My 1986 Buick Regal astroroof is sick. While it retracts OK, when selecting to close it, it becomes sluggish and stops approximately an inch from closer. Nor will it "ride up" to become flush with the rooftop even when forcing closer by hand. I've already hacked-away at the headliner (it needs to be replaced anyway) but I am a little reluctant to remove the whole astroroof assembly even though I know it would be easier to bench test it out of the car. That seems like an enormous job in which I can see myself really screwing it up. Somewhere on the Internet I seem to recall a book or manual that was written exclusively for troubleshooting the Buick astroroof and discussing the astroroof'* removal and restoration. Does anyone know where there exists such a manual?

I'm not aware of this manual.

This is a 37-year-old sunroof, from back in the day when they were still figuring out how to do sunroofs well. It, and all of its mechanicals, have been at the second-hottest place on the car for almost forty years, so lubricants will be dry, plastics will be brittle and cracked, motors will be tired, and some or all of it might have been water damaged at one time or another. You are wise to be cautious with this project.

My suggestion: Convince it to close all the way, don't open it again, then set aside several weeks of time where you can patiently take it apart, find (or manufacture your own) parts, repair it, and put it back together while all of it is protected from weather.

Thank you Cathedral Cub for your very wise and profound advice. I am in agreement. In the research I have done since putting my posting
here on the forum I have learned that my astroroof is complicated by the fact that it is not a factory install. Apparently it was done after
the car was manufactured by a company called "ASC." I further have seen references on the Internet that the parts used on factory astroroofs and those used on ASC astroroofs are NOT interchangeable. Great. So my strategy right now is to just somehow get the sunroof to close fully, put on a new headliner and never use it. I'm just not interested in re-engineering and re-fabricating at this point. Maybe some day I will be but I'd rather proceed to other things I know I can do to renovate this '86 Regal. I appreciate your wisdom.

Call them.
https://www.ascsunroofs.com/sunroofs

My Buick Regal astroroof and I got along better today. After reading so many references to the four primary issues
with sunroofs (lubrication, motor, jamming, hardened weather seal) I decided to try a partial dose of the easiest, lubrication. I layered a thin bead of
lithium grease on all the tracks I could reach while the astroroof was open and worked the motor back and forth to
push some of that grease back into the nether regions that I am unable to reach. I was able to get the astroroof to close and
seal fully after several tries. I've got to replace my headliner board and fabric so after the old stuff has been removed I think I will
cover all the seats and upholstery with plastic and shoot some spray into the track area that I cannot see. Maybe that will
free things up enough to let the astroroof move freely and normally. However I really think I am done opening the sunroof at all unless I drive into a lake and it'* my only means of egress.


Thanks for the suggestion carfixer007. I did send them an e-mail but their website sounds more like they're in the business
of installing sunroofs of their own manufacture. As I understand it, "ASC" that was used by Buick in the 1980s was actually American Specialty Cars
instead of Automotive Sunroof Company.

That'* good news, thanks for the update!

I think you are on the right track just keeping it closed. . . at least until you can do a full restoration on all the parts.