'88 Cavalier power top motor

Did you check the top switch, circuit breaker and other fuses. there is a relay on the wall behind the back seat you can check.

Funny thing happend on my 89 Z-24 , a box shifted in the trunk pushing against the well cover, lowering the top it went down crooked the final

8 inches when the frame hit the box.

Why it did what it did I don't know but the top woouldn't go up after that. I thought something happened to the motor. I checked everything. This happened in Erie PA as I was leaving to drive back to Chicago in

90+ degree weather and on the highway. Hot, Hot, Hot.

At night after I got home I went out to play with it again and noticed the interior lights didn't work. I didn' t know this during the day when it was light out.

The fuse had blown. No mention of the top switch being tied in on the int fuse line.

Replaced the fuse - top went up -down - up- down. all was fine.

good luck.

In 1999 the price for a new motor was $800.00

Words of advise - DO NOT BANG ON TOP MOTORs.

The magnets inside my motor fell off that surround the motor armature - I re- glued then all was fine again.

Harryface

05 Park Avenue 91 Bonneville LE, 303,149 miles

Yeah, has voltage at the connector on motor. Took motor out & hooked

12V up to it on the bench, dead as a doornail. Funny thing was it worked when I put the top up to wash the car, went to put it down right afterwards & wouldn't move. Sounds like it could be a magnet came loose inside like yours did--I guess I'll check that. Websites I've checked want $326 for a rebuilt, plus whatever shipping & etc. Any special procedure about refilling & purging the hyd lines? (or just do it in whatever way looks easiest/least messy)

Owning 2 converts, I've never had the experience in removing the hydraulic lines. On the 89 Z-24 I had the Top motor is two piece, the electrical end comes off and the hydraulic end stays put. No need to mess with lines, oil etc..

Unfortunately I gave my Service manual to the guys that bought my car, I should of kept it.

Rmove the electrical end of the motor - possibly your magnet (s) fell off inside or the brushes wore down and grounded out.

The motor is fairly simple to work on if you have the ability. I forget what i used to reglue the magnets on, probably some kind of epoxy glue.

Yep, motor's usually die when the top is one way or another, eiither up or down.

good luck

Harryface

05 Park Avenue 91 Bonneville LE, 303,149 miles

Took the motor apart, the brushes ground down to nothing, ate into the armature a fair amount also. Seems surprising the motor would've got that much use to wear completely out, since the top never gets used all winter, etc. It's not like it's the driver's door window motor or something. Gonna check the local junkyards tomorrow--better than paying $2-300+ dollars if something will get me by for now for $40, I'll be more than happy. My previous rag was a '67 Buick GS400 convertible which I had for 18 years and never had to mess with the top motor the whole time.

See if a 94 Sunbird / Cavalier is the same as the 88 motor. Less wear than an older one.

Harryface

05 Park Avenue 91 Bonneville LE, 303,219 miles