1984 Eldorado Top won't go up

[wheikkila]

I have a club member that I'm helping work on his 84 Eldorado. We finely got it running and drove it around. We were checking it over and the top would not go up. I have not checked anything at this time. But I would like to know were to start.
                  Thanks Wayne

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Is it Manual or Electric?

If Electric, then I would firstly be checking Fuses/Circuit Breaker.

Bruce.

[wheikkila]

Thanks Bruce It is electric. I figured it would have a relay or breaker that operated the top. I'm going back over tomorrow I will see what I can find.
             Thanks Wayne
 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Seeing as these weren't factory-build cars, I doubt if there would be any wiring diagram, so I can envisage some dismantling of the interior to physically trace the wiring.

Bruce.

[TJ Hopland]

Isn't there some tie in to the windows?  Something about the windows have to go down or up or maybe the automatically went down?   I never had one just something I remember coming up here before.  Hopefully someone that knows these cars can give the details.

[79 Eldorado]

TJ,
Something similar did come up 1 to 2 years ago. If I recall correctly, in that case, it had something to do with a relay which is tripped by a sensor/switch actuated by the 1/4 windows lowering. That switch/relay prevents the top operation from breaking the 1/4 glass.

Scott

[James Landi]

THe top can be manually managed with a valve on the flex hydraulic lines in the trunk behind the spare tire. If you turn the valve, you can pull the top up and down.  There's a cardboard bulkhead that is easily removed, and there's a relay that services the windows /lowering the the top going down all at once.  THe wiring in these cars a challenge to trace as there are so many wires.  I would start at the switch as the switch contacts often oxidize and then they have no contact.  YOu might try pushing hard on the switch.  The wires are heavy gauge and should last and last.  There's a fuse somewhere--- but having owned two, they are a "rats nest" and should not be touched (only as a last resort).  I think some experimenting at the switch, and at the relay in the trunk should yield results.   Hope this helps James 

[wheikkila]

Update. I went and looked at the car today. The first thing I did was check all the fusses. They were good. I then pulled the cover to get to the switch. I had power to the switch but nothing coming out. I unplugged the switch and jumped across the wires. The top went right up. Jumped it the other way and the top went down. It was funny the interior was prefect except for the top switch. It is the only thing inside looking weathered. The owner is going to order one. He found one at Caddy Daddy. I'm done till the switch comes in. I can now go back to working on my own cars.  Thanks For everyone's input. I will let you know if everything works like it should after I replace the switch.
                    Thanks Wayne
                     

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Great news.

Thanks Wayne.

Bruce.

[Big Fins]

Check to see if a relay was put on the back wall behind the rear seat back. If not, you may want to put one in so the switch doesn't have to push through all of the demand.

[James Landi]

John,

Having owned two of these, I made a point of disconnecting  the windows down function that occurs behind the rear seat as you mentioned: HOWEVER, the MAJOR concern focused on those rear quarter back windows getting slammed and shattered by the heavy top frame on the way down.  SO while the relay did take up some of the amperage load from the windows, I believe the top motor still creates some heat at the switch contacts.  I hated to havfe the heavy load on the electrical system but had to remind myself about those vulnerable back windows.       James

[wheikkila]

Yes, If the car was mine. I would most likely do something to reduce the voltage at the switch. But it is a club members car. I was ask to just get the top working. Once I install the new switch. I will then know if more work will be required.
               Thanks Wayne     

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

In order to reduce the amount of load on the switch, I would be fitting two relays in the circuit, one for up, and the other for down, and just using the switch to operate the relays.

Bruce.

[76eldo]

Contacts in the switch are probably either burnt or oxidized.
They can cleaned sometimes by removing from the car, spray with electrical cleaner and operating the switch several times.

May even be able to source a new switch on the web. Not from a Cadillac supplier but as an electronic part.

Caddy suppliers will be selling you an overpriced used switch.

[Mike Shawgo]

It is most likely one of the relays in the trunk behind the spare tire.  There are two identical relays--one puts the top up, the other puts the top down. The lowering of the windows is included, one plug has an extra wire as I recall.  The window lowering is connected to the neutral safety switch on the steering column, so that the windows only go down if the car is in Park.

Did you try pressing the top down switch just to see if it has power?  If you need to get the top up and only one of the relays is bad, you can switch the relays and put the top up.

The relays are sometimes on Ebay. GM used the same relay for some 6-way power seats.  I have a couple of them in my stash, I would be willing to sell.

There is one on Ebay now, but not a very good photo.  I couldn't find a good photo of one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224061096613?hash=item342b1502a5:g:DvkAAOSwG4Be-Naa

Mike