92 vert top won't work
 

The top on my 92 just decided one day to stop workin. It will click in both directions. I couldn't find anything in the forum that helped. Please help!!

Dear ToplessLX,

This is a great question and a posted answer that might be looked at for some time into the future.

Mustang (and for that matter almost all convertibles) utilize an incredibly simple hydraulics system. The hydraulics pump (motor that you hear when you push the down or up top button) is simply a small squirrel cage type motor that pushes hydraulic fluid.

When you push the "Down" side of the top switch button, it detracts the conv. hydraulic cylinder (sucks fluid from the bottom of the cylinder and pushes down from the top at the same time). When you push the "Up" side of the switch it simply reverses the squirrel cage pump and pushes fluid up into the hydraulic cylinder from the bottom and sucks it from the top at the same time.

When you hear a "click" this typically means that you have a relay problem (located behind the back seat near the pump, this is usually able to be accessed from the trunk) it is a small metal box with wire leads going into it, but sometimes the switch needs to be verified first.

This relay basically is the part that instructs the pump to reverse polarities and run forward or backward.

This is not an expensive fix. NAPA Auto Parts Stores have this kind of relay (or maybe some other parts stores, I just trust NAPA more when it comes to electronics parts) and it should not be trouble to find.

'Luck,
scan

any suggestions on how to check and be sure this is the problem? i'm fairly good at electronics so feel free to be a tad advanced

After researching the situation, it seems that the '92 actually has 2 relays. They are square black plastic relays and I'm not sure on their location. Go to Hydro-E-Lectric's website (hydroe.com) to see more info.

Let's see, logic says that if you are hearing a click, then the switch must be sending current to the pump, right? Now then, how do you tell if it is a bad relay, or problems with the pump? I haven't ever done it, but I would try to bypass the relay and put a hot wire and ground to the pump and see if it works. If it does, great, just saved $200. That would be the time to look at the relay.

I do know that the pump will run even if the fluid level is low, so you would hear the pump buzzing.