CA Sunroof operation and troubleshooting

[djoelt1]

I have a '96 with the CA sunroof. When the open button is pressed, the roof does not slide open in one continuous motion. It moves about one inch, then stops, then moves another inch, etc. Both opening and closing. I removed the cover to look at the motor and the hex screw that is used for manual override moves intermittently too (it is connected to the geartrain that drives the roof). The motor is rotating continuously - I can hear it. Has anyone experienced this problem? It behaves as if half the gear teeth are sheared off the drive gear on the motor.

Is it possible to buy JUST the motor? Any suggestions on where to get one?

[1996 328ti]

You might want to grease the track first.
I had a 98 California Roof that was sluggish.

Also, you must treat the top as a convertible.
It needs to be sealed every once in awhile.

[djoelt1]

The track looks greasy. I am pretty sure the motor is slipping. When I hit a slipping spot and the roof stops moving, I can change direction of the roof with the switch, listen to the motor spin, and see that the hex screw does not move. I moved the hex screw with a wrench and the stiffness seems constant (to my carefully calibrated hand).

When you say the roof was sluggish, did it only move slowly, or did it move/stop/move/stop over the course of its motion?

[mrnine]

Actually, I just recently replaced my motor. When putting my top back, I got a pop up front and the motor would spin but would never engage. I removed the motor for closer investigation and soon realized that I could shake shards of metal from within. Ugh...bad sign.

I took it apart a bit to check it out since the thing was a loss anyway. It seemed to use a pretty sophisticated clutch mechanism I assume to prevent it from trashing your gears when the top reaches the open or closed point.

My only caution is that you should get it replaced soon since tearing up the gears on the drive track could result in a *much* more expensive fix.

I found that BavAuto was about the same price as a dealer. I seem to recall like $240? Swapping the motor is a piece of cake. Just make sure that you've got the top "guide piece" oriented properly and that the motor firmly engages the gear tracks when you install. If you hear any grinding at all, it's not lined up right.

That's my 2 cents!

[djoelt1]

Can you tell me a little more about the following?

1. Removal. There are two TORX screws visible - are these to remove the unit from the car?

2. Disassembly: How did you disassemble the unit? Did anything "spring" apart when you pulled the unit apart? Would you have been able to assemble the unit? Do you still have the internal parts - perhaps I can use parts from yours to fix mine.

3. Can you describe the interior of the gearmotor unit? Number of gears, what type of gear on the motor, what combination of gears on the drive for the sunroof. If the components are standard and one of the gears is just worn out, I might be able to fix it (being a handy mechanical engineer!).

Thanks.

[Astro318ti]

I've got a Cali, too. Just last night when closing the roof the motor started slipping. Moves about an inch and then this "whirring" sound occurs. Sounds like an electric shaver. With a little help (light pushing with one hand with the other hand on the switch), I got the top closed to within 1 inch, but it won't go the last bit. I didn't want to force it.

Opened up the enclosure (which is just held on with velcro). The motor turns, but the beforementioned clutch mechanism is slipping.

This morning I tried removing the motor. The two screws are all that hold the unit in. Be careful, though, because the backing plate on the other side will come loose, too, and if the top wasn't still open enough to get my fingers in there to hold it, that plate might have slipped away. I lost my nerve after that.

For those that might know better, is there a way to manually open/close the roof? Could there be any other problems than just a bad motor unit? If I can get it moving again, I'll be sure to grease the rails (I'm pretty sure the previous owner didn't do much maintence herself), but is there any other regular maintence that might extend the life of the unit?

[djoelt1]

There is a socket capscrew head that allows the roof to be opened and closed manually with the insertion of an allen key, but it is a lot of turns - not a long term solution.

When you use the button to make the motor turn, does that screw head rotate continuously or does it turn intermittently. The motor/gear unit, while sold as a unit by the factory, can be opened and examined. Turns out on mine, an internal gear was worn. I found the gear through another reader of this forum, and now it works fine.

So, do the test I describe and let me know what you observe.

[Astro318ti]

Is that capscrew in the last gear axel of the motor unit? That is, in the shaft of the one to the gear that engages with the roof unit. Or is the hex head somewhere else? Unfortunately it looks like my motor unit does not have any place where I could insert a hex wrench. I wish I had a picture to help with the explaination.

When I had the unit off, I pushed the switch. The final gear did turn, so the motor itself isn't worn out. When I reinstalled the unit, it acts as before--the roof will move a inch or two, then it'll stop and the slippage takes place.

For now, I'll look again to see if there's a place where I can get the roof closed. Maybe over Xmas vacation I'll take a chance and open up the motor unit and see if it's the gear or not.

Thanks.

[djoelt1]

If the final gear is turning continuously, then the gear motor is fine. However, does it turn continuously when you do the test with the unit installed? What does that cap screw head do when the roof "slips"?

[djoelt1]

PS you identified the correct cap screw head!

[Astro318ti]

Sorry, I was going to say in the last message that the last cap screw head doesn't move when the "slipping" is taking place.

BTW, mrnine has a nice picture of the motor on this thread:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3077

The cap screw I'm talking about what he has labeled as (1) in the top photo. Like the one in the photo, it doesn't look like there's any place for a hex wrench to grab onto on that axel, but I'll give it a shot. Maybe the grime is hiding it. Actually, what I'm experiencing is very similar to what he describes in that post, but I haven't tried the test where I run the motor while it is out and try to stop it with my fingers.

BTW, when removing the motor, does the black wiring cap seen in photo come off, or do you slip off the other end of the wires?

I'm about to head home to give it another shot.

[cali-ti]

astro318ti, i had that same question about the wiring cap (ie, is it removeable). those who have purchased the motor, what all comes with the motor?

i was trying to figure out if the switch to open/close the top comes as part of the motor or not. ETK doesn't seem to show it as a separate part in the diagram but the image of the motor in the ETK also doesn't seem to show it as part of it (unless they just didn't go to that level of detail).

[eurekaiv]

I'm a little leary of messing around with my cali top much since my car is in a carport and not garaged but I'm ready to use the roof again. I've been reading all the threads about the motor going bad (which it seems mine has) but there aren't any pics or details about where to find it. Can someone tell me what I'll need to look for and wether or not it will be difficult to get the roof closed again? Thanks!

[cali-ti]

the motor is revealed when you remove the cover which has the switch in it. it's just attached with velcro, tug on the back and it'll come loose.

check two posts up, there is a good link to pics of the motor itself.

[eurekaiv]

Thanks for the info! I had read the post with the pics but I think they must not be online anymore bacuse I get little x's instead.

Originally Posted by cali-ti

the motor is revealed when you remove the cover which has the switch in it. it's just attached with velcro, tug on the back and it'll come loose.

check two posts up, there is a good link to pics of the motor itself.