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I took my car in to have the rear seam on the top stitched. They did a great job on that but when I got it back the top doesn't work and I found at least one broken piece. Of course "it was like that when you brought it in" even though it worked fine the day before I brought it in. Oh well, saved the top but now have to throw money at it anyhow.
So the part I need a name and part # for is pictured here.
The black plastic covered, hinge looking thing in the center of the picture
I have looked at various diagrams of the cabriolet top and I have been unable to get a name or part number. You see this part when you open the trunk lid. It is located in the rain channel at the top of the trunk opening. Sorry, that is the best I can do to describe it.
It's just a cover for the hinge. Mine broke and removed them years ago. Also, there is a plastic arm in the center of the hinge that often breaks and causes loud popping noises and even problems when opening and closing. That can also be removed (you have to break it away). it is only used as a safety to support the soft top cover when working on the hydraulics.
Oh and what are the details on the top not working?
Oh, that guy at the shop that sewed my top told me all I needed to do was replace that hinge and the top would work again. I didn't think so.
I go to put the top down, the rear windows go down and the message says top in operation but nothing moves and nothing else happens. I don't hear any hydraulics whirring or anything else. It is just dead.
I am guessing that they had to operate the top manually when doing the repair. Make sure that the valve on the pump is closed and that the lock knobs on the bottoms of the cylinders are re-locked. If that doesn't work, then try operating the top manually through a full open/close cycle. Sometimes the switches can get out of sync and this can help.
Here's the manual close video. Open is the same, just fold the top into the trunk instead of pulling it out:
After digging into the problem I have found the issue and I have a question. I have a feeling that the guys at the upholstery shop weren't aware that that cover in the trunk needed to be pulled down before the top would open so they decided to do it manually. I made them show me exactly how they went about doing that. They were completely unaware that they needed to release the hydraulic pressure or turn the unlock on both sides. Would their manually opening the top without releasing the pressure cause the right side hydraulic lift cylinder to literally split open from the pressure? I mean this thing is split in half. I just used my top the day before I brought it to them for top repair and it seemed fine.
Another question. What are the 2 locks unlocking when I turn them? The left one turns 90 degrees and stops but the right one just keeps turning.
The round knobs release a hydraulic valve on the struts so they can be more easily operated. It's them being pulled out that releases the valve, not the rotation. Rotating them just makes them stay "out". If they are not locking back in place, then push in while you rotate.
If a cylinder is split, then fluid leaked out and if that emptied the pump, it won't operate. It does sound like this shop did some damage.
03 SL Kleemann, 97 SL320 pano top, 95 Lorinser E320 Cabrio, Ferrari 360, Tesla X
Originally Posted by Patton001
Would their manually opening the top without releasing the pressure cause the right side hydraulic lift cylinder to literally split open from the pressure? I mean this thing is split in half. I just used my top the day before I brought it to them for top repair and it seemed fine.
Yes, it is possible to ruin one of the main lift cylinders p/n 2098000772 or 2098000872 when manually forcing the top backwards. The reason is, there is a check valve in the pump that prevents fluid from going back from the bottom of the main lift cylinders to the pump unless a certain solenoid in the pump is activated. If the return flow from the bottom of the main lift cylinders is blocked and the top is lifted off the windshield manually (in which position there is huge leverage through the extended soft top frame), then the manually created pressure in those two cylinders can far exceed the normal operating pressure and make one of them burst.
Originally Posted by Patton001
Another question. What are the 2 locks unlocking when I turn them? The left one turns 90 degrees and stops but the right one just keeps turning.
Specifically, the locks on the bottom of the tonneau cylinders p/n 2098001272 secure the cylinders in their fully retracted position. It is a mechanical locking mechanism that prevents the cylinder from extending (and thus the tonneau cover opening) unless the locks get released manually OR there is hydraulic pressure on the bottom of these cylinders.
Originally Posted by Patton001
One more question. Would the pump stop working because of all of this? I hear nothing going on when I pull the switch for the top.
The pump likely did not get damaged, but some micro switch is not giving the correct signal and thus the soft top controller will not engage the hydraulic system. I would manually open the storage compartment (tonneau cover) and check the switches inside the storage compartment near the front on the left side (meaning behind the left rear passenger seat).
05-18-2016, 06:44 PM
