dammad

Good news to close this thread. I decided to contact Robbins to find out what was wrong with the top. I got a response back very quickly from their CEO who arranged to get a few more pics and talk to me on the phone. When I spoke to him, he had already determined that the top was a GAHH top and that this issue was a known installation problem. Interestingly these days GAHH and Robbins are owned by the same company. He set me up with a technical contact and armed with the information I got the installer to fix the issues without any problems.

I'd like to say that Robbins/GAHH customer support is AWESOME. They were so helpful and I had the CEO for contact. Amazing! If only more companies were that way.

The basic upshot of the misalignment with the window frame is that the GAHH top has a sprung material strip across the inside of the top that pulls the fabric inwards to ensure alignment at closing. If this is not installed correctly (caught, removed, etc.) then you get this problem. My installer had missed this causing the problems.

Gonzo,

When you get the carpet out around where the top sits when open look at the translucent white plastic part at the bottom on the pump. On mine, it was translucent white completely and I couldn't see any level. If yours looks like this you need to fill it up. With hydraulic fluid inside it will be dark rather than translucent white.

I'm pretty useless at DIY and even I managed it, so I say go for it.

I looked through my durametric, but I can't find any way to enable the stage 2 fans. the line item below reads "RPM control stage 2" but it just causes the rev counter to move, nothing on the fans.

I pulled out the 2 low speed fans and the fans did come on/off after a while, but didn't seem much faster than the low speed ones I get with A/C engaged.

Does anyone know what type or part number are the screws that hold the top fabric on (to the back most arm)?

I was busy today trying to resolve my convertible top problems.

http://www.renntech....e-top-problems/

I noticed two things while I had the durametric connected.

- My 99 996 has been running hot recently so I wanted to do an activation/command in Durametric to check that high-speed was working on the coolant fans. I only found one activation 'Fan', but when I start it I only get low-speed. Is there a way in Durametric to turn on high-speed?

- I looked for faults and found a tiptronic fault: Governor 0x0207. I reset the code to see it will come back. Seems to be running okay.

Dammad.

BTW. Open your top half way and check to see if all the screws are there to attach the fabric to the back most arm. On mine there are 4 holes but only 2 have screws in them. Might be the reason.

Soft Tops, Umbarger Rd, San Jose.. I recommend to skip them until I can work out if the problem is related to their work.

Went back to the shop to find things even worse!

1) the top now opens very slowly and takes a long time to start lifting the top when closing. Sometimes it even stops and needs me to press the button again.

2) The bolt that fixes the top lid on the drivers slide was coming loose.

I saw none of these problems before I got the top replaced! Any ideas for what is causing the system to struggle to open and close the top??

I took it back to the shop and asked them to call Robbins to work it out. They managed to get the roof lid to close (loose bolt on that side), but the roof wire coming outside the window surround they could not fix. They 'claim' that ".. do a lot of porsches and it is common. The roof material just gets a memory of the right place to go over time..". From what I've read this is rubbish so I'm picking up the car to fix it myself. I'll look at the elastic as mentioned above and get some more pointers.

There must exist an elastic band at the bottom of the top layer, between the inner layers of the fabric, across the width of the convertible top, which pull both outer edges to the middle. Weird that they have not noticed that when removing the old convertible top.

There is an elastic band that does across the width of the top, but it is not tense and does not appear to go around anything. Should the elastic go over some of the arms to stretch it to pull the sides in. I've looked at my manual and cant' see mention of the elastic across the roof, but the manual is not very clear in general.

I don't know what to do, but I would have the person who installed the top call Robbins and ask for help. I had a similar problem years ago when I had a GAHH top installed on my Boxster. It had something to do with making adjustments to a wire that runs the length of the top. Once he knew what the problem was it was an easy fix.

Eric

Good suggestion. I checked and it looks like the wires are 1/2" too long.

I had a new Robbin's top put on my '99 996 Cab a couple of weeks ago. Looks great. We got some sun this week, so I went to lower the roof and hit two problems:

1) The top cover won't shut completely when trying to put the roof down. It closes completely on the passenger side, but not at the back and the right where it sits about an inch high after the complete cycle.

2) When putting the roof back up again the wires at the edge of the roof close *outside* the plastic arms above the window, not in the groove in those arms. See pictures.

I took it back to the recommended soft top installer and he couldn't see anything binding preventing it closing. I've also looked at both sides and they look to be identical. So it is unclear why one side closes when the other doesn't. However, the roof when folded down is clearly a little (1/4"-1/2") high on the drivers (non-closing) side before the lid comes in to push it down and closed.

Any ideas?

Dammad.

Anyone have any ideas as to:

1. where to buy a colored crest

2. how to get the old one off (is it just glued on?)

Thanks!

PM sent

I'd love to know too.

I put on a new belt already, but it still 'chirps' on start up.. Tensioner has not been removed to be knowledge, but the pulley on the end was change 20k miles ago.

Looks too far forward for the reservoir. I agree with Dharn55.

On a related subject. My tensioner don't seem to be giving enough tension and allows the belt to slip a little at key times (e.g. startup). Is it possible to adjust the tension level?

Those are great for road wheels but not steering wheels. :clapping:

I have an aging color crest on my steering wheel that could do with replacing, so would like to know a good source for the 1.5" color crest too.

BTW. Mine looks very attached to the vinyl covering the center of the wheel. So would be interested to hear if anyone has managed to pry the crest off at all.

It could be the connector between the dash and the rest of the car. Have you changed anything in that area recently? Sometimes the LCD displays do go, but the symptoms you mention (different segments each time) it sounds more like a connector in the dash.

Hope this helps.

Just a crazy thought, but perhaps some trim fell off. It can make a real noise while it drags, but will eventually let go. Perhaps that explains why is was making a noise and has now gone. Have a quick check that major trim pieces on the underside are still there.

These cars don't like not being driven. Likely just lifter noise from the oil getting up into the engine and up to temperature. Give it a good drive (long highway journey).

Of course, check oil levels, etc. Old oil should be replaced to help keep things well lubed.

Sorry to hear of your issues.

Quick related question: I have a 99 Tip also. I requested that my Tip and Differential fluid be changed at the Porsche dealer a couple of years ago. But when I got it back, the dealer told me the differential is sealed and so they only changed the Tip fluid. They said only later 996s had refillable differentials? Can anyone confirm that the 1999 does indeed have a separate diff fill hole? where is the fill hole, my porsche manual doesn't mention it at all.

Is there a way to make this mod so that the windows don't fully drop when lowering the roof. That would speed up closing/opening significantly.

Have you checked your Oxygen sensors?

That explains it.

Thanks. You're the best.

I have a black coolant tank cap on my '99 996 Cab. I have some overheating problems that I suspect the cap may be leaking. However, looking at my cap, I can't see any part number embossed on it.

I'd like to install the 996.106.447.04 cap, but based on this picture it looks like the one I have already.

http://www.paragon-products.com/Radiator_Cap_Expansion_Tank_Cap_p/pp-996.106.447.04.htm

I've never changed the cap, but it may have been changed in 2005 when I brought it.

Do the different cap versions have distinguishing features?