from the plug runs down the b-pillar and is spliced into the old wire emerging from near the floor that used to carry the microswitch signal there. The signal from the rear motor microswitch isn't used any more in this setup.

You might find they also updated the rear motor, that's why you can't see any lever or sign of the switch. Check the plug, if it has 2 pins it's a new motor, the old ones had 3 pins, one of which carried the microswitch signal.

In this setup you'll also need the newer type relay, as the pins are different, as there's only a single 'movement complete' signal. You should also check the wiring behind the relay plug, if they've done a 'proper' job that should have a wire spliced in to change the pins. Take a look at the instructions in the 3rd pdf linked here for info ... https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/installinga%2703-%2704glasstopandframeona%2797

Oh, and the first time you try firing it up, maybe do so with the clamshell and top levers disconnected, run it the full cycle and make sure it stops at each end correctly. If you don't, and it overruns, you can end up with the clamshell clamped down too far and mess stuff up... ask me how I know..

10-21-2017, 04:47 PM	#2
oldskool73 Registered User Join Date: May 2015 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 335	Yes, if the microswitch is in the transmission you have the newer transmission, the older ones didn't have these and relied on the ones you're missing. A previous owner must have upgraded them in the past. It'll have a small plug coming out of it, and the signal from that takes the place of the signals that used to come from the rear and b-pillar microswitches. You probably find one of the wires from the plug runs down the b-pillar and is spliced into the old wire emerging from near the floor that used to carry the microswitch signal there. The signal from the rear motor microswitch isn't used any more in this setup. You might find they also updated the rear motor, that's why you can't see any lever or sign of the switch. Check the plug, if it has 2 pins it's a new motor, the old ones had 3 pins, one of which carried the microswitch signal. In this setup you'll also need the newer type relay, as the pins are different, as there's only a single 'movement complete' signal. You should also check the wiring behind the relay plug, if they've done a 'proper' job that should have a wire spliced in to change the pins. Take a look at the instructions in the 3rd pdf linked here for info ... https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/installinga%2703-%2704glasstopandframeona%2797 Oh, and the first time you try firing it up, maybe do so with the clamshell and top levers disconnected, run it the full cycle and make sure it stops at each end correctly. If you don't, and it overruns, you can end up with the clamshell clamped down too far and mess stuff up... ask me how I know.. Last edited by oldskool73; 10-21-2017 at 05:07 PM.