Soft top swap issues - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

tommy583 · 05-10-2022, 01:48 PM

I'm in the process of swapping soft tops on my 98 Boxsters. How do you remove or detach the wires to the microswitch on the drivers side pillar. I have all the bolts off on three sides and the defroster plug disconnected. But there is still a blue and grey wire going to a microswitch on the top frame.

tommy583 · 05-10-2022, 03:51 PM

OK So I have found out the switch is on the "B" pillar. Someone in a previous post said it is held on with a 8mm hex. That seems pretty big for a tiny microswitch. Whatever the size it seems pretty impossible to get too. I wonder if I can just cut the wires, then take the switch out when I remove the frame. Then I can mount the switch on the new (used) top and frame, then splice the wires back together.

ike84 · 05-10-2022, 04:35 PM

You remove the trim piece that goes along the roll bar / seat belt. There's a Jeff bolt that holds it in place at the top and then just some clips along the side.

You shouldn't need to remove this though if all you're doing is removing the top. That plug is for the defroster, so you should only have to disconnect the one at the top in order to remove the assembly

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ike84 · 05-10-2022, 05:35 PM

Is this the wire you're talking about?

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dghii · 05-10-2022, 07:07 PM

I don't believe that will be the wires the OP is referring to. There's in a microswitch behind drivers shoulder on the earlier cars (97-99). I've done a few tops but can't remember specifics about the switch other than not having any issue with it regarding disconnecting or connecting. Certainly no reason to cut wires.

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 03:16 AM

dghill,

Yes it is the switch you are talking about. I already disconnected the defroster plug. I was able to slide the whole frame back. There is switch connected to the frame somehow. I can see the two wires from the switch running behind the trim piece Ike84 is talking about. Maybe if I take that trim piece out I can find a connector to unplug the switch. There must be a way besides cutting the wire. Maybe there is a connector on the switch itself? I'm not sure because I can't see the body of the switch because it is behind a plastic cover. Oh well I'll be back at it after work today.

ike84 · 05-11-2022, 09:35 AM

Tommy, for whatever reason, the plug I'm holding actually has another connection point at the bottom of that trim piece (I suppose so that it can be removed with the trim piece?) If you remove that trim piece you may find the same thing there for your connector. It's a simple removal - 8mm bronze nut holds tension on the inside of the top rail of the trim, and then it just pops out (2 plastic tabs along the side and bottom hold it in place). Btw, you don't have to completely remove the nut, just loosen it.

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tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 09:47 AM

Ok I went out to the car on lunch break. I was able to see the brass nut and a phillips screw holding on the trim piece. I was also able to see the microswitch. I could see neither of these things the way the sun was blasting my face yesterday evening. The only time I was able to see the switch yesterday was after I had the six bolts out of the top, top slid back and started lifting it out of the car. That's when I noticed the wires. I'll pop the cover off when I get home and see what I'm working with then. Thanks for your help so far guys.

I already changed the transmission on the passenger side because the cable was broke. I could have just changed the cable but I bought a used set of known working transmissions already and it was just as easy to change the whole thing. The drivers side seems to work, but I may just change that one out too after I get the top out.

One thing I'd like to point out is that most of the on-line how to's cover the newer transmissions with the 360 degree plastic gear. I was surprised when I opened up the transmission to see the metal 270 degree gear. Hopefully the timing instructions I have seen are the same for this year of car.

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 11:22 AM

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 11:23 AM

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 11:25 AM

Bingo!! Took the trim off and found the connector.

Stl-986 · 05-11-2022, 01:35 PM

you dont need to remove those to replace the top. You can,makes it easier.

Easier to just unbolt the clamshell then it is to remove those and much quicker.

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 02:41 PM

The reason I asked about the clip was I wanted to take the shock looking arm off of the clamshell. I was able to get the new used top on. It is for now in manual mode. I put new transmissions and cables on both sides and a new used motor. I used a drill to get both transmissions to the timing mark. Both cables were shot and the old sort top frame was broken at the ball socket. So basically the whole thing was out of whack when I bought the car. So right now I have no bat wings or any of the arms on the transmissions, I'll save that for tomorrow.

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 03:07 PM

Well this looks like it needs some adjustment. I guess I'll need to figure this out next.

Stl-986 · 05-11-2022, 03:48 PM

very common, there is a youtube video about it. there should be a strap on the inside, this usually becomes disconnected and needs to be re-attached

tommy583 · 05-11-2022, 05:07 PM

Yup good call. The wire was unscrewed . I put it back in but the hole seems a little stripped. I may need to go up a size. Even when I screwed it in the cable seems a little loser than it should be. Well I just washed and waxed it for the first time since I got it. I think it looks pretty good but it was getting dark out as i was finishing up.

Tomorrow I will either work on making it a power top again or swap the mufflers. At some point I need to put on my new pads and rotors, paint the brakes and apply new stickers. After that all I have left to do is change the carpet, door cards and possibly dashboard. Oh and get the heated seats working lol.

Stl-986 · 05-11-2022, 05:39 PM

that "wire" will come out when the top is put down so if you pop it back in with the top up, it will most likely not seat correctly when putting it down/up the next time. Like I said, it's a common issue with both sides. I have just lived with it as it doesn't really impact the tops ability to close or properly seal.

tommy583 · 05-12-2022, 04:41 AM

Well I hope there is a way to adjust it. I had the top up on the way to work and it definitely has an air leak sound on the hi-way. Even if it doesn't leak water, I wouldn't want to listen to it on a long road trip. Screwing the end of the cable into the frame helped close the gap, but I hope to somehow close it more.

pilot4fn · 05-12-2022, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommy583

Well I hope there is a way to adjust it. I had the top up on the way to work and it definitely has an air leak sound on the hi-way. Even if it doesn't leak water, I wouldn't want to listen to it on a long road trip. Screwing the end of the cable into the frame helped close the gap, but I hope to somehow close it more.

On my 2001 there was thsi same issue when I purchased the car. YouTube has several videos how to fix this issue.
I do recommend fixing it due to air/water leak issues at least of hiway speeds.
Also if the cable stays outside the metal 'bow' for a while s(weeks etc), it will make scratch marks that you can fix only by painting the 'bows' again.

tommy583 · 05-13-2022, 05:21 AM

Well in addition to the cables not wanting to seat correctly I discovered a different problem. The back of the windows don't seem to seal to the weather stripping on the top. It looks to be the same on both sides, I think that is where the wind noise is coming from actually. There is not a big gap but it doesn't look like the windows are touching the weather stripping or if they are it's just barely. The stripping looks fine on both sides so i'm not really sure what the problem could be.