Electric Soft top problems

[jaginsligo]

Hi guys.
My first post here. I have a 93 318i E30 with an electric soft top. I only have the car since April and the roof worked ok at the start but recently there is a lot of clicking noise when the horseshoe is been lifted and closed and it struggles to do both. The roof folding motor works fine. I looked last night and I see there are 2 separate motors, the one that is causing me issues is the one in the middle. I have read about "re-syncing" the roof but is this needed for just that motor? I am afraid that the plastic cog is been chewed up. Is there a fix for this and can spare parts be got?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
John

[Gert_8]

Hi, Don't get mislead by the roof needing "re-synching". Sounds to me like a simple case of replacing the central motor which is responsible for lifing and lowering the horseshoe section.

[jaginsligo]

Thanks. Is that motor a servicable part, can the cogs be replaced etc?

[Gert_8]

You're best off buying a replacement motor - it's the easiest option.

I have not taken one apart, so cannot advise on whether internal components are available.

[jaginsligo]

What is the motor refered to (called) or do you know the part number, cant find on the web.

Thanks

[Gert_8]

It's called the "Folding top flap drive". Part # 54348106927. I'd just call it the horseshoe motor.

Diagram number 9

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpar ... Id=54_0172

[jaginsligo]

Thanks Gert, just had a look at the prices, holy sh!t... its half the price I paid for the car. Might look at converting it to a manual roof

[Gert_8]

Dont do that!! You can get second hand motors. Put up a request in the wanted section or PM one of the Traders you can find in the For Sale section. They won't charge anywhere near that amount.

* search ebay too (UK and German).

[jaginsligo]

OK, thanks again

[corkie]

Where can the re-syncing instructions be found please

[Gert_8]

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/imag ... etting.pdf

[corkie]

Thanks i hope i never have to do this!

[Gert_8]

You shouldn't. I can't think of a situation where it is required TBH.

[sideshowbob]

Went through several 'horseshoe' motors and got fed up of replacing them and the mechanism being out of sync.
On eof the main problems in this situation is that the 'horseshoe' wont lock down and rattles when the roof is lowered.
Eventually and reluctantly I had the mechanism converted to manual and never had any further problems.
My conclusion is that there is too much weight and hence excess leverage on the horseshoe mechanism and it will always fail.