Power Top Switch

My top went down and wont come back up. It isnt making any noise. I replaced the pistons, lines, and pump last year. I replaced the circuit breaker and still no go: Is the switch located in the dash? and where can i get one if it needs replacing? uzzled:

 

Year and model please.


Fuse is good?


Voltage at the switch checked?


If OK voltage at the top motor checked?

 

Sorry about that ou: It's a 65 Skylark. The fuse is okay, I don't know where the switch is located? is it inside the knob in the dash? Forgive my ignorance...I am learning as I go. This happened once before: it wouldnt go back up, I went back out about 15 min. later and it worked, this happened about 6 mos ago. This time it has not worked for days. I had to manually put it back up.

 

One thing that can cause this is a bad commutator on the electric motor and/ or worn brushes in the motor. If it stops spinning on the bad spot it may not start until it is either fixed or you spin the motor slightly by hand. In other words it will act intermittant. If you have voltage across the motor when the switch is activated that would be my initial Dx.


It is also possible the switch itself, which is right behind the knob most likely, is intermittant. If that is the case you may clean it with some contact or tuner cleaner and get a little more life out of it.


The best way to check this out is with a volt/ ohm meter. If you not not have one or do not know how to use it pu;ll the back seat for access. If you can turn the motor just a bit and it starts to work I would say it is the brushes and /or commutator.

 

This might be a stupid question but can i replace the brushes or are they connected directly to the motor?

 

Yes brushes are built to be replaced but the first issue is where is the problem.

It is even possible there is an intermittant open circuit in the wiring. The most often occur at the terminals.

 

So, it's similar to a starter...how you can get a dead spot? Wow! i am learning. :Brow:

 

Perhaps a blemish on the commutator. In some cases you can turn it on a lathe I suppose or lightly sand it.

 

Jim,

It's the top motor-getting one from CARS, Inc. should be here tomorrow.

Thanks for all the knowledge-This sucks..the motor only lasted 2 years.

Ivan.

 

If you got one from CARS then I suspect you still have some flames coming out of your #**#.

 

Yeah tell me about it. $200. the only thing I can say is that I have never been disappointed in what I have gotten from them...just my wallet HATES them!! :af: