sunroof cable/tube lubricant?

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PaulinPa

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Time to put new cables back in but want them to slide smooothly for a long time,so what to use to ease their journey?Thought maybe spraying inside of tubes with white lithium grease?Or maybe spray silicone?Suggestions??
 
I have no personal experience with sunroofs but many years ago I worked in an import dealership where we had a multitude of sunroof issues with Audis. The factory directed the techs to use a silicone spray, I'm sorry that I don't remember the name, but it was primarily used as a release agent for plastic molds and was FDA approved. I wouldn't use lithium grease as it would attract dirt and gum up.

Hope that helps,

Mark
 
sunroof lubrication

Suggest contacting Lee Muntean, owner of the local convertible top and sunroof specialty shop here in Costa Mesa. Trained from childhood by his Father, Lee is an exceptionally talented technician. He has recently overhauled a sunroof for a 2002tii, replaced the sunroof seal and corrected a faulty driver seat frame and mechanism on the BLUMAX for me--all to my satisfaction. I have referred several local people and each has been complimentary of his workmanship. Many local Porsche, MBZ, BMW, Jaguar and other high end automotive mechanical shops refer their customers to Lee.

Call him @ 949-515-1525
 
I used the lithium grease and with their location I don't think they will get too much dirt in them but time will tell. I also replace the phenolic bits with a 10 mil PSA backed Teflon. It slides real nice now!
 
Thanks for the referal to Lee.Extremely helpful.Light coating of lithium grease on cable itself.Clean aluminum channels and roof body.Check the phenolic pads and replace with teflon.Open up gearbox and sand "clutch" surfaces.Now if it'll just stop raining long enough to do this stuff.
 
RAIN--whats that??--we have had so little--

Glad Lee could help--rain challenges--not snow--just wait--hhhmmm--this late cold weather and extensive deep snowfall has me wondering how Algore will explain its fit in his "global warming" fear mongering scheme of things. Maybe the snow banks can be exchanged for "offsetting carbon credits".
 
Sunroof project advice

Any good sources of information or advice you care to offer as I embark on my first sunroof journey? I have a broken little plastic part on the left cable.

$93 from Dealer for a new left cable. Should arrive in a day or so.

Must I remove the headliner to do this job?

Any help will be appreciated.

Dave
 
Only the head liner on the sun roof door, it is attached to a metal frame and comes off as a unit. Pops off from the front and then there are two clips/tabs that hold it in place in the mid section. As you remove the sun roof go slow and take photographs so you remember how it all goes back together. I think the hardest part was bonding on the new felt seal. It is recommended to use super glue gel and go slow about 2-3 inches at a time. I didn’t have any super glue kicker or I would have used that to go faster (don't know what it might do to the paint). The portion of the felt that goes on the sun roof door I had to re-do because it was sticking up about .100 higher than the rest. Make sure you get the heights to match or it will not look good and, once both sides are bonded on, you will have to destroy one when you peel it off (lesson learned). Clean the channels out good; I polished the aluminum that will be exposed when the roof is open just to make it look good. I used a light coating of lithium grease on the cables before reinstalling them. I replaced the phenolic strips that the cables ride on with .010” Teflon tape but I did this because I could get the Teflon tape from work; its expensive $200.00 roll and one roll would do everybody’s coupe on this forum. As I recall you have to line the ends of the cables up when you install the crank handle so they are both pulling from the same point on the roof.
Hope this helped!
Sorry for the slow response nearly had to evacuate on Monday due to the fires here is Southern Cal, one of the fires was about a mile from my house. Good thing the firemen here use Pierce fire trucks! Let me know if you have any problems.

Scott
Here are some links to look at too.
http://www.cscoupe.org/tech/message011.html
http://www.cscoupe.org/tech/message058.html
 
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