2004 BMW Z4 - Soft Top stuck will not go up, Hydraulic motor/top motor failure. How to fix the clogged BMW Z4 roof drain problem permanently and prevent the convertible soft top hydraulic motor failure due to water damage - There are many posts on you tube about the motor failure due to water damage and how to prevent it in the future. Clogged BMW Z4 roof drains lead to high water levels in the water drainage/drip system. The water leaks into the motor sound damping motor container case causing the motor to fail. In my case I had to remove my top to replace a bad passenger side hinge. I found my motor to be soaked in water. Though my motor didn’t fail, I believe it would have very soon if I didn’t catch it early. This video shows my modification to prevent the failure of the top motor due to water damage. In addition to the modification I did clean the drain lines completely and removed the rubber caps at the bottom of the drains under the car. The rubber caps I am sure were designed to keep insects from getting into the roof drain but they are the major contributor to the BMW Z4 roof drains clogging.
I apologize I refer to the DC motor as an engine a couple of times.