7 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHConvertible Top
Leading reported evidence
Replace rams, operation good as new
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Leading evidence: 'Replace rams, operation good as new' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check fittings connecting the rams' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Oh, and as for having a receipt for "rebuilding" the rams -- it all depends on who did the work and what materials they used, plus the condition of the original rams.
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Discussions that contain suggestions
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Suggestion
At the same time you can check all the fittings connecting the rams to the pump, and the pump itself, for evidence of fluid leaks.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
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Suggestion
I am planning to change my 19 yr old fluid as well.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Oh, and as for having a receipt for "rebuilding" the rams -- it all depends on who did the work and what materials they used, plus the condition of the original rams.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
7 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T191851Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Convertible top opens and closes but the dreaded however - it opens and closes very slowly and very labored but it does open and close.
My thought maybe I had an unrecognized/unseen hydraulic fluid leak.
What do you think?
911STYL
Haven't had the experience yet. The general consensus is its a leak on previous post. Seals on the rams are common. Have you seen any oil/fluid drip from just in front of the rear tires? Its really easy to open it up and do a visual. You will see the fluid. Several people have been succesfull putting fluid in it for now and getting another 6 months or longer before repair. Plenty of post on how to add fluid. Hesrd its a pain in the butt.
These things are 16 +years old,so I guess the seals are starting to leak
From what I hear the "new" seals are much better..
My "new to me" 03 has receipts for rebuilding the cylinders...here's hoping.....
+1 on leaking ram seals. You can check for this visually by accessing them via the area behind the rear seats; follow the DIY steps for refilling the top hydraulic pump. At the same time you can check all the fittings connecting the rams to the pump, and the pump itself, for evidence of fluid leaks.
Seals can start to leak very slowly -- no obvious evidence on the ground, yet over time the fluid loss is significant enough to compromise top operation. This is what happened with my car. One fluid top-top lasted about 18 months at which point the leaks became pronounced enough that hydraulic fluid did finally drip to the ground (which happens via the normal body drains, which is why slow leaks can take a while to show up). Replaced both rams, operation good as new.
Oh, and as for having a receipt for "rebuilding" the rams -- it all depends on who did the work and what materials they used, plus the condition of the original rams. Any sort of wear or scoring on them is going to compromise the service life of any replacement seals.
I have seen a few good videos on YT on the servicing of the old hydraulic fluid in our cars and in some of them it was mentioned that opening & closing of the top was slow & labored as well before fluid change and then worked much better afterwards. So maybe your fluid is just old and needs a refresh, worth a quick DIY. I am planning to change my 19 yr old fluid as well. Good-luck, cheers.
First try a full charge on your battery and try the top when the engine is running. If no improvement then you can go onto all the BS re hydraulic fluid leaking etc
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