New electric convertible top fix

**Cruzer** · 06-01-2007, 11:07 PM

The most common failure mode for the convertible top is for the motor pivot (made of aluminum) to snap off. Below is a picture:

One way to fix the motor is to take it apart, dremel out gear drive and pivot point, and install a replacement from "Christian" in Germany (photo below). So far, this was the only way I knew of fixing the motor. I resisted because of the expense ($150) and the labor of taking everything apart. It appears to be a durable and worthy approach.

I came across a more "ghetto" approach from another gentleman in Germany (Sven). I have ordered the part and I will post here after I install it. His approach is to build a plate that installs over the motor without taking anything apart. It should be far less labor, but its durability is yet to be proven. I'll take one for the team and be the guinea pig. The cost will be about $75 and 30 minutes for the install. Here is a photo of this approach:

**BCMike** · 06-02-2007, 01:40 AM

I've done the Christian repair and am quite pleased. I did it following Quincy's lead and he kindly incorporated some of my images and thoughts on His Page.

The cost was small relative to the degree of the problem and I did the job in not much more than half a day. The other unit looks like it could work but I'd worry about the pivot not being mounted directly to the motor housing.

**Cruzer** · 06-02-2007, 01:55 AM

Thanks BCMike. I knew there was a really good summary of the "Christian" fix out there. Thanks for the link.

It is true that the pivot is not directly attached to the motor, but the plate itself is attached with four bolts to the motor. Whether this is sturdy enough remains to be seen. I'm looking forward to getting my top fixed. Right now it will lift into place, but the back end won't lift-up before the lid closes.

**BCMike** · 06-02-2007, 01:59 AM

Yes it is a hassle to have a semi electric top. When I was in that situation, I removed the linkage in the tonneau and ran only the tonneau cover electric and did the rest manual.

**Cruzer** · 06-02-2007, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by BCMike

Yes it is a hassle to have a semi electric top. When I was in that situation, I removed the linkage in the tonneau and ran only the tonneau cover electric and did the rest manual.

Yeah, I decided not to remove the linkage, so I tell everybody that I have a "semi-electric top with puertorican assist" which typically gets a chuckle.

**BCMike** · 06-02-2007, 09:30 AM

lol!

**Cruzer** · 06-04-2007, 12:53 AM

Well, now that I've saved a few dollars, I went ahead and bought a windscreen. It'll be a great addition for those cool spring and fall nights. I know you really like yours Mike, so that convinced me to take the plunge. $300 bucks is steep but hopefully worth it.

**Cruzer** · 06-16-2007, 11:54 PM

Update: This is an excellent kit. The seller on ebay was great and shipping from Germany was faster than you could imagine. It took me 15 minutes to install the plate and put the top links back in place. Everything works now. The top is still a little "lazy" so I'm thinking I need to replace the top shocks. Otherwise for the price and ease of installation I highly recommend this kit. The seller only takes international bank transfers ($15 fee from my bank) but he was excellent at communicating and shipping was very fast. The plate is stainless steel and the pivot point has been threaded and welded on. The instructions were hard to read (in deutsche) but Google translation helped. PM me if you have any questions.

The seller is "nusel66" on ebay. The listings are typically listed under "BMW E30 Cabrio Verdeckmotor elektr. Verdeck" for $55 Euros plus $8 euros shipping.

**BCMike** · 06-17-2007, 01:40 AM

Maybe you should try toying with the alignment of the top motor with the new pivot plate. If your even a little out of alignment that could cause the motor to bind up and slow the cycling time.

**Cruzer** · 06-17-2007, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by BCMike

Maybe you should try toying with the alignment of the top motor with the new pivot plate. If your even a little out of alignment that could cause the motor to bind up and slow the cycling time.

Thanks Mike, I'll check and lube everything today.

**douglasm5** · 06-17-2007, 10:47 PM

You'll love the windscreen. In your sig, your window is all the way up. Well, you won't need to do that anymore!

I've found that raising the window just a few inches is all that's needed to keep the wind out.

Last week I drove 850 miles in two days, top down of course. Even though it was sunny and warm, I used the windscreen the entire trip so that we could easily converse. Very nice.

If only I'd remembered my sunscreen.

Doug

**BCMike** · 06-18-2007, 01:44 AM

Take a close look at my sig, you'll see that exactly how I run my door windows; 1-2 inches up. I'll run it this way any time it's 50 F or above.

**Cruzer** · 06-18-2007, 03:31 AM

Cool, I've never tried that. Thanks for the tip. I'll try it tomorrow IF the sun comes out.

**JonathanJung** · 06-18-2007, 07:43 PM

I usually run my window up a couple inches too. Works great for the seat belt slap on the shoulder, and wind noise of course.

So when the motor pivot breaks would it be normal that the entire elec. top system would shut down and it nothing would happen when the button is pressed?

**BCMike** · 06-18-2007, 09:14 PM

Jon,

The tonneau motor will still work but the pivot that usually breaks controls lifting the back window flap of the top. When that doesn't move the rest of the cycle is not engauged so yes the whole system would essentiailly shut down.

**JonathanJung** · 06-18-2007, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by BCMike

Jon,

The tonneau motor will still work but the pivot that usually breaks controls lifting the back window flap of the top. When that doesn't move the rest of the cycle is not engauged so yes the whole system would essentiailly shut down.

Really? I could almost swear that the pivot is broken off of my motor. So this could be really good news! When I first got the car you could press the button and their was a slight hum. This was when I didn't know much about the cabrios. Now it doesn't do
anything, well duh because I took out the motor, but anyway.

Does the motor actually pivot and twist or what?

Sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks for the great thread guys.

**JonathanJung** · 06-18-2007, 10:21 PM

I assume you mean the motor that lowers the top is the one that breaks. And tonneau is the deck (cover for the folded top compartment) ?

**BCMike** · 06-18-2007, 10:46 PM

Sorry not to be confusing. You and I are talking across each other. The tonneau is the chamber where the top is stowed. The tonneau cover can't open unless the rear window flap of the top has been raised. The humming you hear/heard was the top motor spinning but since the pivot to the rear window flap of the top was broken the flap didn't raise and the tonneau cover motor sequence was not initiated. If you manually lift the rear flap, then reach in and hit the button, the tonneau cover will open. On my car, when that happened I could then lower the rear flap and the motors would drop the top and then close the tonneau cover IIRC. It's a complicated set of sensors and switches. My hunch is that the reason this pivot fails is because folks inadvertently hit the button to start the top drop sequence without having first unclipped and popped up the front flap of the top. There's alot of torque in that motor and I wouldn't be surprised if having that happen a couple three times over the life of the unit wouldn't cause critical fractures to form in the soft metal of the top motor housing. The stainless unit I installed (from Christian in Germany w/ Quincy's prompting) will hold up to much more strain. The key missing part of the equation would have been a sensor that would not allow the top motor to begin sequence when the front lip of the top was in contact with the windshield frame.

**OodlesofNoodles** · 09-22-2008, 09:56 PM

Is there a way to activate just the tonneau cover locking mechanism? I don't mind manually opening and closing the top but I do mind the tonneau cover ajar. I want to rig it so the motor just releases the the latches on either side.

**hungerford22** · 01-07-2010, 12:23 AM

also want to do what oodlesofnoodles suggests...
anybody got a good fixe to manually open and close the top but have the tonneau cover actually lock? thanks for any help!

do you know how to make the cover manual or even everything manual. own a 92 electric top that functions but poorly. just want the top to be reliable even if it is manual.
thanks

**nadodude** · 01-07-2010, 02:15 AM

Just disconnect the rods from the top to the motor, you have to keep the main motor plugged in though or none of the electrics will work. Then just use the switch to open and close the tonneau cover.

**NISHO** · 07-23-2010, 02:59 PM

Hello everyone, first I'll like to thank you all for the information about fixing the electric top and second today is my first day in this group. I would like to know if anyone can send me the information in how to contact the guy who sales the metal plate for the electric top.
Thank you my name is Cesar and I own a 1993 325ic blackschwartz

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