65 GS top goes down, but not up

Discussion in 'The ragtop shop' started by Spicoli, Aug 28, 2015.

  1. Spicoli

    Spicoli Member

    Thread title says it all. The hydraulics seem to work fine on my 65 Skylark GS when I'm lowering the top. But getting it back up is an entirely different matter. I can hear the hydraulics humming away, but it's a completely manual system until we (it takes a couple of people) get it about 1/3 of the way up. At that point, the hydraulics - oh so slowly - take over and begin to raise the lid as intended.

    Any tips?
     
  2. Duane

    Duane Member

    Sounds like its low on fluid. Check your pistons and see if they are leaking. If so, then once the fluid gets so low what you are describing will happen.

    The fix would be to replace the pistons, fill up the system and you should be good.
    Duane
     
  3. efogs400

    efogs400 Platinum Level Contributor

    X2 Fluid
     
  4. ragtops

    ragtops Gold Level Contributor

    Just for fun I will make my guess, It needs a new pump/motor assembly, just a guess of course.

    Mike
     
  5. Spicoli

    Spicoli Member

    Thanks for all the replies so far. I've located the motor/pump. On the 65 Skylark, it's dead center between drivers/passengers side, behind the back seat. It's oriented horizontally, with a bolt and a screw on one end. The screw, I'm guessing because it's on top, is the filler plug?

    Question: Does it make a difference if my top is in the up, or down, position when I fill it? I'm thinking of a brake master cylinder as an analog, where you want the brake depressed when you're adding fluid. i.e., is there a position (top up, or top down) at which more fluid is out in the lines, and not in the little holding tank/pump?

    Thanks again.
     
  6. ragtops

    ragtops Gold Level Contributor

    Yes.
    The top should be down when the reservoir is filled. If you overfill it it's not good. You can put more fluid in the reservoir with the top up, BUT DON"T DO IT. Something will bust if you overfill it, too much fluid, nowhere to go= bad thing. Fluid should be level with the drain hole, or very near, with the top down and the drain plug out. Fill it, put the plug back in, then run it up and down once and check again, with it down all the way. May take a few times to get all the air out and get the reservoir full. If that is indeed the problem.
    If you put the top down and the reservoir is full, then a new motor is probably in order.
    The way I see it the pump has 3 sections, the motor is one, then there is a pump/valve body is two, then a reservoir three. What I have seen sometimes is the motor will run but the pump/valves gets so old or gunked up with who knows what, that is doesn't pump the fluid. I know it gets nasty because I have taken it apart to see, then bought a new unit, usually lines too as they get brittle and break easily when you try to get them loose.

    But I hope you just need fluid, easiest and cheapest fix.

    Good luck,
    Mike
     
  7. trailboss05

    trailboss05 Well-Known Member

    Great post Mike. Silly question for those of you that know, but for the others that don't, what fluid is best recommended to use and is there such a thing as flushing the system as a maintenance thing?
     
  8. Spicoli

    Spicoli Member

    Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Got it functioning perfectly now. As suggested by ragtops and others, I put top in down position, crawled into my trunk and filled reservoir once, then had my son operate the accessory switch while I manually helped the top up. After doing this a few times, it started coming up on it's own. Then I topped off reservoir one more time (while top was in down position, as recommended), and took it through it's paces several times and now it works just like it's supposed to. How cool.....thanks again folks.

    Spicoli in Reno
     

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