Well boys I need some ideas I need a new pump motor but I can't affrod a new after market replacement ($230.00) :shock: .Do any late modle convert top pumps work in a buick I saw some late 80s mustag pumps that almost look the same and much easyer to find at a junkyard then a buick .This would be until I can afford a new one . It just kills me to have a convert and not be able to put the top down :ball: marco.
I had the same issue with my 69 Skylark. I saw the pumps for $209 though. A friend recomended a Chrysler Lebaron motor. I paid $50 for a motor at a junkyard that came off a Lebaron. The only problem was it didn't have a ground wire. I wired in 4 relays to make it work. The hoses were the same the the mount was different. So for near $65 I did it.
You don't need a pump to make the top work. Do it the old way, manually! Disconnect the lift cylinders and you can operate the top manually. They are not hard to do/move but will require one person on each side. Otherwise, inspect your motor, could be brushes are bad, seals are bad, wiring is bad. They are usually bullet-proof. Remove your rear seat bottom cushion and check for trans fluid puddling. If so, you lift cylinders' seals are shot. You can take them to any hydraulic shop in your are for a seal kit. Otherwise, contact www.hydro-e.com here in FL for help. I don't have any spare motors and I wil check the local yard this w/e to see what I can find.
top pump thanks for gettin back to me guys .I pulled the pump apart found that the o ring on the shaft that turns the pump went, letting brake fluid get in to the windings ( prev. owner put brake fluid in pump) and eating way the wire coating on the windings and shorting out the windings . Put a meeter on it, no resistance there for the pump is dead :ball: . The way I see it you sould be able to use almost any pump as long as it works with a 12 volt system and the fittings from your hoses fit it ,sould work right ! o No: thanks Marco
Chrysler K-car pumps work fine, although different in appearance and mounting. Year One sold these for years as a "replacement" pump for our cars.
You don't need two people. I did this for years, Just postition yourself in the center of the top. Standing right over the transmission tunnel behind the front seats. (You may have to be 6' tall for this to work... )
The one I got from the Lebaron works fine. The fittings screwed right in. It had 4 mounting feet rather than 3 and it was smaller so it didn't fit the mount holes perfectly. The wireing was different. The relays I put in made one wire hot and the other ground. To make the motor go the opposite way the next set of relays made the other wire hot and the other ground. There were only 2 wires that came out of the pump and the relays were the only way to make it work. If you want I can show a picture. :bglasses:
Here are the pictures and a scary drawing of how i got my top to work. After I did the wiring my "friend" that told me about the pump. I even asked him how he wired it but couldn't tell me say's :Smarty: "Why didn't you get the switch too." o No: Apparently the Chrysler switch must ground it self the way the relays work on my setup to make the motor work. So if you can get the switch too otherwise you will have to try this method. If you want anymore info on this you can email me @ pluman1@aol.com if you like. Advance auto had the relays that showed how the relay worked. I bought the relay harness from an electronic store. Take a minute and draw out how you are going to wire it before you do. Good Luck. Jim "If I can't fix it I can fix it so no one can"
