CONVERT. TOP COVER SHOWS WEAROR PERM. DAMAGE

REVISION: 01/23/98 DIVS INVL 1 2 7

THIS BULLETIN IS BEING REVISED TO ADD PART NUMBER INFORMATION. PLEASE DISCARD CORPORATE BULLETIN NUMBER 73-10-60 (SECTION 10 - BODY). ______________________________________________________________________

REVISION: 08/14/98 DIVS INVL 1 2 7

THIS BULLETIN IS BEING REVISED TO ADD LABOR TIME INFORMATION. PLEASE DISCARD CORPORATE BULLETIN NUMBER 73-10-60A (SECTION 10 - BODY) ______________________________________________________________________

SUBJECT: CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER SHOWS WEAR OR PERMANENT DAMAGE IN VARIOUS AREAS (PERFORM REPAIR PROCEDURE(S))

MODELS: 1995-97 CHEVROLET CAVALIER (CONVERTIBLE) 1995-97 PONTIAC SUNFIRE (CONVERTIBLE)

CONDITION:

SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER SHOWING WEAR OR PERMANENT DAMAGE AT ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: NEAR THE TOP OF THE QUARTER WINDOWS, MIDWAY DOWN ON THE SAIL PANELS, NEAR THE ENDS OF THE BACK BELT MOLDING OR ABOVE THE QUARTER PANEL BELT OUTER MOLDING.

CAUSE:

CONDITION MAY BE DUE TO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING. REFER TO FIGURES 1 - 6.

A. SHARP EDGE AT TOP OF THE REAR RAILS,

B. MISALIGNMENT OF NO. 4 BOW SLATS,

C. PROTRUDING BACK BELT MOLDING ATTACHING STUDS,

D. PROTRUDING QUARTER BELT TACKSTRIP RIVETS,

E. MISSING OR DAMAGED BALANCE LINK COVERS,

F. SHARP ENDS AT THE NO. 4 BOW.

CORRECTION:

REMOVE CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER. REFER TO TOPCOVER ASSEMBLY IN SECTION 10-9 OF THE 1995/96 J-PLATFORM SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE.

A. IF CONDITION IS DUE TO SHARP EDGE AT TOP OF THE REAR RAILS:

1. DRESS THE CROWN EDGE TO A SMOOTH, APPROXIMATELY 3.18 MM (.125 IN) RADIUS USING A SMALL FINE-TOOTH FILE. REFER TO FIGURE 7.

2. TOUCH-UP PAINT AS REQUIRED.

B. IF CONDITION IS DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF NO. 4 BOW SLATS:

1. OPEN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO THE 3/4 OPEN POSITION.

2. WITH AN ASSISTANT HOLDING THE NO. 4 BOW UP UNTIL IT STOPS, MEASURE AND MARK 177.8 MM (7.0 IN) UP FROM THE TOP OF THE NO. 4 BOW SLAT ATTACHING BOLT AT BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. MEASURE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE NO. 4 BOW SLATS AND THE REAR RAILS; THE DISTANCES LEFT TO RIGHT SHOULD BE EQUAL WITHIN 1.6 MM (.063 IN) SIDE TO SIDE. REFER TO FIGURE 8.

3. CLOSE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HALFWAY.

4. STANDING OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AT THE SIDE WHICH HAS THE LESSER OF THE TWO DISTANCE DIMENSIONS, PUSH ON THE NO. 4 BOW AND BEND THE SLATS UNTIL THE DISTANCES ARE WITHIN SPECIFICATION. CONTINUALLY CHECK THE DISTANCES WHILE BENDING THE SLATS. REFER TO FIGURE 9.

C. IF CONDITION IS DUE TO PROTRUDING BACK BELT MOLDING ATTACHING STUDS:

1. GRIND THE STUDS AT EACH SIDE FLUSH WITH THE NUTS. REFER TO FIGURES 10 - 11.

2. CLEAN THE AREA AROUND THE NUTS WITH A CLEAN CLOTH DAMPENED WITH ISOPROPYL (RUBBING) ALCOHOL.

3. INSTALL LOOP FASTENER VERTICALLY OVER THE NUTS.

D. IF CONDITION IS DUE TO PROTRUDING QUARTER BELT TACKSTRIP RIVETS:

1. INSPECT THE FIRST AND SECOND RIVET AT BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE; RIVET LENGTH OF MORE THAN 3.18 MM (.125 IN) FROM VEHICLE BODY WILL REQUIRE GRINDING. THE FIRST RIVET AT EACH SIDE MAY BE COVERED WITH A SEALING PATCH THAT WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED. REFER TO FIGURES 12 - 13.

2. GRIND THE RIVETS UNTIL THEY ARE WITHIN THE LIMIT. BE CAREFUL NOT TO GRIND TOO MUCH OF THE RIVET.

3. CLEAN THE AREA AROUND THE RIVETS WHICH WERE GROUND DOWN WITH A CLEAN CLOTH DAMPENED WITH ISOPROPYL (RUBBING ALCOHOL).

4. INSTALL LOOP FASTENER VERTICALLY OVER ALL THE RIVETS.

E. IF CONDITION IS DUE TO MISSING OR DAMAGED BALANCE LINK COVERS:

1. OPEN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO THE 1/2 OPEN POSITION.

2. APPLY WEATHERSTRIP ADHESIVE TO THE INSIDE SURFACE AND ALONG THE SPLIT OF THE BALANCE LINK COVER. REFER TO FIGURE 14.

3. INSTALL THE BALANCE LINK COVER, P/N 12368122. MAKE SURE THAT THE TOP OF THE BALANCE LINK COVER IS AT THE SECOND BEND OF THE BALANCE LINK. REFER TO FIGURE 15.

4. REPEAT FOR THE OTHER SIDE.

F. IF CONDITION IS DUE TO SHARP ENDS AT THE NO. 4 BOW:

1. DRESS THE ENDS TO A SMOOTH RADIUS USING A SMALL FINE-TOOTH FILE. REFER TO FIGURE 16.

INSTALL CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER. REFER TO TOPCOVER ASSEMBLY IN SECTION 10-9 OF THE 1995/96 J-PLATFORM SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE.

PARTS INFORMATION:

PARTS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GMSPO.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE:

LABOR OPERATION LABOR OPERATION NUMBER DESCRIPTION TIME =============== ==================================== =============== B3590 COVER ASSEMBLY, FOLDING TOP 5.4 HRS R & R OR REPLACE

ADD: TO REPLACE STAY PADS (EACH) 0.5 HR

ADD: TO REPLACE BACKLITE 0.7 HR

ADD: FOR SUNFIRE REAR SPOILER 0.3 HR

ADD: TOP DAMAGE AT REAR RAILS 0.1 HR

ADD: TOP DAMAGE MISALIGNED #4 BOW 0.2 HR

ADD: TOP DAMAGE BACK BELT MOLDING STUDS 0.3 HR

ADD: TOP DAMAGE QTR BELT TACK STRIP RIVETS 0.3 HR

FIGURES: 16 ATTACHMENTS: 00

FIGURE 1 - TOP COVER DAMAGE DUE TO SHARP EDGE ON REAR RAILS

FIGURE 2 - TOP COVER DAMAGE DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF NO. 4 BOW SLATS

FIGURE 3 - TOP COVER DAMAGE DUE TO BACK BELT ATTACHING STUDS

FIGURE 4 - TOP COVER DAMAGE DUE TO PROTRUDING TACK STRIP RIVETS

FIGURE 5 - TOP COVER DAMAGE DUE TO MISSING OR DAMAGED BALANCE LINK COVERS

FIGURE 6 - TOP COVER DAMAGE DUE TO SHARP ENDS AT NO 4 BOW

FIGURE 7 - DRESSING REAR RAIL CROWNS WITH A FILE

FIGURE 8 - MEASURING DISTANCE BETWEEN NO 4 SLATS AND REAR RAILS LEGEND 1. REAR RAIL 2. NO. 4 BOW SLAT

FIGURE 9 - BENDING NO. 4 BOW SLATS

FIGURE 10 - BACK BELT ATTACHING NUT ON STUD LEGEND 1. NUT ON STUD

FIGURE 11- BACK BELT ATTACHING NUT ON STUD LEGEND 1. NUT ON STUD

FIGURE 12 - FIRST AND SECOND TACK STRIP ATTACHING RIVETS LEGEND 1. SECOND TACK STRIP RIVET 2. FIRST RIVET

FIGURE 13 - MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE FOR PROTRUDING RIVETS

FIGURE 14 - APPLYING ADHESIVE TO THE INSIDE AND SPLIT SURFACES OF THE BALANCE LINK COVER LEGEND 1. USE SERVICE P/N 12368122

FIGURE 15 - INSTALLING A BALANCE LINK COVER TO THE AREA OF THE BALANCE LINK SHOWN IN CROSS-HATCH LEGEND 1. SECOND BEND AT TOP OF BALANCE LINK

FIGURE 16 - CORRECTLY RADIUSED END OF NO. 4 BOW - TYPICAL LEGEND 1. APPROX. 3.18 MM (.125) RADIUS 2. APPROX. 12.7 MM (.5 IN) RADIUS 3. 31.75 MM - 38.1 MM (1.25 IN - 1.5 IN) 4. APPROX. 3.18 MM (.125) RADIUS

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.

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