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What did you do to your Reatta today? <ongoing thread>


SeanR

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Guest jimmyk

I will be replacing both rear calipers & pads. Left side was sticking, dragging the pads, right side bleeder broke off when trying to bleed after I replaced the flex hoses.

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Guest 89 Maui

Got a replacement MAF and installed it only to have the same results. Discussed the situation with another member and I was about to start taking some voltage measurements and to write down what the snapshot was showing when I stoodback and said it can't be this difficult. I looked over and found a large vacuum hose disconnected. I reconnected it and hit the started and the engine started running with that ever so beautiful purr of the 3.8. As another member says look for the less of a problem first before you start spending $'s on finding a problem.

Woody

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Woody- that's called the KISS method - Keep It Simple Stupid! Works great for solving many problems.

As for me, I have repaired cracks in the plastic top dash panel and defroster vent on the 'vert and repainted both pieces to hide the repairs. Also replaced the twilight photocell while I have those pieces out.

On the scrub 88 (aka Threatta) I have just degreased the underside of the engine and cradle. Will be knocking superficial surface rust off the cradle and control arms and repainting them black to provide proper protection this winter.

Will be doing gaskets (intake, valve covers) hoses, new coolant, tune-up (plugs, wires, t-stat, etc) on both the scrub 88 and the roadster in the next week or so now that theboil change and transmission service are done on both. Will also be converting the 88 to Delco igition as I don't trust the old Magnovox to last much longer.

KDirk

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Well I finally got it on the road! (1988 red / tan coupe) Love it! The parking brake works good and everything else seems in order so I'm about ready to go for my inspection sticker. I took the car out for shakedown ride. The new brakes in the back are making noise. Left side rattles and right side squeals. I gassed it up and found that it leaks when I am facing uphill. I'm pretty sure it the rubber hose on the gas fill line. I'll be purchasing a new tube and hose assembly and replace those. Meanwhile I'll jack up the back and fix those brake noises. After washing I noticed the whole car feels bumpy (for lack of a better description) It's probably heavy oxidation from sitting for 3-4 years with no TLC on the cleaning of the exterior of the car. So I started a light compound and wax to bring it back smooth. Still have to figure out what to do with the glass and light lenses. No matter I still enjoy this car! Now to rebuild my garage so I can keep it indoors for the winter. I still have the yellow ABS light but I'll attack that later. I just want to drive the car right now to make sure it's all good!

Edited by fordrodsteven
Added year and color (see edit history)
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Even though emissions are no longer tested due to age, my yearly TX safety inspection is due end of month, and they might raise an issue over the SES light and the fact of the CRT announcing every time the car was started that there was an engine control issue. SO, I finally replaced the camshaft sensor and interrupter. I have had the parts since the end of April when the E041 went from intermittent to persistent, so yes, I had been procrastinating on this fix since it did NOT impact my ability to drive the Reatta.

The old interrupter was nothing more than an empty partial shell. Followed the process that many others have used, except rather than grind off the back side of the interrupter to be even with the top edge of the flange, I just snipped off the flange and filed the edges smooth (i.e. left the interrupter the same overall height as original). Started the car this morning after allowing the JB Weld to cure out over night and no more E041. Now to get that safety inspection.

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  • 3 months later...

Disconnected the battery tender and did the monthly start up / warm up. (just making sure gaskets don't dry out causing unwanted leaks) Move forward and back in the garage to minimize flat spots on the tires and get fluid moving in the transmission. Then hook up battery tender again and put cover back on the car. I ordered parts for late winter work on the car. Have plugs, wires, oxygen sensor. Waiting for ordered parts. Rear suspension upper and lower insulators (plans are to change out the whole rear suspension by April) Also ordered bolts and Dorman 924-005 bushings to replace those on the front cradle. It's going to be a busy spring!

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Finally got rid of the brake pad rattle in the rear of my '89 coupe. It's now quiet as a sleeping baby going down the road. Yes, I installed the little ring (on both sides) that comes in a $12 brake kit from CARQUEST. Took less than an hour. Wish I would have got around to it much sooner.

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Finally got rid of the brake pad rattle in the rear of my '89 coupe. It's now quiet as a sleeping baby going down the road. Yes, I installed the little ring (on both sides) that comes in a $12 brake kit from CARQUEST. Took less than an hour. Wish I would have got around to it much sooner.

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 88. I have tightened the parking brake arm off a few time but it always works itself loose. Would appreciate a little more info on how you corrected the problem. I will soon be replacing the rear shocks and would want to fix this brake rattle while I have the car up.

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Guest PontiacDude210
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 88. I have tightened the parking brake arm off a few time but it always works itself loose. Would appreciate a little more info on how you corrected the problem. I will soon be replacing the rear shocks and would want to fix this brake rattle while I have the car up.

Here's what I found caused my rattle. First, the plastic shroud on the shocks was cracked and one was loose. Second, the outside pads on the rear were cheapo pads that had not enough holding power in the little angled clips and they were loose. One of the inside calipers was missing the silver ring that comes in some hardware kits, has 4 prongs that hold on to the plus shape in the piston and clips that hold the pad. And one caliper was bad and not closing properly, letting one pad hang out way too far from the rotor. Should be as simple as properly mounting the pads with the rings and making sure your shock shrouds are secure.

Back on topic, I recently removed the rear bumper from my second 90 coupe, and I'm cleaning up the rear frame rails and under coating it later on today if the weather breaks. My first 90 coupe, the sunroof car, has gotten wheels, tires, and delco ignition recently.

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I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 88. I have tightened the parking brake arm off a few time but it always works itself loose. Would appreciate a little more info on how you corrected the problem. I will soon be replacing the rear shocks and would want to fix this brake rattle while I have the car up.

A small (about 1" diameter) ring comes in a rear brake hardware kit available at your local parts store.

It goes between the brake pad and the mount. They rust out, fall off, and eventually cause the break pad to rattle. (drove me nuts!)

Replacement of this ring will prevent the rattle immediately.

Good luck!

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Guest my3buicks

Since getting the Driftwood home, I got all the electric locks and windows working smooth and properly. Programmed an additional remote(all functions work). Changed the mini light bulbs inside the inside door handles so have that ambient lighting back.

Today I changed every light bulb in the front end(via pulling entire housing for those lights. Put Silver Star headlights in.

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Took the Reatta on a nice road trip over Thanksgiving (roughly 800 miles round trip). Other than an occasional item, the Reatta was a solid performer last year. During the Thanksgiving trip I did notice that the drivers seat latch was failing to hold periodically. So I searched and came up with a DIYer fix that will at least get me by until I can acquire a good replacement latch (i.e. I did the foam tape under the latch to act as a spring). It is a shame that we can't get replacement springs for these units as once I discovered how to pop it open, the fix is VERY simple and if a new spring was available it could easily be installed.

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Guest Mc_Reatta

That's what pic-n-pay lots are for. You could harvest more springs than you could ever use now that you know how to remove them from any GM latch of that era. Would cost you next to nothing I bet too.

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Guest PontiacDude210

M3B, your new Reatta looks great. Before I was a Reatta owner, I had a chance to buy a Driftwood coupe that needed work. I still kick myself for passing that chance up because that's such a cool and unique color

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Guest PontiacDude210

Apparently they sold in uncanny numbers of red over tan(I accidentally have 2 in red-tan now). I haven't run across another driftwood for sale in MI for 5 years. The Reatta was one of few cars that looked good in that color. They made about 83 million Cavaliers in a Driftwood esque color and they weren't nearly as pretty.

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Guest my3buicks

Either the same or a similar color was very popular on the Riviera's of that same vintage. People like their 2 seaters flashy I guess. I passed on a Driftwood convertible when I bought my white one, I found it striking but it wasn't quite as nice as the white one. That being said, I am glad I didn't have it or it would have been lost in the fire instead of the white one.

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  • 3 weeks later...

When the Black's tranny went out I had to switch the snows to the Red as it was my replacement car until the Black was done. The Black now has a salvage yard tranny in it and all is good on it. After about 500 miles and a pending snow storm [prediction 4"] I decided to swap the snow tires back to the Black. Windchill temp at -25 and the garage door open did the swap.

Boy was it cold with bare fingers!

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Replaced oil pan gasket with the upgraded Felpro gasket as suggested on ROJ, well built gasket, easy to put on. No more leaks from the pan.

Also I took the advice of Barney Eaton and other forum members and changed the knock sensor. It took a while because I tried to do it from above the hood.

I could see it well enough to get the old one screwed off, but getting the new one screwed in the hole blindly took awhile. Well, it did the trick, mileage jumped

from 20 to 27-28 on the interstate. Very happy, thanks to fellow forum members and ROJ.

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Guest Dan Ogle

Repaired the latch on the console,and fixed the cup holder so it was spring loaded again.Also bought new rear struts for it but going to have to wait till it warms up to put them on,or take it to a shop,and pay them to do it.

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  • 1 month later...

Took the Black up to the Apostle Islands to look at the Ice Caves. Very scenic, my wife enjoyed taking many pictures. On my return trip I think the cigarette fuse blew as I no longer had power to run cell phones/GPS. Will be checking that out today as well as taking the snow tires off and putting all season radials on. We are getting unseasonably warm weather and will be in the 50's all week. The warm temperature is hard on the soft rubber of snow tires so off they come!

BTW I filled up in Manitowish Waters [Home of the famous John Dillinger shoot out at Little Bohemia] yesterday on my return trip and averaged 31.1 mpg for the balance of my 220 mile trip home. The Black has always delivered better mileage then the Red. I have even switched MAF and ICM/Coil Pack back and forth but the Black still does better. Must be a better engine...

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Guest my3buicks
post-30591-143143015379_thumb.jpgWorked on the Driftwood all weekend, finally got it to where I want it. Got all the "issues" worked out and the engine compartment cleaned up. The interior has been done, and today waxed and detailed the outside. Done!! LOL

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Guest jimmyk

Today I put my '89 up for sale. Will be needing a back seat. Have a grand child on the way and will drive the wife's Dad's former Buick, '97 Regal. Sad thing to add to the "what did you do to your Reatta today" thread.

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Passenger side bell crank won't operate the headlight. Turns up by hand. Read a couple of prior posts that the bellcrank is too worn for the torque of the motor. Looks like I will be doing this today. Projected high temp 38 degrees but sunny. Hopefully won't be too bad.

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Guest my3buicks

Brought the red one home from winter storage, will start first thing in the morning with it's heavy detailing. One month from now it will be at the AACA Spring meet in Virginia Beach and hopefully will get it's first junior. And a little more than a month later will be the BCA national. Then in another month to Louisville Ky for another AACA meet where it will hopefully be getting it's AACA senior. I don't typically trailer my cars but am going to at least trailer it to the BCA nationals and a possibility to both the other ones. Total mileage to the 3 meets would be around 3400 miles and I hate to do that to a car with 7500 miles on it.

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It was an easy fix. After I got it all apart and thought I would try the retract button and I didn't hear the motor run. Went back to the light reached down and checked the motor harness. It was unplugged. I have no idea how that happened, but I do like those fixes. Tried it several times and everything works as it should.

BTW the bell crank was a "Barney Crank" Still looks/works great. [installed by the PO and I have owned the car for 5 1/2 years.

Just after I got done got a phone call from Jim Finn. Turns out he was in the area and wanted to go shopping at the "Gibson You Pick Mini Mall" We were out there for almost 3 hours getting inventory parts for Jim. Had a great time... Thanks Jim!

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Guest PAT'S 91

Cleaned the car up today after taking the car cover off and unplugging the battery tender .Changed oil and greased it too.The oil I changed had 265 miles on it from the last change. Took it to a DIY car wash and got the dust off it

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Guest my3buicks
post-30591-14314305564_thumb.jpgThe only thing that has bugged me about the low mile red convertible is that the CD player and the radio have not worked - radio typical crackling and CD player would take CD's and nothing more - the original owner had told me it hasn't worked for 20 years. So today's task was the get them out. Seems like a lot of trouble to get the CD player out - not hard but just kind of poor original design.

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Today I spent all of my work time with the convertible. I did an oil and filter change and upgraded to 10W-30 oil, which I run in all of my cars. I also replaced both horns as both were completely shot. Everything works great now! I now have a very dissonant horn, but it will definitely get someone's attention in a hurry. :o

Also, take a look at that paint reflecting the sky on the hood. My wax job must've been better than I had originally thought, lol. :rolleyes:

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