Convertible top mystery, can't find problem Options

[davewuyts]

hello everyone

I've been trying to sort out my '95 Celica convertible top which is not working properly. I've read and tried some fixes on other posts but am stumped.

The roof has been working fine for the last two years, going up and down without complaint. But suddenly it would only open half way: the rest only happens if you give it a little help. And closing it is fine except it won't do the first bit: once it's nearly vertical it will work. Neither motor ever sounds like it's under strain or anything is slipping or missing.

I've checked the roof mechanism in case something is jamming or sticking, but all is fine. I've checked the back window in case it's shifted and is jamming on the seat back. It isn't. I took the motors out today (leaving them connected) to see if they were both turning the cog consistently. They are. Both revolve at what seems to be the proper speed, the note from the motors sounds the same as it always does.

So I'm stuck. Can the motors just lose a bit of power? If so they both sound identical to before and to each other. Otherwise what can I check?
Ideas welcome!
Dave

[njccmd2002]

it could be a motor issue, make sure the switch on the rear is seat to electric and not manual.

with time the carbons inside the motors go bad. or one pin on the motor broke and the cog slips. it may rotate fine if no pressure. If only one motor is working, hence why it stops when the load is the max

[CosaChow]

Once the top is completely open/closed if you continue holding the open/close button do you hear either motor running? If so, then the pin that holds the gear on one or both of your top motors has broken. As njccmd2002 mentioned a motor in that state may still work until the load causes the gear to slip on the motor shaft.

[njccmd2002]

or one motor may slip, and the other one work fine. that happened to me.

[davewuyts]

Well I sorted it in the end. I settled on the fact that the motors were failing, and to cut a long story short I bought two from a Saab 900 which were working fine. I checked and these looked identical. I replaced the connector plug and then found that the mounting screws were a different diameter though the box that mounts the motor to the car seemed identical. In short, it is, apart from the screws. So, after a minute feeling stupid for not checking that before I bought the motors, I took off the 4 hex bolts connecting the motor to the box, and swapped the saab mounting box with the Toyota one. The box contains the gears for connecting to the roof mechanism but they are identical. So it worked! £25 a motor and all is fixed!

[njccmd2002]

actually i think the mitsu eclipse uses same motors