 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  |  04-24-2009, 04:58 PM | #1 | | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 8 |  California Roof Removal
A year or so ago I saw others were having problems with their California roofs and a document was available showing how to remove and repair them. Can anyone tell me where I might find this information? Mine is locked in the closed position and makes loud buzzing noises when I press the open or close button. The dealer said the roof was "binding" and would need to be replaced. The quoted $6000!!!! to do the job, for a car that blue books for $4000 to $5000.
Elliot66502 |  |  | | 04-24-2009, 06:32 PM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 |
its a rip off. dont do it. mine got stuck once (gears in the motor itself failed) & they quoted me 2200!! mind you, the roof was fine, only needed a motor - ****ers! I fixed it myself for nothing & wrote a nasty letter to BMW North America. anyway, pull down the center (roof) console where the open/close switch is (its velcro) - unscrew the motor from the housing but leave it connected to the power source. try to open & close by pressing the button. if the motor works, but the actuator is not spining, you got a an easy fix on your hands. Quote: Originally Posted by Elliot66502  A year or so ago I saw others were having problems with their California roofs and a document was available showing how to remove and repair them. Can anyone tell me where I might find this information? Mine is locked in the closed position and makes loud buzzing noises when I press the open or close button. The dealer said the roof was "binding" and would need to be replaced. The quoted $6000!!!! to do the job, for a car that blue books for $4000 to $5000.
Elliot66502 | __________________ 
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Metric Mechanic's 2.0 stroker/258' intake cam/42 lb. inj./remap/HD fuel pump
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/SAP delete/ASC+T delete/Hayabusa valve springs/MM's LTW flywheel | | | | | 04-25-2009, 01:04 AM | #3 | | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 8 |
Marko, do you know if your sunroof motor has the emergency allen wrench handle, or the threaded handle. Mine is threaded which means you can only close the top if it stops working, (turning it backwards only "unscrews" the handle. I see BMW used two different motors and would rather have the one with the allen key, but am not sure if they are interchangeable. Thanks for the advice, I'll look at the motor when I get home. | | | | | 04-25-2009, 01:09 AM | #4 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 |
__________________ ...steven
BMW CCA #146825
1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i
www.bmwcca.org
| | | | | 04-25-2009, 01:19 AM | #5 | | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 8 |
You are the man. I need pictures and these are a great help. Thanks! | | | | | 04-26-2009, 07:55 PM | #6 | | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 8 |
I pulled the sunroof motor and opened the gear box. Sure enough, the top center gear, (driven by the worm gear from the motor) has a stripped section. The gear underneath it is identical, so I swapped the two. I was able to completely open and close the sunroof. This is a temporary fix, however, because there is still a worn plastic gear inside. I'll try and find a used motor knowing that even if it is not in perfect condition I may be able to salvage one of the gears.
There are two motors listed with different emergency cranks. One has a threaded crank and one has an Allen key. Does anyone know if these are interchangeable? Part numbers are 67612267299 and 67612496368. | | | | | 04-26-2009, 08:17 PM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 |
It looks like the motor changed in 4/97.
No idea if they are interchangeable, sorry. __________________ ...steven
BMW CCA #146825
1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i
www.bmwcca.org
| | | | | 04-26-2009, 08:30 PM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Land of the Vikings Posts: 2,700 |
its because of the type of tool used apparently   __________________ 
Vin Number decode and Retrofit Pdfs Available Free ! Just PM  | | | | | 04-27-2009, 05:31 PM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 |
amazing - same thing that happened to me. I swear, if murder was legal...  Anyways, no I did not have the manual crkank either. One of the pins that makes the gear inside the motor turn was broken, so I just got creative an replaced with a piece of a broken hex key. Ghetto, I know, but it works (5 years now). Quote: Originally Posted by Elliot66502 I pulled the sunroof motor and opened the gear box. Sure enough, the top center gear, (driven by the worm gear from the motor) has a stripped section. The gear underneath it is identical, so I swapped the two. I was able to completely open and close the sunroof. This is a temporary fix, however, because there is still a worn plastic gear inside. I'll try and find a used motor knowing that even if it is not in perfect condition I may be able to salvage one of the gears.
There are two motors listed with different emergency cranks. One has a threaded crank and one has an Allen key. Does anyone know if these are interchangeable? Part numbers are 67612267299 and 67612496368. | __________________
SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!
Metric Mechanic's 2.0 stroker/258' intake cam/42 lb. inj./remap/HD fuel pump
/DASC w.3' pulley @ 15psi/SNOW System/3.45 LSD/Billstein PSS coils
/Stromung Exhaust/DS1's/X-Brace/Front & Rear H&R Sways/OMP 300mm SW
/SAP delete/ASC+T delete/Hayabusa valve springs/MM's LTW flywheel | | | | | 04-30-2014, 05:20 AM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 402 |
I know this post is 4 years old, but wanted to say thanks. I have been looking for well over a year for a used cali motor to show up on ebay, and after finding this thread i reversed the gear. Voila, working cali roof.
Major kudos to Steven for keeping it alive. __________________ 1997 332ti - Don't even ask. 
2006 330i - ZPP/ZSP/ZCW/6sp/Nav/BT/H&R Sport
2011 E92 M3  | | | | | 08-17-2014, 06:44 AM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 1,363 |
So after all these years no one has found a solution other then using the emergency method? | | | | |
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