E36 Auto to Manual Convertible Top Swap
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- IG - That.blue36
Manual Tonneau cover diagram with locking system & part numbers
- www.realoem.com...
Auto Tonneau cover with lock system diagram (for help)
- www.realoem.com...
Manual soft top diagram with part numbers
- www.realoem.com...
Tonneau manual lock system video
- • E36 Full Manual Conver...
E36 center lock fuse to unlock trunk
- • How to unlock your BMW...
How to put down the Auto top manually
❗E36 top instructions❗
.He starts with "First, manually open the top, placing it back into its storage bin, and then close the lid of the bin as far as it will go."
Fine and dandy if you know how to manually open the top. I should note that if the motors are not currently disengaged, pull the handle and disengage them, or none of this will work.
There are a couple of very important steps he left out.
1 Open the hood (bonnet for you Brits). Locate the fuse panel near the firewall on the driver's side (American). Yank fuse #7 which partially controls the central locking system and the convertible top. If you previously couldn't get into your trunk, now you can. Keep it closed.
2. Locate the small plastic cover plate in the center of the front of the convertible top (back from the dome lights). Remove it by using a sharp object and prying it out from the seam nearest you (furthest from the windshield frame) to keep from damaging it.
3. Locate the Allen screw within. Minimally, all you need is an Allen wrench (don't ask me what size) and a hell of a lot of endurance for repetitive motion. Your best bet is to snag a cordless drill with an Allen bit in it. Either way, insert the Allen-tool and rotate it CLOCKWISE. You will see the top start to move slowly away from the windshield frame. Next, the two latches uncouple from the windshield frame. DON'T STOP HERE. That was my stumbling stone. Keep cranking it clockwise until it starts clicking.
4. Lift the front of the top up as far up and back as you can. Don't force anything, you'll know when it reaches its limit of motion.
5. Now lift the back of the top up. Once you lift it high enough, you will be able to grab the front and fold the top back down into the trough that to top fits into.
DO NOT PULL THE HANDLE FIRST
❗I just checked and it was indeed turn right to disengage, left to reattach❗
❗so essentially, its probably best to disengage the motors first as it makes no difference to the alan key openening part of the process. How will I know when I have used the alan key enough? Will I get resistance, or hear a noise maybe?
Resistance, it'll be harder to turn it.
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Gotta be another way to get the top cover open without cutting holes in the car, i want to keep mines as clean as possible.
Well the top cover is replaceable so that's why I wasn't tripping about it. And I honestly don't think there's another way. Because if the locks won't release from pulling the emergency latch there no other way to get in there.
I just got mines disengaged by taking out the cover motor in the trunk
The cables to mine had to much slack to release the cover. Dropping my motor didn't do anything and for in the lever for the cover motor ain't work.
Ssparksmedia the cutting on the toneau cover isnt a big deal but cuttjng through your back armrest was bad idea. Those leather ones are rarer
@@STLLTNDR You could just go straight to the cover motor, there is a latch where one of the cables corresponds to...but I get it it's a bitch when you can't get the top down, nice wheels by the way
How much would u say the total cost is or an estimate to swap to manual cause my top don’t work rn but if this is cheaper I might as well just switch to this
I got the top for around 400-500 with the brackets from a pick and pull yard the hardware and everything I needed. But I did pay about 230 for the manual lock mechanism system for the rear cover. I forgot to grab it off the pick and pull car the day. So I got it from a BMW parts guy off Facebook later. So I spent prolly around. 700-800 tbh could’ve did it cheaper if I grabbed everything I needed off that pull car.
The manual top I got came from an auto 318 e36. Mine was a 328i so I guessed the lower trim models got a manual release while the higher ones got auto
Nice video man! Just picked up a E36 vert and seen your post in the Facebook group!
Appreciate it man I hope this helps anybody looking to do the swap
No no no hell no. Please dont cut the top cover. If the emergency handle under the seat doesn't work. Go in the trunk and pull the release manually. There's 2 of them. One on the left behind the driver side rear light. The other on the top left in the trunk.
Cutting was my last resort after trying everything i could to get the cover to release. of course i tried going through the trunk but the cable itslef has to much slack to release the cover. so it had to get cut up lol its replaceable for anybody that has to do it.
LMAO
Ok I see you with the manual drop top homie 🙌🏾
Anyone in Long Island New York can do this for me , I have1996 e36 vomvertib
I pay
I’m just not a handy person
thanks great video on convertible
After you cut the wholes out to get the top up could you replace the part you cut into so it won’t look as bad after you swap it?
Yeah the tonneau cover is replaceable 4 bolts hold it on , two on each side
My last E36 was a Str8 gear with the manual top... I now have the same car but automatic might consider making the top on that one automatic too
I have a full automatic one. In order to do the swap I need to get a new soft top?
Or I can use my original one?
You can use your original auto top but you would need the front locking system from a manual top ( the Handle and such) and maybe the rear tonneau lock system only if your emergency latch works to release the tonneau cover. I just found it easier to swap the whole top just because my auto top was falling apart. And it's easier to Grab and whole top because you get everything rather than trying to source specific parts you would need just to keep your auto. I grabbed A whole manual top with bracket for 174$ from a pick and pull.
Wtf do I do if I don’t have the handle that releases the convertible area
either try to manually release it from the motor in the trunk or cut holes in the top cover like I did which is replaceable. to gain access to the locks on both sides to release it.
How rare is the oem manual top? I have it but I actually never saw it on any other e46’s while shopping for mine. It’s really not bad opening the top, by myself it takes about 30-45 seconds
its not really rare if you know what e36 to look for. like I knew that 318s came with manual tops because all the 328i I saw were auto.
HELP!!! Trunk is Stuck - Won't Open With Key.
After viewing your video, I think you could help me solve a huge problem,
The top on my '95 325ic convertible was already converted to manual years before I purchase it.
Unfortunately, the other day I created a huge problem for myself when - for the first time ever my trunk became stuck (unable to unlock) - after removing the flap and taking the top down to get water out, that had accumulated in the area where convertible top is stored.
Even though I have owned this car for 5 years only after watching video did I learn the trunk won't open if the top is down. In addition, the two rear latches on opposite sides of car under flap , which could disable the trunk latch.
To my pleasant surprise, upon watching your video at about (4:50) mark you begin talking about the same thing - inability to get into trunk , door locks and removing a fuse from the central fuse box, which I did not do before taking this top down - never had to in the past either. You also stated, that you would share a video, which I can't find on your TH-cam page.
So, I am wondering what has went wrong here? Why does my key no longer work in the trunk lock cylinder, even though I have let the top up and down manually dozens of times before. When I turn the key to the left, I can hear the motor engaging, but when turned to the right there is nothing - no sounds or resistance / tension - like something is broke or disconnected.
==========
Now I am at a point in which I may have to pull rear seats out to access panel to break into trunk OR drill holes under rear tag to try accessing the cable. My third option is to take it to the dealership and be ripped off in a mighty way.
Therefore, any advice or expertise you could give would be appreciated.
Many Thanks,
L____
lookup a fuse diagram for the e36 there is plenty you want to pop out fuse 7 that should unlock your trunk. because your car thinks the top is down so it won't open and let me know if that works.
@@STLLTNDR Thanks for replying I will check that out.
Push down on the right of the boot or sit something on it then push the trunk button
STLL, will you convert mine for me for a fee or do you know anyone who will?
depends on where your located but convert do you mean to take your auto top and convert it to a manual or completely change the top as I did. and I don't know a place that will do that job specifically but it's not a hard job just depends on if your auto top folds or not.
Take out the motor from the trunk. This is not the right way
Ikem Chukwudifu did that prolly forgot to mention it