One the best, most thorough resources for the e93 I've ever found has to do with the Lubrication and Conditioning of Seals on our origami convertible tops! Rather than rehash what they've down so well, I'll provide the links for you to read/download yourself and provide my feedback/experiences below.
Sources:
PDF Download Link:
THE GUIDE
Source:
Original Post
Please let me know if the original posters are on here so I can give them credit!
Background: My e93 roof did not operate smoothly from the time I got it. The up/down movement wasn't fluid/smooth, it could be a little choppy/surge-like. One day, the top wouldn't come up (not even the trunk lid would raise), and I thought for sure I needed a new hydraulic pump. Luckily, it went back up on the way to the mechanic so I held off on a repair. Online research lead me to the links above. I decided to try lubricating the top before replacing the convertible hydraulic pump ($1,950 from FCP Euro, I'd go TopHydraulics rebuilt route for ~$500).
Positioning the Convertible Top Properly: I can't stress this enough, make sure you stop your convertible in the right position and support it to avoid excess strain on your hydraulic system. Better safe than sorry! I will follow-up with the proper way.
Lubricating the Convertible Hardware: Read THE GUIDE which goes into a lot of detail, then read how I adapted it. Based on reading THE GUIDE, I decided to be thorough and do my own 2 step route.
First, I went with 3in1 penetrating oil to really get down into the joints/bearings/slides and get everything moving and flush out old grease/rust. Make sure to place rags/plastic down to avoid getting this on your interior. After applying, I put the top down and took it out for a drive. Every couple of minutes I would put the top up or down to work the oil in. Already operating smoother
This is the 3-in-1 penetrating oil I used:
3-in-1 Penetrant Oil
Second: After about a day, it was time for the long lasting lithium grease. Using THE GUIDE, I applied grease to all the locations specified. DO NOT OVERDO IT, last thing you want is globs of grease falling on your leather/trim/paint. With this in mind, I opted for a small squeeze tube (rather than a spray bottle) to allow for more precise application and used a qtip/toothpick to help get it deeper into some of the joints. I operated the top a few times, and then wiped away excess grease that served no lubricating purpose. This is the lithium grease I used:
White Lithium Grease
Conditioning the seals: Read THE GUIDE which goes into a lot of detail, then read how I adapted it.
First step for me was a deep cleaning of the grime accumulated on my seals. With the convertible top in the maintenance position, I used a toothbrush and soapy water to GENTLY and thoroughly clean the seals until I saw rubber. There are a lot of channels in these complex seals and a lot of spots where grime accumulates. I rinsed as best I could, and thoroughly wiped them all down with a wet micro fiber.
Second step, I did a quick conditioning with Gummi Pflege to help loosen the seals up (wanted to do it quick protection after doing the 3in1 lubrication). This is the product I used, no complaints but may try Sonax on the next replacement.
Gummi Pflege
Third step, about a week later, I went with the Krytox for the long term, thorough conditioning as recommended and detailed in THE GUIDE. A little goes a long way with this stuff! Here is the Krytox product I used:
Krytox
Hope this helps my fellow e93 enthusiasts out! I will update with photos next time I do it. Feel free to comment and provide feedback so we can all benefit!
