1962 convertible top motor

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 10:52 am

I need to flash the top hydraulic system in my '62 convertible. The system has dot 4 in it now and that's what was it it when I bought the car. I don't know if that's the right stuff or not. What do other convertible owners use. I can suck out the old dot 4. How do I blead the system.
Lyle

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:18 pm

It is recommended to change to Type "A" or "F" transmission fluid, the brake fluid collects moisture with the added benefit of eating the paint when it leaks or is spilled. You will need to disconnect the pump and blow out all the hoses don't forget to open the solenoids with a jumper wire. The cylinders need to be purged of all fluid I do this by taking them off and stroking them back and forth to get all the fluid out, the pump and reservoir also need to be emptied.
The best thing is to flush the components with Alcohol to remove all the residue, brake fluid and oil don't mix that good.
When it is all cleaned out and reconnected fill the reservoir with the trans fluid leaving the fill plug a bit loose so the air can escape and then operate the top it will require refilling almost immediately keep operating and filling as required until the top operates smoothly. Remember to give the pump a rest it is not designed for constant operation and it can overheat and burn out.
Do you have a shop manual, there should be some info in it on filling and bleeding.

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:14 pm

Jim, Thanks for the good information. I do have a shop manual and will check it out. I was wondering about the fluid.

I just finished a brake job. The booster stuck the brake pedal all the way to the floor and all the brakes locked up. I sent the booster to Power Brake Booster Exchange in Portland OR. They rebuilt it for $135 and sent me a dual Master cylinder for $95.00 that I changed over. Everything is working good now.

Lyle
Sedro-Woolley, WA.

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:08 pm

Jim, I've done all the things you said to do. Before that I tried putting the top up and it got about half way through it's cycle and the pump motor tied. I removed the pump and tested it with a battery and nothing. I took it to a shop and they installed new brushes and then it worked. I installed the pump and hooked it to a battery setting in the trunk. I opened the deck solenoid with a jumper wire to test it and it worked.

I then opended all the solenoids with jumper wires and ran the system off the battery that's setting in the trunk and not hooked to the car wiring system. Everything works fine for about 1 minute and then the motor stops. If I let it set for a couple minutes the pump will run for anther minute and stop.

I hooked the pump back up to the cars wiring system and it does the same thing. The motor never gets hot. When the pump stops and I work the top switch the solenoids click but the pump does not run until it sets for a couple minutes then it will run for another minute and stop. Any ideas. Lyle

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:04 am

If the motor is not getting hot check if the circuit breaker is cutting out or the relay points may not be making a good contact and breaking the circuit.

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:17 pm

When I attach the pump to a battery and not using the cars wiring system it does the same thing. There is no circuit breaker or points connected between the battery and the pump motor for this test. The pump will run for about 45 seconds and then stop. It is not getting hot. After I let it set for a couple minutes it will run for anther 45 seconds and stop.
Lyle

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:38 pm

Then I would say that the pump motor is cutting out on a internal overload protecter Ford tended to overprotect some of these things, the 65/66 power window system has a master circuit breaker a current sensitive bimetal switch inside the motors and just for good measure they added a resistance wire in the ground circuit to control the maximum current.

Do you have a shop manual and the Jim Osborne electrical assemblely manual? You also need at least a DC volt meter or test light to trouble shoot what is wrong you need to confirm where you have voltage.
The stopping and restarting of the pump motor would happen prior to it getting hot.

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:55 pm

I have a shop manual and a DC volt meter. I don't have Jim Osborne's electrical assrmblely. Lyle

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:32 pm

Then use the volt meter to find out why the motor is cutting out, connect it to the leads supplying the power to it and make sure that when it quits that you still have a 12 volt supply. If the 12 volts is always going in to the motor and it still cycles on and off time for a new pump the records that I have seen with top pump motor repairs is not great in most cases the pump is on its last legs also.

You can survive with the shop manual but the Jim Osborne electrical and the body and interior manuals are priceless when working on theses cars or trying to restore them the two of them can be got for around 50.00.

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:36 am

I just went back through the posts you did back in October very quick, sorry I did not relate your latest issue to the earlier part of your post. Do you have fluid in the system, has the air been bled out of it, when the pump runs does it pump any fluid?

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:30 pm

There is always 12 volts going to the pump from a fully charges car battery setting in the trunk next to the pump for testing.

Fluid in the system is type F tranny as you recommended. The system has be bled. When I open a hose fitting to a cylinder with the pump running, fluid leaks out.

I'm going to take the pump back to the shop that replaced the brushes today to see what they have to say.

Thanks for all your help. I'll be in touch.

Lyle

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:06 pm

the problem has to be the motor

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:29 pm

I just returned from the shop that repaired the motor. They said there's a bimetal switch inside the motor that was set up to loose. They adjusted the switch and tested it. After that they said it would run for a couple minutes and stop. After a couple mintues it would run again and stop. Same thing it was doing for me.

They said it was drawing 20 amps and that's the problem. They said there is someting wrong with the pump to have it draw 20 amps and the motor is fine..

So, is the pump repairable? I removed the five bolts that hold the cover on and removed the cover. That's as far as I can get. I don't see how to get the pump apart. The shop manual is no help at all. How do I get the pump apart. Can a person get pump parts. I would rather fix this one then buy a new pump.

Lyle

tbird · Post by **tbird** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:56 pm

Lyle as I said earlier I have not seen many sucsesful motor repairs done on these pumps, your best bet is to just purchase a complete new pump. Make sure you get the correct pump for Thunderbird and Lincoln convertibles, it has a larger resevoir and higher volume pump.

lj37 · Post by **lj37** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:14 pm

OK thanks for all your help.
Lyle