RefrigMan

Besides the nice '89 Reatta and the running but needing a lot '90, my Corvair convertible is a '63 that I have had for 25 years, my Avanti is a '78 with the Corvette 350ci V8, my Mercedes 300td diesel station wagon is an '80 converted to also run on used vegetable oil (odd enuf?), my '61 Ranchero Falcon is in mid engine swap for last several years after it spun a bearing starting for first time in 2 years. My bike is an '80 Honda CX500 shaftdrive watercooled twin. Previous vehicles include a BMW Isetta, a King Midget, 2 600cc Hondacars, a 360cc Suzuki "Brute" 4wd,an '87 Sterling w/ Acura running gear (loved to run at 100mph), a '55 Packard 400 coupe w/ loadleveling, a '51 Nash Ambassador 'bathtub','52 Desoto hemi SW, and '50 Stude starlight coupe (coming or going?), and so on. Am I getting odd enuf yet? Dave

I had a custom hitch made for my '90--and have photos of it from advertising and selling the hitch on this forum after I bought my '89. It bolted through 2 holes on each side of the spare tire well just forward of the rear bumper--and did clear the rear valence. the front bolted through a single hole in the frame crossmember. Wiring was spliced directly into wiring for taillights in rear of trunk just forward of taillights. I used it immediately to tow a car dolly with a 2700 pound Chevy Citation from Tucson to Oakland, CA. (Lost brake booster function N. of LA and rest of trip North, plus return of 900 miles was done with a VERY firm brake pedal!) Return trip was done towing a Mitsubishi Galant of about 2300 lbs. Plenty of towing power--But tongue weight was low. Your mini trailer should tow like it isn't even there. Low tongue weight and low total weight. Tongue weight is more important of the two. E mail me at refrigman@aol.com and I can send you a picture or two of the hitch. Dave

235 is too high for an equalized reading with system off---and sounds like a high side (condenser line) reading (same smaller line that has the filter drier on it) with the compressor running. He needed (and you, using your gauges) need to check the difference between the equalized pressure (with system off) and the running pressure on the LOW side (the fitting on the larger line which runs directly from the compressor to the firewall/evaporator. Pressure off probably about 150-180 depending on ambient temperature, and should pull down with a properly charged system to about 30-35 lbs with compressor on and an engine raised to around 2000 rpm. Higher pressure at idle. If your equalized pressure is about right but doesn't change much (pull lower) when compressor comes on you have no valves left in the compressor (and need a compressor). If your equalized pressure is much lower you have a slow leak and you don't need a compressor, you need to (maybe) find the leak, and recharge system with a partial additional R12 charge--or try just adding charge and praying it is a VERY slow leak. If changing the compressor definitely convert to 134a--SO YOU WON'T BE DESPERATE AS R12 GETS EVEN HARDER TO GET! Use the left gauge (blue) and hose to connect to the low side valve to check pressure. You can connect the other gauge and rt side hose to the high side and that should go UP from equalized pressure when compressor comes on--250 or a little higher when running would be about right--which is about what the bozo who "worked" on yours found--and why I suspect he was on the wrong line. Good Luck.' Dave

WD40 is a water displacer (hence 'WD')that acts temporarily as a lube, then evaporates and stops lubing. White lithium spray lube is readily available and stays where it is sprayed. Much better.If a thinner 'run down to where you need it' is needed try little plastic bottles w/ extendable spouts of 'turbine oil or the old tried and true '3-in-1' light machine oil. Can is now plastic rather than metal but product as good as ever. Dave

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">when this shows up in an 88 it is in the dash. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. They might have moved the message to the crt in 89....if they are the same [the problem] is the oil sending unit on the motor....in the 88 you can watch the oil guage top out when you get the message......hope this helps...ken </div></div> In both my 90 and my 89, on 1st start in the morning in cold weather only, I get low oil level message. If I immediately shut off engine and restart message is gone. And check of oil always shows proper level. Same sensor? or are you referring to pressure rather than level sender? Dave

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have never seen salt used on the roads in Florida. </div></div> No--it's in the air near both coasts and will do a job on your paint, though.

see the post on the Chicago '89 on this forum--it's not so much WHER but how you describe it. Most people don't know what they are, and those who do don't even know they MADE a convertible. So list total (tiny) production numbers to establish rarity and then do lengthy description with picture, and more pics available. Then MAYBE you will find an interested buyer. Good Luck. Dave '89 Red coupe (nice) '90 Black coupe (runs well,less nice but for sale cheap)

you need to know a. what it was worth BEFORE the accident (from an independent source like CPI book, how much it will cost to repair (from an independent body shop estimate)--not from the adjuster who wants to simply settle for a low figure by totaling it at HIS valuation, and what they estimate salvage value at (the figure they will sell the whole car back to you for, if they total it at a figure acceptable to you--so that you can then fix it for what you have found to be an actual repair cost. DO NOT just accept what the adjuster has told you. Mike at Reatta Parts (reattadude)can be a big help in all of this--as well as a parts source. Good Luck Dave

Nic--if that is a service manual for '89, not owner's manual, contact me at refrigman@aol.com. I need one. Dave

If you already have a collectible policy w/ Grundy (as I have had for more than 10 years on my Corvair, Avanti, and Ranchero, as well as various other collectibles previously) they will write agreed value coverage when adding a nice Reatta--I know, I just added my newly acquired '89. But they won't start a policy with just a Reatta, apparently. It is too new for their program, I think. So, if you have a policy with them it is definitely worth trying. VERY inexpensive to add a car to an existing policy. Dave

My newly acquired '89 Coupe (unlike my '90) has, I saw as sunlight hit dash just right, a message in the instrument panel that says 'car leveling now' , or something basically like that. I assume, from this discussion, that that is from the shared Riviera dash, and simply never displays in a Reatta? Dave

the factory manual referenced sounds like it might be the service manual at that price, not the owner's manual, and that would be a fair price. Dave

my guesses--Sterling, Yugo, early Allante, Renault Alliance/Encore, AMC Eagle, Audi 80, 90. 100, 4000, 5000. Renault Dauphine, Subaru 360 (better than most realized), Pacer (likewise), Chevette, Vega. What's your guess?

see my post of 9-5-04. Reduced to $1300 or ?? Much better than just a parts car at parts car price. Must sell. Replaced with an '88 coupe and have way too many cars. Dave (refrigman@aol.com)

Black, 146K, runs VERY strong,burns no oil. Always starts--very reliable. Excellent engine, trans, brakes. Dash has usual blank out problem ($108 to fix per this forum). Factory CD, A/C stopped after 2 weeks of warnings to service, very cold till it stopped suddenly). I have had this car for 50K miles. I can't afford to insure this car in addition to my others. Has been my mostly daily driver for 5 years. Have replaced ABS pump assy, in tank fuel pump. Brake system done 2 years ago.All maintenance records for last 50k. Tan interior fair, NEW rear window w/ aftermarket tint added. W/shield and 'Vent' windows/mirrors good. Power windows good (glass, switches and motors). AM-FM good, cassette doesn't eject. I like the throaty muffler sound but exhaust sytem does have small leaks. Rt. Headlight will only lift at 45mph or higher (needs wind assistance). Clear coat going, and drivers door area is only primed (also black). Has a GM trunk luggage rack added (looks original). In Tucson AZ but I bought it in Ohio about 5 years ago. Excellent front tires, good rears, original wheels. 3 Center caps fair, 1 missing. W/extra ABS unit (repairable?). Restore or parts. (I don't want to part it out myself) Sell $1300, or will consider best offer in that vicinity. Engine, trans, vent windows and rear window worth more than that. Very driveable from AZ to wherever you want it. Prefer single payment but would take layaway w/ multiple payments. Can also take Mastercard or Visa thru my (non-automobile)business and you pay your bank back as you like. Parked and sitting for about 2 months. E-mail any questions refrigman@aol.com