bocallaghan

My C6 top is having trouble dropping the top and returning it back to the up position. To put the top down and up I have to move the window out the way and guide the top cover up. The hatch that covers the top has trouble opening also. It seems like it's a motor issue, but I'm not too sure. Is there some type of maintenance that needs to be performed on the motor or is it just failing on me? Thanks for all you replies!

davidtcpa

There have been several threads about problems with the top that I have read already. I have not experienced any issues with mine, and I use it a lot. From what I have heard, some take it back to the dealers for repair, but if you are not under warranty, it could be pricey.
Good luck with it!

lamboguy

Well...this is like my favorite topic with these cars

Mine's a 2009, and it simply never works properly. I take it to the dealer and they say "Oh, they are totally dialed in at the factory and never have problems." And I have to keep myself from laughing...

I'd say this -- if you are having problems with it, be careful that if something is hitting you don't just keep using it without sort of "guiding things" by hand, to prevent them from hitting (and hanging up). The hydraulic system used in the "motorized" top is pretty complex and, I'm guessing, pretty expensive. I mean, there is a reason the convertibles cost more than the coupes, and that has to be some of it.

The best information I have found so far is... If you really want the thing to work properly (and it doesn't already, like some lucky folks) then find a dealer that does a LOT of corvettes and take it there. From my experience, if the place doesn't do a LOT of corvettes, they will just screw it up. You want to find a place that says "oh, no problem, we deal with that all the time and we have 2 guys that are experts at adjusting these tops." You don't want a dealer that says "hummm...never seen that problem before, but sure, we can fix it." Stay away from that one, regardless of how nice they are

Then the problem is, "exactly what is wrong?" And they are going to say "well, we'll try some adjustments, that should fix it. BUT, if it's anything more than that, there could be other costs involved..."

ie: You have to start somewhere, so maybe your best best is to:

1) find the right dealer, that is experienced with the convertible top problems, and
2) throw a couple of hundred bucks at them to do their "adjustments" and see what they find.

Who knows, that could fix it.

OR -- that could lead to what the real problem is, like a worn out motor or hydraulics or bent arm or whatever. It is a complex system, I don't care what anybody says.

Anyway, that's my .02.

I still play around with adjusting mine literally every day. I can't imagine how it could EVER work without the tonneau cover just hitting the top, or the arms, or whatever. There just isn't enough "adjustable clearance" built into the system...at least with my car there isn't.

It seems to me a system that "just clears" when the car is new, then as it wears becomes a system that "just barely clears" -- then ultimately a system that "doesn't quite clear." That's where I am currently, the "doesn't quite clear" stage, and hoping to avoid the next "damned, now something's broken and it doesn't work at all!" stage. I think that's the one you want to avoid, and maybe a quick trip to the RIGHT dealer could help.

Cheers,

Fred

Knob Jockey

You could check the hydraulic pressure relief valve to make sure it's tight/sealed.

The Owner's Manual describes a process you go through to move the top manually if it quits.

It involves using an Allen wrench to loosen a valve and release the hydraulic pressure allowing you to operate the top by hand.

If this valve is loose/open slightly it could be letting hydraulic pressure bypass causing everything to move slower than normal.

Just speculating as I'm one of the lucky ones whose power top is working fine. Although I did try the manual scenario in my garage, just in case.

The Chevy Dealers in my area don't even want to touch these complicated tops and they refer you to an 'expert' top shop. Not sure how they handle warranty work. Maybe they bring him in and hire him temporarily.

Cheers- another Fred.

lamboguy

Freds rock!

Didn't know about all the manual stuff, I'll check my owner's manual.

Thanks,

Fred

BluV

"Yep!" to all the above comments

Mine is a 2007. And being in Texas - it sees most days down. Then if I go anywhere for lunch as well... So that is often 2 ups and 2 downs each day for the majority of the year. (I even put it down when it hits the high 40's here.)

Anyway, in 4 years the dealer has adjusted mine 3 times. It was perfect the first year - but went downhill slowly in the 2nd year. It has never been adjusted "perfectly". But they usually do make some improvement. As has already been said above - it was also repeated by the local dealer service dept. As the top ages, the fabric stretches, the cables/strings stretch, etc, etc....so slack builds up in the system. So it continually needs to be re-tightened back up. Then on top of this, you have the inherent complexity of the system mechanicals.....



I have finally bought a set of FSMs - going to learn some of this myself. Certainly could not do any worse. Once out of warranty, it is costing about $100 per adjustment.

bonnevillebill

Good luck getting your top fixed. This issue is why I went with the manual top.

lamboguy

Interesting. BluV -- let's stay in touch. I'd like to swap adjustment info on this. Did you see the tech bulletins I posted on another thread?

http://www.400gt.com/misc/corvette-top/

I've gotten my top close to working without interferrance, but still no cigar.

I hold the window up a bit so the tonneau clears, which is how it was when I bought the car (used). If there was something inside the top that could be tightened to bring that window up a bit, I'd be interested in knowing about it. that would help a lot. So far I can't find anything.

But I want to keep trying. It's really a "cool" setup, and it would be even cooler if it worked properly

btw, bonneville bill -- I hear you.

Cheers,

Fred

bocallaghan

Wow thanks for all the feedback. I don't know what I'd do without all this experience you all bring to the table. I'll keep you posted on what happens.

Thanks again!

bocallaghan

Okay so I found the problem. **** Jockey was correct. This may work for others that are having a similar issue. I opened the top and left the back hatch up. On the passenger side area, where the tops folds down into, you'll see a **** that you can unscrew from the carpet. Pull this area up to expose the motor that controls the top. I noticed that the fluid level was just above minimum so I went out and bought synthetic Royal Purple gear oil 70W90 and filled the reservoir to the maximum line. Then I noticed an alan wrench right by the motor. I placed it in the screw on top of the motor and tightened it clockwise. It was a little loose. Then magically the top is going up and down at a record speed. I put my top up to yours any day. Thanks for all the help.

Chris

lamboguy

Wow, thanks for the great info! I'll definitely check that out.

Fred

terryship

I had a similar problem with my '07. A local convertible top shop knew the problem immediately. If I remember correctly, there is a strap that pulls the window out of the way which can stretch over time. It took a few days to get the new one, but the repair was only a couple hundred bucks.