California Top Motor Mod

[DancingSnail]

I will follow your lead on extra lubrication of the motor, once I get the motor restored (or replaced....).

I take it from all those that are reading your Thread that no one has attempted to replace the gear with a gear from some other BMW sunroof motor. I would have thought that many of the internal parts on these motors would have been then same.

If I find a couple of broken motors I am going to disassemble them out of curiosity... A friend of mine partners with a fellow who has a field full of BMW junkers.

[pnosker]

I bought a few different ones and they all use different gears!! I heard that the E39 touring might have the same, but it doesn't. E36 doesn't. E34 doesn't.

[DancingSnail]

Planned obsolescence? Or should I say a calculated (by BMW) outlay for a motor when all one needs is a gear in the motor. Surely you jest.

[S52Commander]

Did anyone have any luck? I'm searching threads, but with classes and everything else I haven't had much time for Sherlocking the forums...
I'd totally try to fix it before shelling $450 out.
If anyone's in Cali and knows a spot that could help. I'd appreciate the lead.

[pnosker]

I did some measurements with my new digital caliper (of course they might not be 100% right but pretty darn close)

7.47mm height

12.43mm height to notch things

24.04mm outer distance from ends of notch things

12.68mm inner distance from ends of notch things

7.74mm width of outer notch things

4.38mm width of inner notch things

35.22mm outer diameter of gear (at ends of splines)

30.98mm outer diameter of gear (without splines)

24.46mm inner diameter of gear

2.37mm inner diameter of spindle

12.25mm outer diamter of spindle

37 teeth

6.30mm to tapered edge

7.65mm to top edge

1.72mm tooth width at gear

1.0mm tooth width at outer edge

I know I used odd terminology, and I don't have the angle of the teeth and the depth of the indentation that the two notch things go into, but maybe someone with more experience with CAD would be able to take a look at the gear and could build a CAD drawing for it.

[dave45056]

Can you take a picture of the gears and point to all of the parts you are referring to? I don't have a cali top, so I don't know what a "notch thing" is.

[Mike ti]

I'm stalking this thread cause I'm looking at getting a cali top ti and if I get it, It'd be great to replace the plastic gears with metal and not have to worry about them, other than lubrication.

Mike

[neilmev]

As am I. I would love some new gears!

[BlackBMWs]

Older thread, but did any action take place on producing replacement gears? Thanks!

[BlackBMWs]

Does anyone know If the Cali top motors, Allen and threaded are interchangeable? Thanks!


Sent from my mobile device

[mr-bear]

Hi'ya guys. I'm also a Cali top owner with the same problem. Did you guys find any solution at all to this problem? I wonder because I'm pretty sure I could get these gears made if anyone is interested....Or if there is any other solution to this problem?

[BlackBMWs]

I'm interested. I'd like to fix my current motor as a spare. 😎


1998 & 1997 318ti Sport Schwartz II
1995 318ti Active Alpineweib III

[mr-bear]

What material would be best do you think? We can choose between plastic, aluminium and brass. There are pros and cons with all. If we choose plastic it might break again and if we choose metal something else might break in the gear.. I'm abit if a daredevil som i'm thinking aluminium

Do you think anyone else would be interested?

[BlackBMWs]

I read in another thread they were intentionally made of plastic to manage wear and tear on other components which would be ok if they sold replacement gears. 😜


I guess you could look at it as the plastic gears have a service life of 10+ years. I'd be in line for 4 gears.

Consideration: so both styles of motors use the same gears?

[mr-bear]

Good thinking. I don't know if both styles uses the same. What style do you have?

Yes the plastic is made to manage wear and tear but the question is what kind of plastic is it? There are many different types..