Hi Guys some of you may know I have just got a 2000 XKR Convertible that has been sitting many years. Well guess what I'm having problems with the roof. Let me explain a little about the problem.

I get in the car ignition on or started up press the roof release button the rear windows go down and a get a beep. But the hood does not unlatch!
If I unlatch it manually the roof struggles to go back if I help it a little it will go back.
Once back should I get a beep again and rear windows go up?? Or do the rear windows not go up with the convertible top down?
Okay roof down but the latch will not latch and feels like it's under pressure If I leave it for 5 minuets I can latch it manually but not using the button.
Okay now to get it back up I unlatch manually and the top goes up fine but not quite all the way and will not latch if I pull the top down then latch it manually I can latch it but does take quite some force.

So far I have replaced the fluid (with CHF 11S) in the reservoir with new and had the hydraulic lines off the latch and pressed the roof open and close button and had clear green fluid with no problem but still no good.

Then I noticed some fluid by the offside rear tyre so the took the rear quarter card off and see the ram leaking fluid from the top of the ram. So I have replaced that and tested the micro switches are working before fitting which they are.

Put it all back together but still no joy it seems as the pump hasn't got enough pressure to unlock/Lock the latch and not enough pressure to pull the hood down. Can I test the pump pressure any way?

Or the Latch being internally faulty the hydralic side of it. Can this be tested some how?

Don't want to throw money at a new pump or what ever and it be something else! Any Idea or advice at all guys?

 

Assuming the pump petcock is fully clockwise the most likely thing is crud in the latch mechanism.
Remove the header trim panel to expose the latch mechanism, clean it and lubricate with something of your choice. I use 3 in 1, others graphite. Butter is probably a bad idea.
Cycle it a few times with the Allen key and clean up any junk that exudes.
Assuming your pump fluid level is OK the pumps seem to be pretty binary - they either work or they don't.
The solenoid valves can give trouble but go for the easy fix first.

 

Hi yes the petcock lock is locked yes don't think the latch is seized as had the header out and hydraulic lines disconnected then loaded it up the wd40 and oil it seems to be working fine off the car with only minor resistance from the rods that locate the roof lock as would be expected. Also spring up okay and if you press it when up the latch does spring back. How can I test the hydraulic side of it??
Regards
Galee

 

One possible here ...

- Sometimes after a disassembly or fluid change/add the whole system has to work the air out. (And I'll never understand how it does.) A few complete cycles (with manual help if needed) should let you eliminate this one.

 

When you pulled the pump out or disconnected the hoses did you mark them from where they came from? I think you have your latch hoses (the ones you see from inside the trunk) are crossed. If you have the factory hoses the lower hose on the pump should have a white band on it with the letter “F”

 

Thanks for all the replys have cycled it up and down around 10 times so hopefully all air out I thought these were self bleed??
Gus (THE ROOF MASTER) I took the hoses off the Latch end I marked them with paint so I knew how they went back. But who knows someone may of been here before. I will check the pump end as you say it has markings anyway to check the latch end?
Regards

 

When the roof is open then the latch should go home (retract) if it is still up then check the hoses. Also the rear quarter windows do not go up until the roof is closed.

Yes the system is self-bleeding so it will take several operations to get the air out.

 

Okay will check hoses in the morning as the latch does not retract at all. I know the rear quarter windows do not go up until the roof is closed. But can they.should they go up once opened?

 

The rear quarter windows do not go up with the top down (without a mod to the car).

 

Okay bit of a update I swaped the pipes at the latch end and after a few operations the latch is sort of working but it still will not release on its own I need to open it with the allen key but once the hood is back the latch nearly goes down but needs a little help still. Also the hood still won't open on it's own with out and helping of it back. Starting to think the pump may be at fault is there any tests I can do to check it?

 

Despite having said earlier that pumps either work or don't it does sound as if yours is tired.
The only way to check it would be to tee in a pressure gauge but the pressure is very dynamic (Gus has done a huge amount of work on this - I guess you've found his articles).

For the price of the setup maybe just go for this

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...op-pump-89622/
and hope.

 

Thanks for the reply I have been eyEing that up looks like I will have to take the plunge and get it. I will report back.

 

I think sound can tell us a lot here. In my car, when the operation of the pump sounds sort of smooth and constant, all is well. (There are different sounds when it is operating the latch vs. when it is moving the top.)

But when something is in trouble, it sounds like it ... sort of fits and starts, as though air were getting in the way somehow. That could mean low fluid level, or a leaky fitting, or ...

Somebody said earlier, and I think it's true, that these pumps seem to be binary: they either work OK, or not at all.

 

Just a thought - you haven't got a resistor or pressure reducing valve installed have you?

 

I know that this question was asked but want to verify do you have any type of pressure relief system attached to your pump?

Do you know what fluid was in that pump prior to your replacing it? Was it the same color as what you installed?

It is the same pump that opens and closes everything so if it is working for the lift of the roof then it should work for the latch with the exception of the function (roof or latch) and that is controlled by the plugs on the top of the pump. Before you go changing the pump I would suggest you look at all 4 hose connections. Each elbow hose connections has an orifice in it that could be partially blocked preventing full pressure, pull the hose ends and see if they are clear. At the same time you should blow out the fluid from the roof hoses and do it from the roof to the trunk into a container.

 

Gus, he does have to 'help' the top to open and close so it sounds to me like low pump pressure.

 

This may be true but the car has been sitting for an extended period of time and it just might need a little cleaning. As many of us have experienced the roof at times will be a little sluggish but soon overcomes by constant usage. I am not ruling out the possibility of a pump problem I just do not want to pull the trigger just yet.

 

I should mention to check the fluid level to the top line of the hyd tank.

 

As you say, Gus it won't cost anything to cycle the top a number of times to see if there's any improvement.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys here is where it's at

The old pump fluid looked okay it was the same green colour as what I have changed with , but read on here with the problems of it gelling up and it had been sat on a farm for about 4 years, So thought that was the first thing to do.
No pressure release system on this one I'm afraid.

I did take the pipes off the pump and latch the one lable f and the one above blew the airline down them both was and both were clear.Blew all the fluid out and made sure both were clear both ways.
Also blew the airline in the holes were the pipes conected on the pump that blew air out the other disconected hose opening once I pluged the filler hole.
Also while the header was down I blew air though the latch and it open and closed which would make me belive this is working as it should.
put it all back up and tryed the roof and still thae same.
I have not disconnected the other hoses on the rear of the pump the ones that go to the rams. Surely I would need to disconnect them from the rams and pump to be able to blow down them each end to test.

I need to know one thing if I unlatch the latch this in turn bypasses the need for the hydralic operation in the latch, So once I have done this manually why does the roof strugle to go down and strains the pump trying?