I've got my power top all put back together. but the 40 amp breaker on the firewall keeps tripping, about 10 times in one top cycle. takes about 2 full minutes to reset, they up another 1/8 , then wait 2 mis, then another 1/8. Takes forever to get it up and down
Top switch is good, factory correct and rated at about 50 amps
Lines are new, fluid is almost all blead out, but hard to do, since the top does not cycle without blowing breaker every 5 seconds.
all wiring is good, new, etc.
I have had the car running and not running, no difference.
Is it the seals in the pump? or a weak motor? or a weak breaker? Motor does get warm for sure.
What have you convertible guys found.
Hinges are also greased and the top does go all the way up and down, its just the breaker.
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Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
Agreed, it could be as simple as an old weak breaker but I'm betting in the top motor needing some attention.
You would always eliminate the top switch and wiring in the equation. You could take a breaker to the back by the motor and wire the motor direct from a battery using a different breaker. That would narrow it down at least.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I just tried another breaker, an original 1963 40 amp from an impala.
Marginally better, took about 5 tries up and 5 tries down with the car NOT running. Still not good enough tho. I will buy a new breaker on monday.
I just installed new hoses, and they recomend swapping the original brake fluid for ATF, so it has brand new ATF in it. Drawing from a jug that is set lower than the pump, plus i primed the pump, There is still a bit of air in the lines, but when the motor works, it moves the top good., its just the breaker keeps blowing.
I see they sell seal kits for the motors for about 20 dollars, but could it be the motor itself? rather than the pump.
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Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
I also had a similar problem after a new top installed. But instead of tripping the breaker on the firewall, it was tripping in the motor itself. I didn't have the money for a new pump/motor at the time so I took it apart and bypassed the internal breaker. Not really sure why it's there - must protect the motor from over heating? Anyhow that was going on 17yrs now and it still works fine. Also I installed a relay to take the current away from the switch.
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'68 Parisienne 2+2 Convertible Matador Red (Resale Red but not for sale).
Just wondering. You say the top went up and down fine manually before attaching the hydraulics. As you sumise this should eliminate mechanical binding. Since it trips out when the hydraulics try to work, might 1 side be working and the other not causing it to bind? Might 1 cylinder be defective? Might 1 line be pinched? Is there a check valve in the system thats defective? Have you tried removing the pivot pin and activating the pump and thus the cylinders without them being attached? Just wondering.
old thread I know but am curious as to what you found to fix this?
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cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
Ya that was awhile ago, i hardly remember. It was the pupm motor, had a terrible draw on it and was straining too hard, ended up replacing the pump/motor assembly and all was good.
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Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
Well done remembering! Good to see craft disease has not taken over!
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cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
I had the same issue with my circuit breaker tripping every couple seconds. I wired in an amp
Gauge where the circuit breaker would be and watched it when I pushed the top switch. The
Gauge didn't go over 28 amps so replaced the breaker and all is good.