odokai Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 i have a 1994 covertible. my issue is the top wont fully go up and its about two inchs from the windshield. what could be causeing this? already checked the fluid in the pump recharged the battery. could it be a bad pump, where the pump isnt pushing the top the last couple of inchs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Did you leave the top down for a prolonged period of time? Or was the car sitting in the sun for a while when you put the top down and it's cooler out now? Either of these could be the issue. sometimes the top contracts a bit and it just needs to be stretched back our by pulling it down and latching it for a while I don't know how many times I did this when I had mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 The top was left down for about a year. I can't get it to latch. How do I go about stretching it enough to get it to latch. Could it be a failing pump ? The guy I got the car from says that the last two inches have always been a problem. He bought it brand new. H says he already replaced the pump once about seven years ago. The corner glass also does match up on the passenger side. But the corner glass on the drivers side is almost up all the way. If the top did shrink how do I fix it. The canvaslike vinyl was replaced two years ago. Any advice will help? Extremely fustrated with it at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg35765 Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I left mine down for three months once and had that problem. I waited for a warm, sunny day and put a bag of fertilizer on top to help it stretch. I left it that way for 5 hours or so. To get it to close I pushed on one of the bars that goes across the top (near the rear) and had my wife pull on the front and close the latch. I don't think I could have done it by myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Well it have to heat my garage chase its about 50 degrees here. Even with multiple people I can't get the top to latch the closest I can get it is about a quarter inch from the pin guide. So I am going break out the space heaters and give it a whirl. Anybody take a heat gun to the top to stretch it? I am a little Leary of putting the heat gun to it last thing I want to do is melt the top. Where did u put the weight on the front near the windshield or the middle above the roll bar? Thanks for advice, this project making me lose my mind and after this I have a camaro ragtop to fix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 [video=facebook;10152287106765593]https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10152287106765593&saved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I never once had this issue. I leave my top down all summer. Never had an issue with it not going back up. Granted I only put it up or down once or twice a year. It will probably need to warm up to Stretch out and I bet it will close again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg35765 Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 I put the weight on near the windshield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Thanks. I'll let u guys know how it's goes after I heat my garage. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pshojo Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Black with white. nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK82 Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 There are adjustment bolts to move the top header forward or back, and up or down above the header. These bolts are on both sides just in front of the third top bow. Maybe after the top was installed it was never adjusted? If the heat doesn't work, let me know and I'll find the section of my convertible top manual that talks about adjustment and post it on here. There is a warning in the convertible owners manual supplement that says to not but the top down when outside temp is below 40 degrees, as you may have problems getting it to latch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galaxie500XL Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Go rent a kerosene torpedo heater from a local rental place...it will allow you to blow hot air toward the car without melting stuff, and cover a wide area of the top with heat.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 The heat is kinda working but still can't latch it brianK82 if u could post the adjustment instructions I would appreciate it thanks. And Happy Thanksgiving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK82 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 As quoted from the Cutlass Convertible Top Diagnosis and Service manual....If top is too far forward or rearward of header: 1.Mark the position of the power link cam bolts on both sides of the top with a china marker.(It shows a diagram here, the power link cam bolts are the one the one above and slightly forward of the hinge, sorry hard to describe) 2. Loosen their nuts and rotate them so the top moves in the needed direction. Moving one power link cam bolt more or less than the other will usually allow you to eliminate any misalignment between the top and the header. 3. Tighten the nuts while holding the cam bolts stationary. If top is too close or to far above header....1. Mark the position of the balance link cam bolts on both sides with a china marker.(These are the bolts at the very rear or the hinge. The hinge forms a 90 degree angle at this bolt, hope that helps you locate them) 2. Loosen the nuts that secure the balance link cam bolts and rotate the bolts as necessary. 3. Tighten the nuts while holding the cam bolts stationary. I'm not super computer literate or I would post a picture of the diagram, hope this helps you and Happy Thanksgiving!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK82 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Is it just me, or does anyone else think that the very front of the top where it meets the header looks a lil odd? I wonder if the top wasn't installed correctly? Odokai, have you ever seen the top all the way up and latched on this car, or did you buy it with this issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenL2888 Posted November 23, 2012 Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 Looks interesting.... http://www.convertibletopguys.com/static/topmanual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 Well it's not my car. I am trying to help a friend. Pretty sure he got the top latched at some point since the rag was replaced but I am not sure if it has been up in the last year , year and a half. When I first got it here the pump wouldn't even move the top. So me and another friend manually put the top up and the motor starting moving the top. The actual owner says that it has always been extremely hard to get the top to close the last two inches even from day one. He bought the car brand new in 1994. I personally don't think the top was ever aligned correctly so I am trying to fix the issue. Does anyone know where I can download the service manual for the top? That would help. Also after the top closes I am replacing the rug and tips on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted November 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 well heating up the garage and putting weight on the front didn't help still cant get it to latch. now i am looking for diagrams of the top's frame so that i can figure out how to adjust it forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odokai Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Finally got the top to latch now just need to stretch it realign the quarter windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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