The power top on my 70 Chevelle has become sluggish going down, and will not raise the top at all now. When the top is coming up, the pump is running, but nothing happens. Can someone please tell me how to troubleshoot and fix the problem? Does the system need to be bled and fluid added? If so, how, and what kind of fluid?
Thanks for your help! Scott :confused:

Do a "search" on the bleeding proceedure and try that first ;) , but if you still have the original cylinders, I'll bet the seal in them is gone graemlins/sad.gif , when the seal goes in the motor/pump it will short out and stop running :eek: been there, done that, rebuilt the entire system, works great now graemlins/thumbsup.gif
Look for my posts on this subject !

Agreeing with Rick here, you've lost hyd fluid and a bad ram is usually the problem. You'll most likely find a big stain under one or both of your rams.

Once you isolate and repair the problem you will need to fill and bleed the system. I found a fairly easy, fairly clean approach to this. You'll need a length of clear plastic tubing, a roll of electrical tape and hyd fluid / trans fluid. Remove the plug from the pump/motor and wrap electrical tape around the plastic tubing about 2 inches or so from the end and thick enough to make a good seal when you place the tubing in the hole where the plug was. Put the other end of the tubing in the fluid (you want to make sure it stays submerged in the fluid). Next run the top up and down several times, you will here it struggle less and less as the system perges and finds the proper fluid level on it's own. You'll know when to quit by the sound the system makes as you raise and lower the top. Pull the tubing from the pump/motor so the fluid can flow back out of it without spilling and replace the plug...

I know they make pumps and special tools and some tell you to remove the rams from the top before doing this but I found the way I describe the easiest. You can't over fill this way and the mess is minimal unless you kick over the container of fluid...

I just had same problem. Seal in motor went and fluid was in trunk and also starting to fill the motor. Got pump rebuilt for $100 and filled it up and runs great.

Thanks everyone. I bleed the pump and got some fluid in there and it works like a champ!