My convertible top was operating slower and slower until it wouldn't move the top at all. Then, the second bow sleeve became disconnected from the top material, jamming the top, so I thought that was the issue. It now has a brand new top installed by an experienced upholsterer, and although the top can be moved by two people if the cables are disconnected, and he says the effort required feels normal, the motor doesn't seem to have enough power and it will barely start to move the top up or down, and then stops. I tried a new motor from Fusick, it made no difference. The relay clicks and sounds healthy, but I read somewhere that a relay can become "weak" and cause a problem that would seem like a weak motor. We opened the relay and cleaned the contacts. This didn't help. I also read that the dashboard switch can need contact cleaning. Anyone ever experience this, or hear of it? Any advice/comments/opinions are welcome. Thank you.
ps: I ordered a new relay from Fusick, we expect it early this week.

 

Sounds like general corrosion at all of the contact points in the system, combined with inadequately-sized factory wiring, is causing inadequate current flow to your motor.

As you have discovered, replacing parts until you find out which one was bad can get expensive.

Measure the voltage at the big red motor wire as you try to raise or lower the top - I would bet that you find it is quite low.

I would suggest that you run a much heavier wire to the top and replace the badly flawed factory relay system with a more robust system, such as the one I describe here:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...provement.html

Good luck!

- Eric

 

I saw your posting, thank you very much. It turns out that my biggest problem was the relay after all. Once the new relay from Fusick was installed by the upholstery shop, it works fine. When I get the chance, I'll take the seat out and clean all the contacts. Everything that moves is already well lubricated, and hopefully this will all be the end of it. I like to keep things as original as I possibly can, and would only consider the above mentioned modifications if I really needed it. That may well happen in the future. The upholstery man, who has been in the business for 40 years, said the man who designed the scissor top was on crack.

 

I believe that the mechanism was originally designed for the Corvair.

With the Delta's big top, it works darned hard.

- Eric