The other week I was opening the top when I started to think something wasnt going right. Just as I was thinking the latch should be opening I saw the dreaded green fluid !! Luckily I opened the pressure valve on the pump and it wasn't a huge mess.

My question is this as I havn't been able to find an answer, or the few I've asked wern't sure.
If I cap the lines to the latch at the pump and close the valve, refill the reservoir, then have someone hold the roof open switch, manually unlock the latch and push up on the roof after the back windows come down, will the roof continue to open on its own ? In other words, can I manually lock/unlock the latch and have the roof operate normally ?

 

Yes. Denis, a member here, has created a how-to: XK8 Convertible Top, Manual Latch Conversion

 

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for !!

 

I followed the linked procedure after the green shower and it works flawlessly. The only thing I don't care for is the effort to re-latch the roof. Seems a bit excessive but it is what it is and I can lower my top...which really is all that matters...

 

Hi, Marvin

You might consider getting a longer allen key than the one supplied with our cars for manually closing the latch. This would give you a little more leverage so as make closing it a bit easier.

When I bought my current XK8, the prior owner had gone so far as to make up a key with a nice wooden handle on it!