CLK430 top....Again.....
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28
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2000 CLK430 Cabrio
CLK430 top....Again.....
Got some fancy new parts from Top Hydraulics a couple weeks ago. Just got around to finishing the reassembly of all of it.
Here's what happened....
Put the new lock cylinders in. Purged out all the old fluid on TH's advice. Refilled the resevoir with MB fluid. Cycled the top a few times and topped off to the upper line. Everything functions fine. Top, locks, etc. (I did notice that the lower ball bolt for the clamshell lift cylinder is loose and causing the top to hit the clamshell, but more on that later) Head rests still function. Put all the carpet and covers and everything back in, got in it, Put the top into the up position, and now it's stuck. (probably a good thing seeing as it's Winter! LOL) Anyway, the windows function like they are supposed to, the headrests still move up and down, everything seems normal. But when I pull up on the button, I hear the drag of the hydraulic pump trying to run, and the button flashes rapidly and then, nothing.
Any guidance on where to start here?
Also, How do you get at the nut on the backside of the lower ball joint for the "Active" clamshell cylinder?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Here's what happened....
Put the new lock cylinders in. Purged out all the old fluid on TH's advice. Refilled the resevoir with MB fluid. Cycled the top a few times and topped off to the upper line. Everything functions fine. Top, locks, etc. (I did notice that the lower ball bolt for the clamshell lift cylinder is loose and causing the top to hit the clamshell, but more on that later) Head rests still function. Put all the carpet and covers and everything back in, got in it, Put the top into the up position, and now it's stuck. (probably a good thing seeing as it's Winter! LOL) Anyway, the windows function like they are supposed to, the headrests still move up and down, everything seems normal. But when I pull up on the button, I hear the drag of the hydraulic pump trying to run, and the button flashes rapidly and then, nothing.
Any guidance on where to start here?
Also, How do you get at the nut on the backside of the lower ball joint for the "Active" clamshell cylinder?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
2000 CLK430 Cabrio
Well, last resort is:
Manually put the top down and locked the cover by hand. Disconnected the battery and am having a nice cup of hazelnut coffee while I wait for the required time to "Reset" the top brain.
Eliminated the relay or the pump as the cause, as the headrests still operate, top up or down. This made me think I scrambled it's brain when first accomplishing the repair.
I'll keep you posted, or I'll scream for help - whichever is required!!
:-)
Manually put the top down and locked the cover by hand. Disconnected the battery and am having a nice cup of hazelnut coffee while I wait for the required time to "Reset" the top brain.
Eliminated the relay or the pump as the cause, as the headrests still operate, top up or down. This made me think I scrambled it's brain when first accomplishing the repair.
I'll keep you posted, or I'll scream for help - whichever is required!!
:-)
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
2000 CLK430 Cabrio
Nah, didn't work. Put the top back up by hand, made sure everything was locked as it should be. Car definitely recognizes that the top is up, as when I latch the manual handle, the windows go up, and vice versa, wehn I unlatch, they go down. Now, I have the red light on the switch, but when I push it to put the top down, it does nothing. Light stays solid. When I pull up on the switch, I hear the drag of the hydraulics attempting to run for a brief second, then the switch flashes rapidly and nothing happens. Getting frustrated!!!
GRRRR!!!
GRRRR!!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,258
Likes: 209
From: Boston North Shore
2001 CLK320 Cabrio
Not sure this will help, but take a look.
In post #16 at https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...-problems.html I included some info on the electronics of the power top operation.
In one of of the attachments, the blinks shown on the main power top switch serve to indicate the state and function of the top operation.
In post #16 at https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...-problems.html I included some info on the electronics of the power top operation.
In one of of the attachments, the blinks shown on the main power top switch serve to indicate the state and function of the top operation.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
2000 CLK430 Cabrio
Don't have a luggage cover.....
...SO after seeing this, and going out and looking - I don't have the luggage cover, but I did have the micro switch that everyone talks about for it. Apparently, previous owner had it rigged up to show the switch was made, and after all my work, i must have knocked it loose. I rigged it, and the top works great now. Thanks for all the help.
I still need to tighten the lower ball joint on the case cover lift cylinder and would appreciate any advice on how to get to that. Thanks!!
:-) :-) :-)
...SO after seeing this, and going out and looking - I don't have the luggage cover, but I did have the micro switch that everyone talks about for it. Apparently, previous owner had it rigged up to show the switch was made, and after all my work, i must have knocked it loose. I rigged it, and the top works great now. Thanks for all the help.
I still need to tighten the lower ball joint on the case cover lift cylinder and would appreciate any advice on how to get to that. Thanks!!
:-) :-) :-)
Last edited by Taylori64; Dec 6, 2013 at 01:46 PM.
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03 SL Kleemann, 97 SL320 pano top, 95 Lorinser E320 Cabrio, Ferrari 360, Tesla X
Don't have a luggage cover.....
...SO after seeing this, and going out and looking - I don't have the luggage cover, but I did have the micro switch that everyone talks about for it. Apparently, previous owner had it rigged up to show the switch was made, and after all my work, i must have knocked it loose. I rigged it, and the top works great now. Thanks for all the help.
I still need to tighten the lower ball joint on the case cover lift cylinder and would appreciate any advice on how to get to that. Thanks!!
...SO after seeing this, and going out and looking - I don't have the luggage cover, but I did have the micro switch that everyone talks about for it. Apparently, previous owner had it rigged up to show the switch was made, and after all my work, i must have knocked it loose. I rigged it, and the top works great now. Thanks for all the help.
I still need to tighten the lower ball joint on the case cover lift cylinder and would appreciate any advice on how to get to that. Thanks!!
good work! After replacing the case cover lock 1247500684 (including cylinder p/n 1298000072), and the rear bow lock 1247700426 (including cylinder 1298001672), and flushing out the wrong fluid that the previous owner used, it sounds like you are down to fixing a few smaller things that the previous owner has been rough on. I don't own a CLK, and thus cannot provide any guidance on how to tighten up the ball that holds the tonneau cover lift cylinder (aka case cover lift cylinder) 2088000272 on the bottom. Hope you can let us all know how it turned out after you gained access to that ball joint - pics would be awesome!
My personal guess would be that the previous owner used to move the top by hand a lot, and rattled it (the ball) loose or bent it. The top is simply not designed to be moved manually all the time...
Klaus
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