Scroll up to post #132 in this thread, click the links on the parts and you will find your answer.

 

If you had asked to be on the resistor list, and we have not communicated by PM or email in the last few days, then somehow I have missed you.

If you could see what it looks like inside my head, this would not surprise you.

So, seriously, if I did miss anyone, please accept apologies and send a PM or email reminding me. I've got enough 0.2s to hold us for a while (I think).

 

Hello, I'd like to take a moment and THANK Reverend Sam for his assistance. He sent a me a resistor reduction kit for my 2001 XKR convertible top. It arrived in 2 days and took approximately 28 seconds to install. The top now takes maybe 2-3 seconds longer to come up and latch and I did not notice a time difference for it to go down. Thank you Martin for coming to my rescue, the 30 bucks was nothing compared to the time it would of taken me to find the clips, terminals, wire, shrink wrap and then build(solder)the piece, let alone the cost if the hydraulics did explode to be repaired and now the peace of mind it gives me is PRICELESS. Thanks

 

Thanks Vette!

I have THREE completed assemblies left, I've just been too busy to sell them. A week or so ago I PMed a couple of the people who had requested them way back when, but no one responded, so now the first three people to PM me asking for one will get them. Once again, they are $30 and I only take PayPal. Sorry if you're not a PayPal user, but PayPal allows me to print the shipping label and pay for my postage right from my computer. Any other form of payment requires that I go to the post office, and everyone knows how fun that is.

This post will be up until the three are sold, then I'll delete the text and post a picture of a bald Angelina Jolie as the indicator that all three are sold. I dig bald chicks for some reason. Ever since the first Star Trek movie where vger took over the body of the bald chick, I've had this thing for hairless women. So, the sooner the three resistors sell, the sooner I'll be able to post a bald Angelina.

 

Reverend Sam,

I want one, I emailed you ages ago, but I still need one, please!!!
My email address is david@davidpackwood.com

Please send me the link to your paypal account and I will send you $30 from my paypal account.

Many Thanks,
David Packwood

 

I just bought my 89 XK8 and would like to get your resistor kit for the top mechanism. IF you don't have the kit stuff made up I would by a resistor! In reading the posts on this idea I've found the two wire connector, but which wire do you insert the resistor?

thanks
Will

 

Sorry... I just sold the last of the three. You can get the individual resistors from Dennis07 or eBay. I may buy some more resistors and assemble complete units as time permits, but I've been very busy over the summer. Things seem to be slowing down a little right now, though.

Oh, and as promised. Here's Angelina Jolie bald:

 

I have installed the resistor. I had reported in a different thread that I did not think the speed that the top moves has changed. Now.... the top will not close on battery power. I have to start the engine. It was parked in a cool garage. When the weather gets cold and the viscosity rises I may have to remove the resistor. I used connectors instead of hard-wire and solder, so it won't be difficult. Just thought someone would like to know.

 

When you say the top wouldn't close on battery power I'm assuming you mean that the latch wouldn't close, correct? That makes me wonder how strong your battery is. It's also an indication that the latch is using the least amount of pressure possible to close. Dennis figured out the resistance to keep the pressure as low as possible while still operating the latch, and he was aware that some people might need to do it with the engine running for that little extra boost of power.

You might try lubricating the latch, too. Use some silicone grease. Don't let anything petroleum based get near the hoses.

 

Check to make sure you're using a .20 ohm resistor. When I installed mine I couldn't find a .20 ohm and ended up using a .22 ohm which is on the fine line when using the battery. I'm in the process of changing to a .20 ohm with thanks to Dennis.

 

Yes it is a 0.2 ohm resistor. The top was very slow, when it got to the final few inches it would not move any more, and the latch did not activate. Then I started the engine and finished closing the top. My battery is fine. Please.....I just wanted to inform you for the record. I would just like to let the issue die. Forgive my being rude.

 

Many thanks to Reverend Sam, as I just installed the resistor kit and it works great!

Jim

 

Martin,

Please keep telling us, whatever you see happening. I know Sam feels the same way. Feedback is the best way to get things right.

As Sam said, the installation instructions recommend running engine-off (because pressure is lower) IF that works OK, but engine-on is just fine if that's what your particular car requires.

 

I'm kinda curious as to how much pressure it's taking to close Martin's top. I wish these cars had a built in pressure gauge. I wonder if the top is just really tight and it's taking more pressure to move it because of friction.

 

Martin's case sounds like this to me...

There are two hydraulic circuits (sets of hoses) to think about:

1) While the top is moving up or down, the "rams" circuit is active. The top always pauses at the end of the raise-top operation, before latch closure, when the "ready to latch" sensor is triggered. From experiments on my car, all this will keep working, albeit slower, even if you lower the pump's peak pressure all the way down to ~ 600 PSI. (We don't go anywhere near that low with the 0.2 ohm resistance we're using.)

2) Then the other hydraulic circuit, the "latch" circuit, is engaged. This is the critical one, requiring 900+ PSI to work.

Martin's report sounds to me like normal step 1), but no joy on step 2). Engine-off, we're not making enough pressure for step 2) to complete, so engine-on operation is needed. Sticky or dirty latch would be my guess. Sound right?

(p.s. Martin, I don't think you'll see any viscosity-related trouble when it gets colder. The 11-S fluid was picked for its ability to keep flowing at low temps, and reports from the first year in operation don't seem to show any temperature effects with Voltage Reduction. But please report it here if you do see trouble.)

 

Just bought my XK8 so I'm still suffering from less then 10 posts. Don't think I can PM you but would love to get one....email is daverima@gmail.com

Thanks

 

So, I installed the resistor kit from Reverend Sam. The top would not not go down. The back windows went down and the latch seemed to unlatch. I removed to resistor, and the top still will not go down.

I have WhiteXKR remote mod installed. It was working fine, but also no longer lowers the top.

Any suggestions?

 

I unlatched the latch manually, then re-latched, and everything works fine now. Maybe the cycle got interrupted? I still do not know why the resister will not work.

 

Do you have a voltmeter to check your battery voltage?

Try removing and reconnecting a battery terminal after a few seconds. Then start the car, reset the windows and try again to cycle the top.

 

Have you tried reinstalling the resistor to see if it was just a little glitch? If it doesn't work after reinstalling, PM me and I'll give you an address where you can send it back.

Also, just try tugging on the wires coming out of the resistor. Another member had an issue where the wire just pulled right out. It apparently came unsoldered internally, but it still checked out with the ohm meter before I shipped it.