[Freedom69]

My hard top had been, intermittently, refusing to open/close during the last 2 years, to the point it had stopped working for the last 6 months.
My symptoms were:
Pressing the roof switch to open, the windows dropped, the roof unlatched and then nothing. Pressing the roof to close, the roof latched and the windows closed.
Having spent literally spent hours looking on the internet for a solution/ideas when I came across a hidden comment to “try tapping the roof hydraulic pump motor”.
So armed with a nylon mallet (a screwdriver will also do) I gave the motor 2 taps and amazingly the roof went down, following this I took the car out, roof down enjoying the sunshine. Once back home I tried closing the roof and nothing happened. Once again tapping the hydraulic pump motor (yes you can still get at it with the roof folded in the boot, it is however easier if you leave the cover off while testing), and up popped the roof.
I successfully tried this, at least 3 or 4 times during the following week to prove to myself that it is the motor at fault.

My solution:
There are a number of posts showing where the roof hydraulic pump is housed in the boot and having working on many electric motors I decided to have a go at sorting it out myself:
Lift the hydraulic pump out of its well, cut the 2 ties holding the wiring in place, and disconnect the blue power plug.
Stand the hydraulic pump on its end, within its well, motor facing upwards (the motor is the black cylinder in the right hand side). Undo the 2 cap head bolts and remove the motor. It is rather tight due there being a sealing o-ring fitted. I helped removal by gently prising the motor from the pump with a flat headed screwdriver and pulling at the same time.
Note. There is a spring that you will see once you remove the motor, don't loose it! (I never touched it).
There are 2 bolts holding the motor back plate in position, once removed gently pull the back plate off revealing the armature and brushes.
I immediately saw that one of the brushes was stuck back in its housing due to grit.
Using something like scotchbrite polish the armature while its in situ within the motor housing then wipe clean the surrounding area. Strip, clean and rebuild the brushes and housings using a suitable cleaner and earbuds.
My tip for replacing the motor backplate and fitting the brushes over the armature:
Get hold of a piece of single core wire and strip each end back. Push the brushes back, against the springs into the housing and hold them in that position by inserting the ends of the wire between the front of the bushes and the housing.
Fit the backplate onto the motor, the bushes should slide over the armature then once in place, pull the wire out of the way. Replace the motor bolts.
Refit the motor to the hydraulic pump and reconnect the wire connectors.
Put the pump back correctly, in the well and test.
One last thing, mark the outer motor casing and backplate if you want to line them up to the same position, prior to stripping it.

So what did it cost me?
45 minutes of my time!
What did it save me?
A £300 re-furbished replacement motor!

[StradaRedlands]

Thanks Freedom69! The complexities of the E93 roof keep me away from one, but I think about it weekly if not more!

[Aeleane]

Originally Posted by Freedom69

My hard top had been, intermittently, refusing to open/close during the last 2 years, to the point it had stopped working for the last 6 months.
My symptoms were:
Pressing the roof switch to open, the windows dropped, the roof unlatched and then nothing. Pressing the roof to close, the roof latched and the windows closed.
Having spent literally spent hours looking on the internet for a solution/ideas when I came across a hidden comment to “try tapping the roof hydraulic pump motor”.
So armed with a nylon mallet (a screwdriver will also do) I gave the motor 2 taps and amazingly the roof went down, following this I took the car out, roof down enjoying the sunshine. Once back home I tried closing the roof and nothing happened. Once again tapping the hydraulic pump motor (yes you can still get at it with the roof folded in the boot, it is however easier if you leave the cover off while testing), and up popped the roof.
I successfully tried this, at least 3 or 4 times during the following week to prove to myself that it is the motor at fault.

My solution:
There are a number of posts showing where the roof hydraulic pump is housed in the boot and having working on many electric motors I decided to have a go at sorting it out myself:
Lift the hydraulic pump out of its well, cut the 2 ties holding the wiring in place, and disconnect the blue power plug.
Stand the hydraulic pump on its end, within its well, motor facing upwards (the motor is the black cylinder in the right hand side). Undo the 2 cap head bolts and remove the motor. It is rather tight due there being a sealing o-ring fitted. I helped removal by gently prising the motor from the pump with a flat headed screwdriver and pulling at the same time.
Note. There is a spring that you will see once you remove the motor, don't loose it! (I never touched it).
There are 2 bolts holding the motor back plate in position, once removed gently pull the back plate off revealing the armature and brushes.
I immediately saw that one of the brushes was stuck back in its housing due to grit.
Using something like scotchbrite polish the armature while its in situ within the motor housing then wipe clean the surrounding area. Strip, clean and rebuild the brushes and housings using a suitable cleaner and earbuds.
My tip for replacing the motor backplate and fitting the brushes over the armature:
Get hold of a piece of single core wire and strip each end back. Push the brushes back, against the springs into the housing and hold them in that position by inserting the ends of the wire between the front of the bushes and the housing.
Fit the backplate onto the motor, the bushes should slide over the armature then once in place, pull the wire out of the way. Replace the motor bolts.
Refit the motor to the hydraulic pump and reconnect the wire connectors.
Put the pump back correctly, in the well and test.
One last thing, mark the outer motor casing and backplate if you want to line them up to the same position, prior to stripping it.

So what did it cost me?
45 minutes of my time!
What did it save me?
A £300 re-furbished replacement motor!

omg thank you. you saved me stress trying to track down the issue with my roof (hammer trick worked) and saved me from the bill from a garage 🙂 if anyone else is having issues and the relays are not the issues the do this it worked for me