[jeff968]

Okay, it has been 15 years since I've owned a sunroof Porsche (my old 87 944 turbo). I just picked up this 968 coupe and was checking out the sunroof operation. I did read the owners manual but noticed a few things. When i push the button down to pull the gearing back into the roof after I pulled the roof out it goes in but then makes a noice that doesn't sound right. What is going on? What are the other typical sunroof issues?

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[Darryl]

Pressing the button too long will indeed cause a noise but shouldn't cause a problem. You should only hold the button long enough to retract the gears all the way. If you hear grinding, that's BAD.

The biggest/most common problem with the sunroof is stripped gears BUT that is the effect of the underlying issue. The actual problem is the clutch on the motor gets out of adjustment and then since the motor continues to run, it drags the steel cable across the plastic gears and hence, stripped gears. Overall, it isn't a horrible deal to replace the gears, re-index the lifting arms and adjust the clutch. It is a little tedious the first time and will be frustrating until you learn how everything works. Clark's Garage has a pretty decent write up on these adjustments.

Be careful not to cut the headliner in the wrong place and/or too far when accessing the lifting arms or you'll see it upon replacement of the various cover pieces. I took most of mine out altogether due to water damage and have been toying with the idea of doing an alcantara headliner.

- Darryl

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[Scott Collins]

+1 on Clark's Garage - that guy is am Porsche -o-pedia!

I have done this job on my two p-cars twice, and it was always more than met the eye. Funny this post came up, because my car is in pieces in the driveway, rear carpet, headliner out and stripped gears out, etc.

Am I correct that when going to REMOVE the roof, holding the switch down while ignition is in Pos. !, the arms will retract all the way until they hit the stops, and that if the motor is adjusted properly (motor and slip clutch), the torque created by the arms hitting the stops will cause the motor to stop, thus saving the plastic gears from stripping?

I just know I am going to strip a brand new set of those darned gears!

BTW: I think that my stripped gears are the result of a very stiff suspension and some REALLY bumpy roads. I think that those little gears just cant handle the weight of the roof when the suspension, like mine, doesn't give much.

Does anyone have a manual solution, latches or levers or something that can be operated from inside the car? I would pay money for that!

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[Darryl]

Yes, Scott, your theory of what happens when removing the roof is spot on. The arms go back into the roof and the physical resistance is supposed to cause the clutch on the motor to slip and thus the motor will not pull the cable any farther. There are three micro switches which can quit working/wear out but they are easy to test with a multi meter and once you see how they are mounted, it is not likely that they would cause the gear stripping. A broken switch could cause the roof to not work in one way or the other depending upon what position it's in when the switch gives out.

- Darryl

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[Scott Collins]

Thanks Daryl! After bed time stories, it all goes back together! Now to grill some dinner!

Update: the sunroof job is done - new gears, up and down, all good. Except, there was one very upsetting development. I never do a job without some self-inflicted tragedy. I forgot where I set it down, and my foot....The photo speaks for itself. Sob...
   

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[jeff968]

Thanks Guys,

So Darryl, what is the proper noise one should hear after the gearing back into the roof? Again, they move back and forth just fine, it is just if I hold that button down to send them back once they are in, if I keep holding that button, it makes a noise. Is that normal or do I have an issue?

Jeff

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[Darryl]

Scott - that's what's known as "alcohol abuse" [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

Jeff - the "noise" when holding the button too long is more of a clicking sound. There should not be any grinding or straining. You may hear the motor running but if the clutch is adjusted properly, it will not be pulling the cable.

- Darryl

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[Scott Collins]

Jeff,

I have no noise at all except when the arms and roof are moving.

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[jeff968]

"
Jeff,

I have no noise at all except when the arms and roof are moving.
"

Scott, so once they are in, if you kepp holding the button down, there would be no noise?
Thanks

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[Darryl]

Jeff,

I'm probably putting my roof back in tomorrow and I'll let you know about any noises. My previous posts were going on my experience from my 944 which did make some clicking noises albeit faint when holding the button too long. Sorry if I made it sound otherwise.

- Darryl

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[968 GUY]

I have worked on the sunroofs for all 3 cars. Small adjustments at the microswitches go a long way. You can see the arms retract, stop as soon as they are far enough back. I believe the noise is the clutch slipping when the arms hit the stops. Several things I found when repairing the lifting roofs are...broken guides, the ones clamped to the hardroof that the arms ride in...typically the tabs that the bolt goes into are broken, even the guy at Oklahoma foreign couldn't find decent ones, better to order new if broken. Make sure the arms are pulling down evenly, if they are out of time by a tooth or two, it will not raise evenly and one side will not pull down tightly, as was the case with the 6-spd and water kept leaking into the car, one guide on that car is broken as well. The 951 had a drive cable problem. The guide pipe for the drive cable that bolts to the mount for the motor had somehow gotten mangled and the connector had broken and the cable was kinked. It is pretty expensive by itself, luckily found a complete motor with cable for abt $20, took a little time and patience, but got it fixed. The tip has broken guides on the hardroof and lifting roof, it works, but I am not using that one til I can afford new guides.

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[jeff968]

968 guy, thanks for your comments. My roof operation looks good except the noise. You state "I believe the noise is the clutch slipping when the arms hit the stops.". It sounds like a machine gun. What do I need to fix in order to get the clutch to no longer slip? Thanks

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[Darryl]

Jeff...machine gun sound = bad. My guess would be that's the cable dragging across the gears because the motor does not stop pulling when it should, ie, roof all the way closed. PM your phone number and I'll try to give you a call over the weekend...it's a busy one for me, but I'll see if I can give you a ring.

- Darryl

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