If your electric roof causes problems, then this is a fairly simple conversion as an alternative to trying to fix it. This is based on the conversion described by David A. Leonard <dleonar1_at_maine.rr.com> but with some differences which I think are worth sharing.
Basically I'm a fully paid up member of the WD40 and gaffer tape school of fixers, so anyone with any skill could improve on some of this!
Unlike Dave's car, in my case the motor and linkage operating the stowage compartment cover were still fine. The linkages operating the roof seemed a little distorted, and the roof wouldn't open properly. It could be a fairly easy fix, or maybe not. I didn't want to take the risk of an expensive garage bill, because frankly the electric roof isn't worth it. Operating it manually isn't difficult at all, and it also allows you the opportunity of making sure the window and fabric are folded properly.
David recommended removing all the mechanism and motor for the roof. In my case, I wanted to leave it all in place in case I decided to repair it later, or maybe if I sell the car someone may be mad enough to want to fix it.
The problem is that it even when the operating mechanism is disengaged, it is necessary to lock the top cover down so it doesn't rattle or fly open at speed.
Parts list:
1 electric window switch —a in my case from an E30, sourced on eBay. It's best to get the socket that this plugs into as well, along with at least a few inches of the wiring. This allows you the opportunity of identifying the terminals by the wiring colour, as well as splicing into the existing wiring which is easier than making proper terminations.
3 metres 10amp dual core wire - the reason for the length will become clear later!
5 cable connectors (I used simple ones you just put the wires in and screw down)
2 spade terminals (male)
1 roll of electrical tape!
The job:
1. Remove luggage compartment liner to expose motors. Easy to prise out the centre pins of the fasteners all along the top, then the fasteners themselves can be pulled out. They can be re-used. The liner then folds down to expose what you need to get at.
2. Use the wheel centring tool provided to un-lock the ROOF MOTOR ONLY as per the book procedure. That's the one on the right, not the one in the centre. Insert the tool and move it upwards (I think I remember right about that —a anyway it doesn't need force, so just try another direction if not).
3. Remove the large relay module that controls the timing of the two motors. This is attached to the top of the luggage compartment and requires a small spanner to undo a plastic nut. Once that's off, slide it forward and the other locating lug slides out of its retainer.
4. When you have it in view you will see a big connector plug on the side. This I managed to remove although you could just splice into the wires if you are in a hurry. Removing it requires sliding the plug cover to one side a bit, then levering the plug out a bit, whilst sliding the cover to one side a bit more. Eventually it came off.
5. There are two big wires going to this plug. One is Brown, one is Red/Black striped.
6. Connect into the terminals for the Brown and Red/Black striped wires 1.5 metres of the dual core wire you bought. I just stripped the ends, folded them over twice, and stuffed them into the sockets on the plug. Liberally apply electrical tape at this point!
7. Tie a knot in the wire and then feed it through the cable retaining clip that's holding all the other cables —a you've probably removed them from the clip to help you get at the control box. Lay the other end of the wire over the right rear wing, so its out of the way
8. Remove the power cables from the cover motor —a it's a plastic plug, very easy to identify, and comes out easily.
9. Connect into the terminals for the motor the other 1.5 metres of the dual core wire you bought. I stripped the wire ends, threading them through the holes on the male spade connectors I bought, and taped them up. Then I crimped the other ends of the spade connectors (which the wires are supposed to go through) with a pair of pliers, until they made a neat fit onto the terminals for the motor. It's easiest if you do this before attaching the wires. Or splice direct into the cables as Dave did.
10. Again, tie a knot in the wire and then feed it through the cable retaining clip like the other one. Lay the other end of this wire over to the left, so as not to confuse it with the other one.
11. Strip the ends of all the wires you have just fixed, and also the ends of the wires from the electric window switch.
12. The window switch I used had six connectors, and five wires. The wire on its own is the power in wire (green/grey on mine). Connect this to one of the wires you laid from the plug you took off the control box.
13. Connect the other wire from the control box to BOTH of the brown wires from the switch. That's done by looping a bit of extra wire across two of the terminals in your cable connectors to connect them together.
14. Connect the cover motor wires to the other two wires from the switch —a in my case purple/green and black/grey.
15. Apply electrical tape if you are worried about shorting from the connectors touching anything.
16. Feed the wires through the luggage compartment liner and fix that back in place. (Maybe do this after testing everything works —a see below!)
WAIT! WAIT! Don't try anything just yet!
You MUST CLOSE THE LID OF THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT before operating the storage compartment lid, or it will foul the lid of the luggage compartment, and you'll need to fix the paintwork, or worse.
This is why you need 3 metres of cable!
TO LOWER THE ROOF:
1. Lower all the windows.
2. Hang the newly installed switch out of the back of the luggage compartment.
3. SHUT THE LID OF THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT!
4. Place the switch within easy reach on the lid of the luggage compartment.
5. Unfasten the roof from the windscreen rail.
6. Raise the rear of the roof until it is vertical.
7. Press the switch. If you are lucky, the â€Ëaup' arrow marked on the switch will be the right one. If not, don't press too long in case you burn out the motor or blow the fuse. Try the other button. (You can reverse the working of the buttons later if you want by swapping over the two wires from the motor where they connect to the switch.)
8. All being well, the roof cover rises up! Keep the rear of the hood pushed as far forward as you can, to avoid it fouling the cover. Let off the switch when the cover is nearly vertical.
9. Let the rear of the hood fall back into the storage compartment. Take the front and push it backwards until it folds into the storage compartment. Make sure it's folded correctly, and pushed down below the top of the compartment.
10. Press the other button on the switch. Let off the switch when the cover locks! You can see it, and usually hear the click as well.
11. Stow the switch in the luggage compartment.
TO RAISE THE ROOF:
1. Lower all the windows.
2. Hang the newly installed switch out of the back of the luggage compartment.
3. SHUT THE LID OF THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT!
4. Press the switch to open the cover.
5. Pull out the roof (if you lift the front of the roof hoops slightly, before you lift it by the top that fits to the windscreen, it releases from the compartment more easily).
6. Before you fasten the front of the roof down to the windscreen rail, lift the rear of the roof until it is vertical.
7. Press the switch to close the cover. Keep the rear of the hood pushed as far forward as you can, to avoid it fouling the cover. Let off the switch when the cover locks.
8. Let the rear of the hood fall back onto the lid of the storage compartment.
9. Fasten the front of the roof down to the windscreen rail.
10. Stow the switch in the luggage compartment.
Remember to let off on the switch as soon as the motor stalls. There is a 15 amp fuse controlling this circuit, in the fuse box. I wouldn't make a habit of holding the motor stalled any longer than you have to, as it could damage the motor as well as blow the fuse.
Like Dave (and thanks a lot to him!
) I'm pleased with this fix. It doesn't require much work as it uses wiring and a fuse already present. You might want to site the switch somewhere inside the car —a maybe in the rear speaker cover? BUT NOTE THAT THE CIRCUIT IS ALWAYS LIVE (even when the ignition switch is â€Ëaoff'). So any accidental pressing of the switch (and remember mine even looks like a window switch) means you may blow a fuse/burn out the motor/damage the linkage to the cover. Better put an isolator switch in the circuit somewhere if you do this (back to the luggage compartment again?)
Anybody who can figure out how to wire this back to the original roof activation switch —a just let me know! There is already an isolator switch in that circuit, in the roof rail, which will prevent accidental operation of the circuit.
Just realised that even if you did figure out how to wire back to the original roof activation switch, you'd have a hell of a job reaching it whilst you held up the back of the roof! No point, then.