1998 XK8 convertible top will not raise - RESOLVED
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 315
Likes: 78
From: villa rica ga
couple of small things have a biggish piece of cardboard to put between the front seats and the console when removing the seats if they hit the console they will cut the leather also once loose tape the rails on the ends also to protect anything else they come in contact with. lower the top before starting it makes it much easier to move around if you need to raise it to get to something the 2 of you can do it by hand. I would disconnect the battery when working around the fuse box I used a coat hanger to fish the hose thru behind the fuse box a lot of the plastic pieces are brittle due to age and heat build up so be gentle when frustrated get up and walk away for awhile and you will get frustrated. get lots of containers for all the little plastic pieces and mark them so you know what goes to where will save a lot of looking on the forum as to wtf is this to now. have no idea about replacing the rams so no suggestions there. hope all goes well if I had seen this earlier I would have driven up there from Atlanta.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver, BC
I have been having a bit of trouble with the top not catching in the latch upon closing and this thread has been very helpful. Thanks you guys.
I think the lube suggestion is the simplest start point, great tip.
Thanks
I think the lube suggestion is the simplest start point, great tip.
Thanks
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: woodstock,ny
Not only the top wont completely close but i dont hear the pump motor running at all .. Now no power is going to the motor . (with a test light)..or switch now ??
Help .....is there a relay for this system i cant find a location for relays only fuses ..
Help .....is there a relay for this system i cant find a location for relays only fuses ..
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver, BC
Thanks all for the great threads on convertible systems and for simply a great forum.
I have gone through much of the advice to try and isolate my small challenge, top not opening.
- In the top up position; I topped up the reservoir with CHF 11s, I closed the top(top down) manually, I then tried to open the top and though the pump was running nothing happened.
- I then unscrewed the cover over the front mechanism to clean(if necessary,not) the latch and movable parts that secure the top in the down position. I then tried putting the top up(open) but nothing happened except I could hear the pump running. I released the pressure in the system and then helped along the the opening procedure by manually releasing the latch with the Allen key just far enough so that the pump would take over, and then it worked.
- So, by unlatching the mechanism with the A.key so that it opened the top a little the pump was then able to open the top completely.
Here is my summary observation; fluid level is good, top opens with a little help but closes correctly and windows reset normally. It seems that there is less strength to release the latch for some reason even after I have lubricated the necessary parts.
Question; does anyone have a reason or thought why the opening of the latch is slow or not happening?
I have gone through much of the advice to try and isolate my small challenge, top not opening.
- In the top up position; I topped up the reservoir with CHF 11s, I closed the top(top down) manually, I then tried to open the top and though the pump was running nothing happened.
- I then unscrewed the cover over the front mechanism to clean(if necessary,not) the latch and movable parts that secure the top in the down position. I then tried putting the top up(open) but nothing happened except I could hear the pump running. I released the pressure in the system and then helped along the the opening procedure by manually releasing the latch with the Allen key just far enough so that the pump would take over, and then it worked.
- So, by unlatching the mechanism with the A.key so that it opened the top a little the pump was then able to open the top completely.
Here is my summary observation; fluid level is good, top opens with a little help but closes correctly and windows reset normally. It seems that there is less strength to release the latch for some reason even after I have lubricated the necessary parts.
Question; does anyone have a reason or thought why the opening of the latch is slow or not happening?
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: woodstock,ny
Jag top not closing
My covertible top would not close the last inch . ON MY 98 XK
The motor would not make a sound either
So i thought it was the Fuse or the Switch or PUMP MOTOR
but no it was neither ..................
Once i found the secret allen wrench on the hydraulic pump in the trunk boot .and put it in the secret hole near the latch and reset the closing device .to the open position..... Everything started working.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strange but true ..brilliant engineering !!!
Like a door latch that is in the closed position but the door is open .. And it cant grab the hook or whatever its called.... No matter how hard it is closed...so you have to manually open the latch so it can grab the hook... Then you close it..
I also took the pressure off the hydraulic system by turning the handle counterclockwise on the pump before reseting the latch then after the reset dont forget to turn the handle clockwise once you get the roof closed...
The motor would not make a sound either
So i thought it was the Fuse or the Switch or PUMP MOTOR
but no it was neither ..................
Once i found the secret allen wrench on the hydraulic pump in the trunk boot .and put it in the secret hole near the latch and reset the closing device .to the open position..... Everything started working.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strange but true ..brilliant engineering !!!
Like a door latch that is in the closed position but the door is open .. And it cant grab the hook or whatever its called.... No matter how hard it is closed...so you have to manually open the latch so it can grab the hook... Then you close it..
I also took the pressure off the hydraulic system by turning the handle counterclockwise on the pump before reseting the latch then after the reset dont forget to turn the handle clockwise once you get the roof closed...
Last edited by AIRMANBEAR; Apr 15, 2016 at 09:23 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
From: Arizona
We're in danger of hijacking Tauni's thread. Tauni, are you out there? Phone home!
RDMinor, I've heard the sound of the pump cavitating but only in the presence of an active leak (poor seal at a hose connection). Quite distinctive it is, and the conv. top would not operate. But in a healthy system ... not leaking, and enough fluid in the reservoir ... I don't think there can be cavitation for more than an instant. System should purge itself. Given the checks Tauni has done, it seems unlikely now that this is his problem.
Reservoir Filling:
I know, I know: beaten to death, much ado about nothing. Maybe, But it could matter if an overfill or underfill is not harmless. And since the topic has come up again here ...
Fluid level change: The change in volume of fluid in the reservoir, top-up v. top-down, exactly cancels that in the rams. This volume change makes for a level change. How much can be worked out from reservoir dimensions, but it's easier to just observe it. The level change is less than the space between reservoir upper & lower lines, but not so small that we can ignore it.
Reservoir filling: The Jaguar spec' as written (JSAW), in abbreviated form is ... lower line, top up / upper line, top down. We can all decide for ourselves whether we think this is correct or a documentation error. I conclude that it's correct because...
- Writing JSAW required a lot more work than just writing "between the lines". An improbable error.
- JSAW shows up multiple times, in multiple docs, spanning multiple years. Sometimes with a "Caution" heading. If it's an error, it's a tenacious one.
- Every other Marque I've looked at says something like JSAW ... fill to this spot with the top in this position. None say fill the reservoir the same way whether the top is up or down.
- JSAW is the only way to guarantee no over-fill or under-fill.
If your conclusion about this is different than mine, that's fine with me.
So who cares? An overfill could occur if instead of JSAW we fill near the upper line with top top up, because it will go even higher with top down. I'll say something about possible down-side of an overfill if there's interest.
RDMinor, I've heard the sound of the pump cavitating but only in the presence of an active leak (poor seal at a hose connection). Quite distinctive it is, and the conv. top would not operate. But in a healthy system ... not leaking, and enough fluid in the reservoir ... I don't think there can be cavitation for more than an instant. System should purge itself. Given the checks Tauni has done, it seems unlikely now that this is his problem.
Reservoir Filling:
I know, I know: beaten to death, much ado about nothing. Maybe, But it could matter if an overfill or underfill is not harmless. And since the topic has come up again here ...
Fluid level change: The change in volume of fluid in the reservoir, top-up v. top-down, exactly cancels that in the rams. This volume change makes for a level change. How much can be worked out from reservoir dimensions, but it's easier to just observe it. The level change is less than the space between reservoir upper & lower lines, but not so small that we can ignore it.
Reservoir filling: The Jaguar spec' as written (JSAW), in abbreviated form is ... lower line, top up / upper line, top down. We can all decide for ourselves whether we think this is correct or a documentation error. I conclude that it's correct because...
- Writing JSAW required a lot more work than just writing "between the lines". An improbable error.
- JSAW shows up multiple times, in multiple docs, spanning multiple years. Sometimes with a "Caution" heading. If it's an error, it's a tenacious one.
- Every other Marque I've looked at says something like JSAW ... fill to this spot with the top in this position. None say fill the reservoir the same way whether the top is up or down.
- JSAW is the only way to guarantee no over-fill or under-fill.
If your conclusion about this is different than mine, that's fine with me.
So who cares? An overfill could occur if instead of JSAW we fill near the upper line with top top up, because it will go even higher with top down. I'll say something about possible down-side of an overfill if there's interest.
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99xk8guy
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
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Sep 29, 2025 10:51 PM
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