Has anyone EVER successfully manually closed convertible
 

Hi Folks,
I have recently become EXSTREMELY familiar with the internal workings of my 2007 convertible. After replacing all 5 hydraulic cylinders (not fun) and a full day of sorting the various problems (most self created, it is possible to install them upside down:(), and I am still working through syncing it all. I think I may almost be there, but I digress. I do not believe it possible to fully close the top, including locking both forward and aft components. I know what our owners manual describes. Any body ever done it? I know White XK is the top guru maybe he can shed some light here. I worry that I could be stuck somewhere and need to accomplish this at some future time.

"Closed" = UP?
I did my old X100 several times, as there was residue of an old green leak when I bought it so I performed the action to make it easier to clean it up.
I also went full up and full down on my X150, including locking the windshield frame, years ago when I stupidly stopped it mid-movement to clean up some pieces/parts.
I followed the manual each time, and it worked correctly.

Thanks CJ, I have tried it per the manual maybe a dozen times but it never makes it to the windshield under manual closure. Interesting, now that I think about it, I am struggling with the last 4 inches of closure under power now. Perhaps related.. Have done resets with windows and pulled fuses #8, 30 and 32. Still no love. I guess a hard reset is next. Simply disconnecting battery for short time, correct? Not sure I would try the "flashing" hot wire trick.

Having two extra people helps, as your roof material may be tight. I had some neighbors help out by pushing down on each side of the front of the roof while I used the wrench from the inside.
Hard Reset is nothing to be afraid of, just make sure your battery is totally out of the circuit. Reset your windows again afterwards!

Thanks again CJ! After being in and out of the boot so many times, I now am dealing with trunk release button breaking. So in the in interim of syncing the top I am now learning about how to gain access to the chrome bezel on deck lid that says Jaguar. Two screws easy access but bezel has other attachments not clearly visible. I guess my new search through the forum.

Oh boy you touched a sore point with me on my 07 xk top, I bought a real nice looking car that had no regular maintenance so I was forever fixing little things but the top was one of the first things that gave me trouble and I, like you, became a xk top expert by the time i owned it for a year. I'm thinking because you changed so many items that the air is not all bleed out yet and yes do the hard reset, battery disconnect ,window button double down and double up thing and I'm sure it will work its way to normal operation before you know it.

Randy

Well, after hard reset and window resets, (multiple times) still no success. I did do the hard reset and touched both pos/neg leads from battery, but perhaps not long enough as some vehicle data lost, but not all of it. However, I still cannot manually close the header or even get within 3 inches of the windshield with hydraulic valve open. The car was parked with the top up so no shrinkage in fabric likely. So it would appear that whatever the issue is, it clearly relates to the last few inches of closure. Everything else runs free and clean, just that last bit...ugh! Any body have ideas as to why I can't at least close it manually?

OH! Take a look at the most forward hinge section, above the middle of the door windows. There may be a slot-and-post that don't line up correctly which prevents the most forward section from lowering all the way.
If you bend it all back and watch that section to ensure it aligns post-into-slot, then maybe that's the problem?
There's another thread in here somewhere with pictures and such. I dunno what it's called though.

Think this is the thread Cee Jay is thinking of:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xk-xkr-x150-33/so-new-one-me-anyway-197128/

WOW,
Wish I had seen this earlier!! So I took apart the right side main cylinder and associated interior to access it, because I believed possibly, I had miss installed the sensors. Not fun. Klaus at Top Hydraulics sent me a photo showing that one of the three sensors had two wires in a separate wrap (they are all two wire (red and brown) sensors). I was under the mistaken belief that they only fit one way. Wrong. So now..NOTHING moves but the windows. So back to square 1. I will examine the joint and this makes sense, though no idea how it could have occurred. Will update for all. By the way, Top Hydraulics and Klaus are first class!

WOW, WOW,
Ok so both of my "claw pins" (per post 5 copied at the bottom) required adjusting. Drivers side (left) by just shy of a 1/2" and right side by about 3/8". WHY??? Nothing in frame has changed. But now I can manually close the top. Stay tuned for my final resolution as I now have to pull back apart the right side interior panel to regain access to the main cylinder and reverse the sensors I changed thinking I had installed them wrong.

Convertible frame doesn't close fully - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

I am now totally fluberstuck. After refiguring the the right rear main cylinder to how I originally had it when the top functioned perfectly, though could not fully close because of the claw-pin adjustment, NOTHING happens now at all. No pump or motor noise. Nothing, nada. I can here what sounds like a module at the fuse box, but that is it. I don't know if I burned out the pump motor cycling it so much or what. I am totally lost. Welcoming any thoughts.

I will take your car off your hands for $800.

Any time you make a mechanical change you MUST put the top down manually and stowed under the tonneau in the reset position and let it attempt to close on its own power. Not sure if you are doing that.

Thanks White XKR, I was hoping you might respond. Yes to all above including a second hard reset. What is now different is that where as there was once, movement and motor noise, there is now nothing. No power evident and nothing electrically different. Could the motor have burnt out or a fuse (#32, 30 and 8 check out fine) or ? Lost ball in tall weeds at this point.
Thanks again.
OK Cee Jay, $850.00 but no questions ask:)

Got to recite the simple things that are so easy to overlook when you are in the midst of something like this:

-Is luggage cover deployed?
-Is trunk closed?
-Is pump valve fully clockwise?
-Is tonneau cover flush with top underneath?. Have someone put pressure on it to be sure while you press the button.
-Recheck the pump fluid level.
-Could you have removed and forgot to reinstall a sensor connector?

Thanks White XKR, yes to all above. but I am going to recheck all and the sensors on last cylinder (always go back to last known deviation) but I am reasonably certain I set them in proper. Question, the sensors are a snap fit into cylinders. Does it matter which way they are orientated? Not located, but orientated?

Well, I am not having any success. So, at this point I need to better understand the manual closing procedure from someone who has actually done it. My thoughts are that the front header claws are not retracting. When I manually turn the allenhead screw located under the plastic access cap on the soft top, nothing happens. Doesn't matter whether or not I loosen or tighten. It feels fine; like smooth and free but the claws stay closed. No way to fit the top into the windshield sockets with claws down. Is this normal? It was not a problem previously, but obviously something is causing a fault and I have to wonder is this it? At this point when I cycle the top closed, only the windows roll up. This is wrong obviously. I did discuss with White XKR he was very willing to help but he didn't have experience this this particular question. Can anyone offer their observations?
Thanks all.

After following this post what I would do is contact Whitexkr and ask him if he would come to my place and help fix the issue. I would assume all costs associated with the trip and repair.

Wow, I guess your response surprises me, after 1700+ post. Respectfully, White XKR helped me as best he could. Quite an admirable fellow and I suspect he knows more about about the
Jaguar Soft Top predicaments than most, certainly more than me. He stated, as I said, he was unfamiliar with my particular predicament. I am now almost 40 hours into this project and only entered into it after my Indie who works with Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Mercedes and whom I rely and respect decided after 2 months he really did not want to tackle the job. I now know why. I simply asked the collective brain here if anyone could describe the actual mechanical function of the securing of the soft top, MANUALLY. Is this really so specialized that I need to fly in an expert? Is this forum simply a fluff place? Or do folks really want to learn?

Oh yea, I can take this in to the local dealer, but dammit I want to learn. Perhaps others do as well.
Respectfully,