'62 Convertible Top Problems

[YellowRose]

Larry Jones sent me an email requesting help with his '62 Convertible top. I hope someone can help him. Here is what he had to say.

"In need of some electrical advice badly. I am at my wits in. I own a 62 convertible. In the last two weeks I was able to raise my lid with no problem but was hestiate to bring up the top. Took it to a electrical shop and they had to apply power to the up and down switch to raise the top. They indicate there was no power to the switch whatsoever. Now I removed the plug myself and the plug has power with the Acc on. I tested the plug which I disconnected from the Top control safety relay just the plug and have power to the plug. Now as far as the relay with the 3 prongs itself putting a ground lead attached to a screw and touching the positive led with a static check it shows infinite. Shouldnt it register 000 ohms meaning on the terminal for a good static check at that relay. Thank you frustrated Larry."

[jopizz]

Maybe I'm reading the post wrong but if you can raise the trunk lid then the top switch and relay are ok. If the top won't go up then you probably have a problem with the top erect relay or one of the limit switches.

John

[Larry Jones]

up and down switch

Thank you for addressing the issue John. The electician indicated there was no power at the switch so he had to apply power there. When I got it home Dead at the switch nothing. I removed the switch and there was over 12 volts coming from the plug which gets connected to the switch. I did a ohms check on the up and down switch and it read infinite on the meter.did a ohms check on the top control safety relay and got infinite reading across with the plug off. The three prong plug was putting out over 12 volts itself. Am I reading and doing the tests right. Thank you John

[Larry Jones]

Thank you for addressing the issue John. The electician indicated there was no power at the switch so he had to apply power there. When I got it home Dead at the switch nothing. I removed the switch and there was over 12 volts coming from the plug which gets connected to the switch. I did a ohms check on the up and down switch and it read infinite on the meter.did a ohms check on the top control safety relay and got infinite reading across with the plug off. The three prong plug was putting out over 12 volts itself. Am I reading and doing the tests right. Thank you John

The electrician brought the top up. By applying power at the switch if I had a bad limit switch or relay How would he have accomplished that feat.

[jopizz]

I agree that if the electrician got the top to work by putting power to the top switch then everything past that is ok. If you have power on the black wire at the top switch then that seems to indicate a bad switch. Power comes from the top control neutral switch and goes to the black wire on the top switch. If you put a jumper wire from the black to red or black to yellow wire on the plug the top should operate. Did the electrician have the car in park or neutral when they were testing for power. Sometimes you have to play with the gear shift to get it in the right spot. There's also a 50 amp slo-blo circuit breaker on the starter solenoid that can trip and cause the top not to work.

John

[Larry Jones]

top switch

Iam a little burned out and at my wits end Tonight John. I have power to the plug over 12 volts our you saying that the switch is bad after the olms test I performed on the switch itseld and read infinite ohms like it should. Thank you Larry. PLease stay with me John this is all new to me.

[jopizz]

Larry,

Does your ohmmeter have an audible signal. To me that's more foolproof than using the scale. If it beeps when you have the probes from the center post to either end post and the button is pushed in that direction then it's good. If no beep then it's bad. If you put a jumper wire on the plug as I said and the top works then you know the switch is bad. Most of the time it just needs to be taken apart and the contacts cleaned.

John

[Larry Jones]

Iam a little burned out and at my wits end Tonight John. I have power to the plug over 12 volts our you saying that the switch is bad after the olms test I performed on the switch itseld and read infinite ohms like it should. Thank you Larry. PLease stay with me John this is all new to me.

I own a dvm. The funny thing about all of this is before the electrician I was cycling the trung lid up and down. I was hestitate about trying to bring the top up because it been 2 years and didnt want to chance the top. Iam going to sign off right now . Ill be back in touch with you Sunday. Thanks Larry

[Larry Jones]

I own a dvm. The funny thing about all of this is before the electrician I was cycling the trung lid up and down. I was hestitate about trying to bring the top up because it been 2 years and didnt want to chance the top. Iam going to sign off right now . Ill be back in touch with you Sunday. Thanks Larry

Ok its Sunday now. Went out the wires from the plug our red green and yellow Inserting my dvm one os to ground inserted the red probe into the plug unattached from the switch and now no power in any of the slots. What does that tell you about the plug and thats with the car being started. Lets go from there now if we could I no I indicated before that I had power at the plug must of tested wrong that time. Larry

[jopizz]

Larry,

Try moving the shift lever a little. Just about every car I've had I had to move the shifter to get the top to work. Even with the car running the neutral switch may not be in the right place.

John

[Larry Jones]

Larry,

Try moving the shift lever a little. Just about every car I've had I had to move the shifter to get the top to work. Even with the car running the neutral switch may not be in the right place.

John

Our you saying the up and down switch is good then without being any volt there. Do you have or had one of these cars before yourself. Top control safety switch is a bear to reattach I dont have a small enough open wrench too dislodge the two bolts that our holding this relay to the back of the firewall. How would this electrician I used been able to put power to one of these wires none of them our shaved And i think he didnt have the plug disconnected from the door either. Is there another way to put power to the up and down switch I dont no about. I will wriggle the shifter or put it in neutral once I get the plate off the back of the firewall. Larry

[simplyconnected]

Larry,

Does your ohmmeter have an audible signal. To me that's more foolproof than using the scale. If it beeps when you have the probes from the center post to either end post and the button is pushed in that direction then it's good. If no beep then it's bad. If you put a jumper wire on the plug as I said and the top works then you know the switch is bad. Most of the time it just needs to be taken apart and the contacts cleaned.

John

John is a good mechanic with many years of experience. He is giving a good path of direction for troubleshooting. If you want him to 'stay with you' I suggest you 'stay with him' and answer his simple questions. That way you both stay on the same page.

Troubleshooting someone else's problem is very hard. We depend on your observations and descriptions to be detailed and true (without changing the answer or jumping around). Ultimately, YOU will fix the problem if you allow John to help.

I suggest you carefully read John's posts and follow his lead. John suggests using a jumper wire. Did you try that?

BTW, "infininity" or "~" means the wire or switch is OPEN like a blown fuse. "Zero ohms" means continuity, like a good fuse. Test your switches using the 'ohm' scale only when they are removed from power. Use the "VDC" scale when checking for +12 volts. I hope this helps and I hope you stick with it. These old switches and relays need to be cycled because that cleans the contacts. You should keep running the top up and down to keep everything healthy. - Dave

[jopizz]

Larry,

The top switch only gets 12V when the neutral switch is in the right place. If the shift lever moves a fraction of an inch that would be enough for it not to get voltage. Especially if you have a sloppy shifter like the majority of Thunderbirds. I've owned at least a dozen 60-66 convertibles and have worked on many more in the past 35 years or so. I believe I know what I'm talking about. I have no way of knowing what your electrician did without seeing it for myself. I also don't know what you are talking about regarding the plate on the firewall.

John

[Larry Jones]

Our you saying the up and down switch is good then without being any volt there. Do you have or had one of these cars before yourself. Top control safety switch is a bear to reattach I dont have a small enough open wrench too dislodge the two bolts that our holding this relay to the back of the firewall. How would this electrician I used been able to put power to one of these wires none of them our shaved And i think he didnt have the plug disconnected from the door either. Is there another way to put power to the up and down switch I dont no about. I will wriggle the shifter or put it in neutral once I get the plate off the back of the firewall. Larry

Where else could he have put power John.

[Larry Jones]

nss

Where else could he have put power John.

I got under the stering wheel and looked at my nss. There our two bolts one on each side of the column along with the contacts in the middle. The one bolt is very loose like just hanging there. That on the right side On another web site they indicated to use a star washer where I dont even have a washer at all. Theres a picture that I noticed of how this is secured. There is a wire secured to the loose bolt my 1962 thunderbird Electrical assembly manual doesnt tell to much about the wiring of this switch. But how much can several star washers cost anyway. Plus my eye sight isnt to good being a diabetic for 51 years on insulin. I thought the top control safety relay was secured by a nut it secured by screws. Might have to remove half the side frame of the console to get to it. The loose bolt I no is not hot. Larry