Need some advice: a popping noise started in the left (driver's) side mechanism of my 2005 XK8 convertible top 2 days ago. Both sides begin to lift, then there's a slight hesitation in the left hand side like it snagged on something, then an ominous "pop", then the top continues lifting without further issue. It's definitely something mechanical. Car has 87,000 miles on it. Anyone with a similar (but resolved) issue? What do I look for?

 

Repaired, finally! A visit to a local automobile interior shop helped identify the probable culprit; the hydraulic ram connector appeared to have detached from the bracket. The shop owner looked me right in the face and quoted me $450 for labor without blinking (minimum, plus any parts). Declining gracefully, I stopped on the way home to pick up a 6 pack. Following how-to's from other threads on this forum, I easily removed the back seat and the entire side panel covering the subwoofer, then removed the subwoofer housing itself. I had to remove the tubular cross brace to lift the subwoofer up and over the bolts in the floor. The issue was immediately obvious: the hydraulic cylinder had detached from the bracket. I thought at first that the bolt that secured the hydraulic cylinder to the frame had vibrated out, but I could not find it anywhere!

After 15 minutes of looking under everything and several more minutes of fruitless Google searches, I went back to the car, started beating on things, and learned the real answer. The reason I couldn't find the bolt is because.... there is none! I was going to re-position and secure the hydraulic cylinder in place with the end of a slender screwdriver until I get a replacement pin/bolt but, when I (slowly and gently) pried the cylinder back into position with a breaker bar, it literally popped securely back into place.

Seems that there is a protrusion in the bracket that fits neatly into the recess of the cylinder and it's very hard to see (especially when you're not looking for it). What looks like the signs of a (missing) bolt head on the side of the bracket is actually the back of the welded protrusion.

So, I saved $450 for a couple of hour's work and discovered that I should have been a chiropractor. (Or a mob enforcer; a breaker bar is such a versatile tool...)

 

Redline, Glad you found your problem. Did the plate that holds that pivot have the 3 screws in it? Looks like one is missing and that may have been the cause of it popping out.

Wayne

 

Thanks; good observation! The empty screw hole to the right of the hydraulic cylinder pivot point is the lowest of 3 plate fasteners, and it's also the point where the shirt-tail of the headliner attaches. (You have to get the headliner out of the way to see the top of the hydraulic cylinder). It was pretty easy to persuade the cylinder back into position with that screw out.

Now, there's more to the story. My bodacious red-headed girlfriend, a shop-a-holic that must have her "retail therapy", loves to take the Jag to the fanciest clothing shops in Las Vegas as she gets preferential treatment at the valet drop off (they like to park especially handsome cars right at the entrance rather than drive them off into the darkness of an adjacent 6-story parking garage). She mentioned last night that she "may have" tried to raise the top while the cover was in place, (didn't want to mess up her hair) and just gave up because it wouldn't raise. Bless her, she's a lot of fun but she's not encumbered by logic... Anyway, it would stand to reason as to what caused the cylinder to "pop" itself out of position. I'm probably lucky that hoses didn't burst in several locations...

 

Redline you're playing with fire mate! She wouldn't be the first girlfriend to check out the site to see what it's all about😀.

all kidding aside, I appreciate your post - I've done it (try to raise roof with cover in place) once or twice too! It's good to know what might happen and how to fix it. Thanks,
John