Installation
An update on sunroof repair now that I have my cables replaced and the sunroof back in the car.
When we last left off, I was confused about the "sticks" in the back of the roof. I have now determined that they are indeed intended to do through the other groove in the long track, not occupied by the cable. I have also determined that they are not as difficult to align and get into the groove as I had feared.
But before we get to that, a word on the cables.... Everyone says the cables are available from BMW. Maybe they used to be but I couldn't find any. Every dealer I talked to said there are none in the world inventory right now and it will take three months to make more in Germany. Maybe someone outside the dealer network has some but I couldn't locate any.
Instead, I bought a pair of presumably Volvo cables advertised on eBay for a 2002 or E9. These looked to be perfect and have the improved metal hinges. Other than being about 10 inches too long, they looked like they would work fine. Maybe everyone else knew that manual sunroof cables won't work on an electric sunroof car but I didn't. The slider is mounted on the wrong side of the cable, meant to be routed to the front of the car, not the back.
Given that I had them in hand and couldn't find any correct cables, I set about modifying the manual pair. This isn't an easy task. The sliders are pot metal and crimped around the cable. Being pot metal they aren't suitable to welding. I ended up using an angle grinder to cut a slot along the crimp, opened it up enough to get it off the cable, flipped in around, crimped it back onto the cable, and soldered it back together for assurance. The outer sheath is missing where the slider crimps to the cable so it really holds in place well and there isn't anywhere for it to go once slid into the track so this modification seems to work fine. I also lopped off 10 inches and crimped the end cap back onto the end.
Opened up the crimp and flipped it around and recrimped.
Soldered to fill in the gap.
Now the orientation matches the original.
This is how much longer the Volvo manual cable is than the original
Cut, file down the outer casing for half an inch or so, crimp on end cap (cut from old end).
This is how the cables should sit in the tracks for an electric roof.
With the correct cables, it was time to prep the car for installation. I sanded and repainted the area around the tracks, making sure the front drain holes were clear. I got a local paint supply shop to match the color and shot the base and clear coat with my airbrush since the space is so small.
Before. A little grungy but not rusty.
During. Sanded and masked off.
After.
The cables are too flexible to try to push through the guides in the car with the headliner still in place. I found the easy way to get the cables into the car is to slide them into the long track, leaving 4 or so inches sticking out.
Put a towel on the front of the roof and guide the track into the rear roof cavity from the top. When you get about 6 inches from the back, shine a light back there and tilt and move the track around until you get the "stick" lined up with the proper groove in the track. Slide the track onto the stick a little bit and then aim the end of the cable into the hole in the car. With the cable started, you can then feed it through the track, using the track to keep it stiff. You can also slide the track a little further down the stick. Keep feeding the cable until the slider is on the track and in the sunroof opening area. When in far enough, push the track back over the little nipple where the cable enters the car. Between this nipple and the stick, the track will be very secure. Slide the cable past the stop bumper and lay the track in place. Repeat for the other side.
This is how the cable sits in the track when installed. Note: this picture also shows the teeth in the hinge that allow adjustment of the rear height.
Before you screw the tracks to the car, grab the sunroof headliner and slip it into the grove on one track, then move the tracks apart enough to slip it into the other track as well. Slide the headliner panel back into the roof and out of the way.
Headliner panel in the grooves. Slide it back to gain working room.
Now you can screw down the track and the rest of the aluminum trim pieces. Slip the front slider brackets onto the track near the front of the car.
Put the sunroof into the car, rear portion first. Slide it into the roof about 1 inch or so. Pull or push the cables so that they line up with the appropriate holes in the sunroof. Slide the front brackets into the proper place as well. Slip the metal T cover over the rear brackets and into the tabs on the sunroof. Install the screws in the rear brackets. Screw the front brackets to the sunroof as well.
Note that the holes in the rear brackets are elongated to allow side to side adjustment. The "T" shaped plates slide into the tabs over the top to allow the screws to tighten without falling through the oval holes. Slide the metal guide back over when bolted in.
Make sure the sunroof panel is even on both sides. Now you can install the motor. You might need to use a flat blade screwdriver to turn the gear a little as it engages the cables. Once installed, use the screw driver to manually close the sunroof slowly, taking note of alignment.
The gear on the motor drive slips in here between the two cables.
It it is too high or too low in front you can remove the screws on the front brackets and turn the knurled plastic fittings in or out to lower or raise the front. To adjust the back, you need to remove the sunroof panel, loosen the bolt holding the two halves of the hinge together, extend or shorten the hinge , and reinstall.
Once adjusted, slide the headline panel forward and snap in the 7 clips to hold it to the sunroof panel.
With any luck you are now done. Hit the switch and see.
If you are like me then luck is not your friend and the motor will spin without the sunroof actually moving. If this is the case, you'll need to pull the motor back out and disassemble the gearbox. It is a simple worm drive on a brass gear that is held to the shaft that engages the cables via a friction clutch assembly. Most likely, you will need to adjust the preload on the clutch plate as it has probably worn.
I'll post my fix for that once I get it all dialed in properly. In the meantime, here are pieces:
Exploded.
The friction clutch disc (good side)
Clutch disc (worn side)
How the large gear is sandwiched by the "clutch" assembly. Those two thin washers on the shaft adjust the preload. The disc on the towel is dome shaped and gets squeezed to apply pressure to the friction disc.
You can see where the surface on the shaft has been slipping on the flat portion of the gear.
