I put the power top hyd. system in my 67 vert for the first time since I got it. It all seems to be there and I have power to it.
I have the cylinders mounted in the wells and everything except the actual top frame on.
I need to bleed it and see if it works at all.
Can I operate the cylinders without the top frame being installed.
I filled the motor res. with power steering fluid and the line are empty as are the cylinders.
I read that you hook a jar with extra fluid into the filler hole and then operate the top until all the air is out by watching the jar.
Is this correct?
I am going to wait to here back on here before operating the system.
Thanks
EB

Yes you can run it without the frame connected. You bleed it connected like you mentioned, but you don't watch the jar. You run the cylinders to their fully extended position and hold the switch for 5 seconds more. Repeat as necessary until you don't see air bubbles in the line. If you do it more than 3 times, let the motor cool for a few minutes.

Be aware that the motor has a self resetting overheat switch and there is a 30A self resetting circuit breaker supplying the current. So if it stops working, don't panic, just wait 10-15 mins and try again.

On another brand of convertible I had, I bench bled the system.
I had everything hooked up, reservior filled and an ON-OFF-ON switch, read UP-OFF-DOWN, and harness made for the motor and battery.
I had the pump on the bench and the cylinders below it with the hoses straight up.
This way, as I exercised the cylinders, the air would end up in the reservior and kept topping off the cylinder.

Suggestions for you,
1. With cylinders retracted, fill the reservior.
2. Ensure both cylinders are bled equally. One cylinder having more air than the other will cause the frame to be cocked/crooked when operating and bind creating more load on the pump.
3. If you drive the car in the winter time, unhook the rods from the top, I used clevis pins and hitch pins to make it simple, and retract the rods.
This way the rods are enclosed and the rods will not rust. Cylinders are expensive when a seal breaks due to rust.

Thanks you both. I will do this this evening after work.
EB

also make sure that when you are done bleeding the system that you cap the pump with the cylinders in the retract position and not the extended postition.