Hood/soft top issue

[Steve Medlock]

I'm a bit confused by this one....The hood all works fine under power until it is fully retracted and then I have to lift it up slightly ( which is not easy with one foot on the brake pedal and one hand on the dash switch) before the pump motor will re-engage to close the hood. The roof micro-switch seems to be fine and still seems to be operative in the fully retracted position. Is there another switch somewhere that i haven't found ?

Steve.

 

[Slam]

Is the fluid level ok

 

[Steve Medlock]

Is the fluid level ok

Looks fine.

 

[mrscalex]

I'd want to track down the exact trigger point of it catching. That might give a strong clue.

 

[Lazzzydog]

I wonder if the pump has gone slightly weak and cannot develope enough pressure to lift the hood from fully down but once given a little help it can finish the job or is the pump even running with the hood right down? Can you feel it kick in after to have lifted the hood a little?

 

[Steve Medlock]

I'd want to track down the exact trigger point of it catching. That might give a strong clue.

You're probably right Rob although I'll have to get an assistant to press pedal and switch while I investigate at the back. There's obviously a relay providing the pump motor with power and the microswitch cuts the power on part of the retraction but I don't know what it does when the hood is going the other way - time to check the wiring diag!

 

[Steve Medlock]

I wonder if the pump has gone slightly weak and cannot develope enough pressure to lift the hood from fully down but once given a little help it can finish the job or is the pump even running with the hood right down? Can you feel it kick in after to have lifted the hood a little?

Don't think its that Tony - the pump motor doesn't kick in until the hood is lifted a couple of inches.

 

[Dino D]

You're probably right Rob although I'll have to get an assistant to press pedal and switch while I investigate at the back. There's obviously a relay providing the pump motor with power and the microswitch cuts the power on part of the retraction but I don't know what it does when the hood is going the other way - time to check the wiring diag!

Can you not bypass the brake switch easily?
I've been meaning to do this as it makes doing the top on the move much easier.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Can you not bypass the brake switch easily?
I've been meaning to do this as it makes doing the top on the move much easier.

I think that's a safety feature specifically so you don't do it while moving.....

But seriously, the brake switch isn't the problem - I think its the little microswitch above the pasenger seat.

There's obviously a separate relay for up and down and they both operate through the microswitch (after the dash switch). My suspicion is that something is fouling the micro-switch lever when it is in the down position.

 

[Stevo7682]

Could you bypass the microswitch see if correct operating restored then you know what to chase.

 

[gookah]

I think a bad connection to the microswitch, or broken wire.. Once you have lifted it enough it carries on.
Microswitch is needed in both directions as it supplies the earth for the relay coils via the roof close/open button.
The brake pedal provides the positive to the relay coils