Just bought an '01 XK8 conv. First nice day came around and I hit the roof button to drop the top... whiiiirrr, rear-windows go down... whiiiir... nothing else happens. Found my way to the pump reservoir in the trunk and noticed that its nearly empty of fluid.

Tops closed, rear windows are stuck down now

So my question is, while I sort out the pump problem, can anyone tell me a trick to get the rear windows up?

1. My top is closed and latched.
2. I have the allen wrench to release the latch
3. Would it help if I released it and unscrewed the pressure valve on the pump to see if I can open the top a bit by hand? The manual says never to open it by hand
4. I live near Seattle and I'd like to drive the car until I can fix the real pump problem...

Thanks for any tips, hope there's someone who's sorted this out before.

Scott

 

Welcome Scott!

Raise the front windows.

Open the trunk and access the trunk fusebox. Note the four small relays as in the photo.

The function of the relays is as follows:

Upper left: Left quarter window raise
Lower left: Left quarter window lower
Upper right: Right quarter window raise
Lower right: Right quarter window lower

Note the orange jumper wire in the photo. This is currently set to lower the left quarter window. if instead you want to raise the left quarter window, move the jumper wire to the same relative pins on the upper left relay socket, etc. Just keep the jumper connected long enough to complete the window movement. Do not connect more than one jumper at a time. Do not remove more than one relay at a time of this may not work.

Always lower the rear windows before you raise the top up, or else the top seals could be damaged.

 

Sorry, can't help you with a solution, but hope you get past this soon and get to enjoy the car.

We took a nice drive in our XKR convertible today - marvelous!

someone here will have an answer for you soon, I'm sure.

 

If you cannot see the photo it is because your post count needs to be over 10 and you need 3 days on the forum. Contact me with your email address on my website below and I can email you the picture.

 

See, there's a great answer/solution that came in as I was typing. this is a wonderful forum.

 

I can see the photo, thx WhiteXKR!

One thing though, I can't lower the top via the Roof switch - but your first line says I should lower it. Without the pump fluid the top doesn't move. And I'm nervous to open it manually as the manual states I shouldn't ever do that.

I really appreciate your quick response. Can you clarify this one detail so I don't break anything?

Scott

 

You can do it with the top up. Sorry to confuse...I copied the description from a post I made to someone else with a slightly different issue.

 

You can open the top manually if you know EXACTLY where to apply pressure to the conv frame between the rear and side windows. If you force it, you will break it.

If you get the top latch and ram switches out of sync everything shuts down.

Fill the reservoir with Pentosin CHF11S and operate the top until the air is bled out.

You probably have one or both rams leaking.

Here is some info for troubleshooting.

bob gauff

 

Super big help Bob, thanks.

By the looks of this, when I read step 8 of the closing sequence I get the impression that if I hold down the top switch long enough the rear windows will go up... Could it be that easy? I'm thinking the following

1. Open the latch manually
2. Have my 12 yr old hold down the roof switch to 'close' the top and stay on it.
3. Manually close the latch with the Allen Wrench
4. The rear windows will magically go up...

Could I be so lucky? See what happens when a software guy thinks he can game the system

 

It is possible, but often the 'state machine' gets confused if it does not run the sequence from start to finish.

 

[can't get photos to show, so attached link to photo on the net. need to go welcome newer members than me ]

https://plus.google.com/photos/10788...Li8wtio7-bklwE

This forum is awesome! I hope I can help someone out sometime, but honestly you must enjoy these cars in your souls! I can feel it comin' on but i'm sure it will really sink in once I can drop the top and hit the twisties...

okay, nuf praise, back to the window raising - hope this pic is visible...

So, I'm down to placing the jumper, but I can't correlate the relay posts with the map from the 1st pic

WhiteXKR, can you map the numbers to the positions?

Upper Left: # (6,7,8,9,10 ?)
Lower Left: # (6,7,8,9,10 ?)
Upper Right: # (6,7,8,9,10 ?)
Lower Right: # (6,7,8,9,10 ?)

And is there a 'center post' that I always keep the main jumper in as I move around the matrix? (6,7,8,9,10 ?)

I can almost hear the window's raisin'

Thx!

Scott

 

In all cases it is 8 to 10 that you simply short together, one relay at a time with all the other relays in place. Do not short the other pins...that could be a bad outcome. No 'center post'.

 

Geez, I finally get what you mean. The RELAY's are physically positioned such that they reflect the UL, UR, LL, LR. Got it.

Okay, back to the garage...

Thx so much man!

 

Got those pesky back windows up and back into position! Thx for the great tip WhiteXKR, appreciate the assist. Had a great drive to work today! I'll post a step-by-step this eve with pictures and stuff. When I do that, is there a place in this forum for HowTos to be posted?

Scott

 

Glad to hear you were successful!

Just make your post here...one of our mods can then add a reference it in the FAQ-Sticky section.

Also visit Gus' site www.jagrepair.com for a mother-lode of info, including lots on the convertible top.

 

Trying to work this out but my fusebox looks a little different in my 97



What am I missing here? Trying to get this fixed on my day off...

Thanks.

 

I can look these up for you, but if can can get a can of Pentosin CHF-11S from NAPA and top up the low fluid in your pump your system should start operation properly again.

 

Thank you for your response. So do I just unscrew the screw at the top of the petcock and put enough in to get in between the lines? Thank you sir,

Jonny

 

Unscrew the bolt at the top of the translucent tank and fill it to between the lines. Cycle the top and make sure it stays between the lines with the top open and closed.

Then keep an eye on the level over the coming days and weeks. If it goes down again you have a leak somewhere.

 

Thank you sir for your response. I picked up the Pentocin and did what you said. The outcome was both positive and negative.

On the positive side, I did get the roof to seal closed and in turn my rear side windows went up. Thank you!

On the not so positive side, the roof did still stop half way up and for some reason would not go the entire way. I had to help it along, get it to the top, back it off a little (as if to start putting top back down) and then use gravity and power to close the final 6-8 inches.

It was still between the lines after I had closed it.

So now, I have 2 questions:

1. What could be causing it to not have enough power to close by itself? I had the car running when I tried it.

2. Does the hydraulic system need bled or does it do that itself?

Thanks again for all your help. Looks like I can now wash the car