Targa roof squeak, suggestions?
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,115
From: Denver, CO
Rep Power: 79
Great DIY! My top has been hard to shut and I think it needs cleaning and a lube, so I am going to try this! Today I was at a Porsche group event and my top wouldn't close. Eventually it did close. Poor guy that asked me to open it was very apologetic about it! The slow closing has been going on and getting progressively worse since I bought the car this summer. I told him, not to worry because I thought I found the cure with this article. My Targa is an 07 and I doubt the roof has been ever lubed. Do you think applying McLube will cure a roof that is hard to close? I do get a little noise when it's cold but not much.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,282
From: Pacific Northwest
Rep Power: 70
Hard to close.. sounds like an alignment issue or lots of dirt sticking to the existing lube on the mechanism binding it up. Cleaning that cruft off or fixing the alignment issue would be step 1. (assuming its not a failing motor)
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 184
From: Chicago IL, USA
Rep Power: 26
surathdp - glad the fix worked for you. Appreciate the nice words.
DoninDen - with an '07, I'd bet somebody lubed the roof and used some pretty thick goop doing it. The Porsche techs do. Old grease, the dust sticking to it, and the cooler Jan temps, could easily be enough to slow things down a bunch. I'm betting that's the problem.
But I wouldn't operate the roof a lot without cleaning it thoroughly. It could strain the motor.
If there is a lot of thick / dry / dirty lubricant in the mechanism, take your time getting all of it out. A really light oil on the q-tips will help dilute the old lube make it simpler to remove. Finish the cleaning with alcohol, again on the q-tips or small cotton rags. If you don't, the McLube spray won't stick to the plastic track or the diffuser. The residual grease or oil will prevent it from doing the job.
While you're in there, clean up & lube the mechanism for the rear 'hatch' as well. All the same methods and materials apply. The West Marine down in Littleton will have the McLube spray but you might want to call about the McLube Bearing Oil.
Take that Targa up to the BuckSnort some time this summer and post a pic here.
Dammit I miss Denver.
Good luck with it all.
DoninDen - with an '07, I'd bet somebody lubed the roof and used some pretty thick goop doing it. The Porsche techs do. Old grease, the dust sticking to it, and the cooler Jan temps, could easily be enough to slow things down a bunch. I'm betting that's the problem.
But I wouldn't operate the roof a lot without cleaning it thoroughly. It could strain the motor.
If there is a lot of thick / dry / dirty lubricant in the mechanism, take your time getting all of it out. A really light oil on the q-tips will help dilute the old lube make it simpler to remove. Finish the cleaning with alcohol, again on the q-tips or small cotton rags. If you don't, the McLube spray won't stick to the plastic track or the diffuser. The residual grease or oil will prevent it from doing the job.
While you're in there, clean up & lube the mechanism for the rear 'hatch' as well. All the same methods and materials apply. The West Marine down in Littleton will have the McLube spray but you might want to call about the McLube Bearing Oil.
Take that Targa up to the BuckSnort some time this summer and post a pic here.
Dammit I miss Denver.
Good luck with it all.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 340
From: Treasure Island, FL - Home of the Wide Beach
Rep Power: 34
I wipe the rubber seals w/ McLube spray or McLube One Drop oil on even months & use 303 Aerospace Protectant on the odd months. After 5 1/2 years all the rubber seals on the Cabriolet look new & no squeaks.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 184
From: Chicago IL, USA
Rep Power: 26
Hey na011
I'm not so familiar with the cabrio.
Are you using the McLube spray directly on soft-material seals, or only hard surfaces?
If yes on the soft surfaces, have you seen any change in the material - the texture, rigidity, porosity, anything?
Reason for my asking is the very high concentration of VOCs in the McLube spray. It's a solvent-based product.
McGee (the producer) also has a water-based mold release agent looks interesting. But I've always found 303 Protectant to work perfectly fine.
I'm not so familiar with the cabrio.
Are you using the McLube spray directly on soft-material seals, or only hard surfaces?
If yes on the soft surfaces, have you seen any change in the material - the texture, rigidity, porosity, anything?
Reason for my asking is the very high concentration of VOCs in the McLube spray. It's a solvent-based product.
McGee (the producer) also has a water-based mold release agent looks interesting. But I've always found 303 Protectant to work perfectly fine.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,115
From: Denver, CO
Rep Power: 79
surathdp - glad the fix worked for you. Appreciate the nice words.
DoninDen - with an '07, I'd bet somebody lubed the roof and used some pretty thick goop doing it. The Porsche techs do. Old grease, the dust sticking to it, and the cooler Jan temps, could easily be enough to slow things down a bunch. I'm betting that's the problem.
But I wouldn't operate the roof a lot without cleaning it thoroughly. It could strain the motor.
If there is a lot of thick / dry / dirty lubricant in the mechanism, take your time getting all of it out. A really light oil on the q-tips will help dilute the old lube make it simpler to remove. Finish the cleaning with alcohol, again on the q-tips or small cotton rags. If you don't, the McLube spray won't stick to the plastic track or the diffuser. The residual grease or oil will prevent it from doing the job.
While you're in there, clean up & lube the mechanism for the rear 'hatch' as well. All the same methods and materials apply. The West Marine down in Littleton will have the McLube spray but you might want to call about the McLube Bearing Oil.
Take that Targa up to the BuckSnort some time this summer and post a pic here.
Dammit I miss Denver.
Good luck with it all.
DoninDen - with an '07, I'd bet somebody lubed the roof and used some pretty thick goop doing it. The Porsche techs do. Old grease, the dust sticking to it, and the cooler Jan temps, could easily be enough to slow things down a bunch. I'm betting that's the problem.
But I wouldn't operate the roof a lot without cleaning it thoroughly. It could strain the motor.
If there is a lot of thick / dry / dirty lubricant in the mechanism, take your time getting all of it out. A really light oil on the q-tips will help dilute the old lube make it simpler to remove. Finish the cleaning with alcohol, again on the q-tips or small cotton rags. If you don't, the McLube spray won't stick to the plastic track or the diffuser. The residual grease or oil will prevent it from doing the job.
While you're in there, clean up & lube the mechanism for the rear 'hatch' as well. All the same methods and materials apply. The West Marine down in Littleton will have the McLube spray but you might want to call about the McLube Bearing Oil.
Take that Targa up to the BuckSnort some time this summer and post a pic here.
Dammit I miss Denver.
Good luck with it all.
Don
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 340
From: Treasure Island, FL - Home of the Wide Beach
Rep Power: 34
Hey na011
I'm not so familiar with the cabrio.
Are you using the McLube spray directly on soft-material seals, or only hard surfaces?
If yes on the soft surfaces, have you seen any change in the material - the texture, rigidity, porosity, anything?
Reason for my asking is the very high concentration of VOCs in the McLube spray. It's a solvent-based product.
McGee (the producer) also has a water-based mold release agent looks interesting. But I've always found 303 Protectant to work perfectly fine.
I'm not so familiar with the cabrio.
Are you using the McLube spray directly on soft-material seals, or only hard surfaces?
If yes on the soft surfaces, have you seen any change in the material - the texture, rigidity, porosity, anything?
Reason for my asking is the very high concentration of VOCs in the McLube spray. It's a solvent-based product.
McGee (the producer) also has a water-based mold release agent looks interesting. But I've always found 303 Protectant to work perfectly fine.
Another option is to use Gummi-Pflege. My son uses it on his 1972 BMW 2002.
http://www.z3bimmer.com/OffTopic/E24Bimmer/Gummi/
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 184
From: Chicago IL, USA
Rep Power: 26
Cabrio & McLube
na011, thanks for the info.
You've used it on the rubber - I haven't. So mine is the less experienced opinion here.
But maybe look to use the McLube on the surface opposite of the rubber seal? The solvent used to suspend the lubricant, is pretty aggressive stuff. And although McLube is advertised for use on a variety of surfaces, including mylar and polyester, those rubber seals are way softer and vulnerable even to ozone degradation.
Enjoy the car whatever you do.
You've used it on the rubber - I haven't. So mine is the less experienced opinion here.
But maybe look to use the McLube on the surface opposite of the rubber seal? The solvent used to suspend the lubricant, is pretty aggressive stuff. And although McLube is advertised for use on a variety of surfaces, including mylar and polyester, those rubber seals are way softer and vulnerable even to ozone degradation.
Enjoy the car whatever you do.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 184
From: Chicago IL, USA
Rep Power: 26
The Bucksnort
Cool!
Just make pretty darn sure you aren't wearing your golf togs up there. You'll be taking enough of a risk driving a Porsche.
And take South Elk Creek not Co 83 out of Pine, unless you set up the Targa as a rally car.
Just make pretty darn sure you aren't wearing your golf togs up there. You'll be taking enough of a risk driving a Porsche.
And take South Elk Creek not Co 83 out of Pine, unless you set up the Targa as a rally car.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 237
From: Bay Area, CA
Rep Power: 25
Here's my cure, from my wife's 09. The dealer lubed the roof after it developed a problem, but that was a short-term solution. Honestly I think that the detailers just got too aggressive.
The magic 'stuff' is McLube spray and McLube One Drop oil. They're available for the marine market, from chandleries and various online sources. Magic. I've used it a lot on boats. I use both products.
1) Cover your seats - cheap insurance. Retract the top and open the hatch. If there is dust or dirt inside the roof or the hatch sills, vacuum it out. Get the remainder with detailers spray and a rag.
2) Clean excess gunk from ALL bits of the track with a Q-tip. I didn't use cleaner or solvent. Wouldn't recommend it. Look hard. Find every bit of the track you can, from the top, from inside. Retract the roof a small amount to get to the aft track bits. Be sure to get in (as best you can) to the diffusers/seals both fore and aft of the glass. The rear is especially tough, barely possible.
3) Do the same for all moving parts of the hatch hinges and the lock flange. There hinge mechanism is pretty complex. Actually quite cool.
4) Use the McLube oil on a Q-tip, to coat the tracks (not the sills, the black track), the hatch hinges and the flange. You don't need a lot of oil, just coat the surface. Excess just attracts dust. Again look hard at the track. Find & lube every bit you can - from inside & out, partially & fully retracted roof.
5) Cycle the roof and the hatch. Repeat the lube process.
6) For the moving bits of the diffusers/seals you can't reach, use the McLube spray with the red tube extension. Both diffuser pieces have hinges. I think that the rear diffuser/seal (between the roof and the hatch) is the source of 90% of the problems. So look closely - anywhere that hard plastic sits against a solid piece of the roof.
The McLube spray dries clean. It will not attract dust and grime. Its possible that the McLube spray would do the whole job. No need for the oil. I'd consider trying that if your car is in a dusty environment. But since Porsche used a more viscous product, I use the bearing oil.
Total time? Maybe 20 minutes
Result? - Silence. No issues.
Oh and don't wear jeans. You'll be leaning over the car a lot, easy to scratch your paint.
Let us all know how it works. Honestly I think most of the dealers don't know how to deal with this problem. They know how to align the roof, but...
Tom
The magic 'stuff' is McLube spray and McLube One Drop oil. They're available for the marine market, from chandleries and various online sources. Magic. I've used it a lot on boats. I use both products.
1) Cover your seats - cheap insurance. Retract the top and open the hatch. If there is dust or dirt inside the roof or the hatch sills, vacuum it out. Get the remainder with detailers spray and a rag.
2) Clean excess gunk from ALL bits of the track with a Q-tip. I didn't use cleaner or solvent. Wouldn't recommend it. Look hard. Find every bit of the track you can, from the top, from inside. Retract the roof a small amount to get to the aft track bits. Be sure to get in (as best you can) to the diffusers/seals both fore and aft of the glass. The rear is especially tough, barely possible.
3) Do the same for all moving parts of the hatch hinges and the lock flange. There hinge mechanism is pretty complex. Actually quite cool.
4) Use the McLube oil on a Q-tip, to coat the tracks (not the sills, the black track), the hatch hinges and the flange. You don't need a lot of oil, just coat the surface. Excess just attracts dust. Again look hard at the track. Find & lube every bit you can - from inside & out, partially & fully retracted roof.
5) Cycle the roof and the hatch. Repeat the lube process.
6) For the moving bits of the diffusers/seals you can't reach, use the McLube spray with the red tube extension. Both diffuser pieces have hinges. I think that the rear diffuser/seal (between the roof and the hatch) is the source of 90% of the problems. So look closely - anywhere that hard plastic sits against a solid piece of the roof.
The McLube spray dries clean. It will not attract dust and grime. Its possible that the McLube spray would do the whole job. No need for the oil. I'd consider trying that if your car is in a dusty environment. But since Porsche used a more viscous product, I use the bearing oil.
Total time? Maybe 20 minutes
Result? - Silence. No issues.
Oh and don't wear jeans. You'll be leaning over the car a lot, easy to scratch your paint.
Let us all know how it works. Honestly I think most of the dealers don't know how to deal with this problem. They know how to align the roof, but...
Tom
Thanks!
JD
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