Bought a 1990 'rolling restoration'. A few newbie questions.

Hi everyone. First post. Bought a 1990 Reatta a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know much about these cars but was intrigued. I love the way it looks and thankfully my one is a peach. It runs very strong and after a few small fixes, it's a really fun car and I'm really happy with it.

Having said that, if anyone has the time, I have a couple of questions:

• The ventilation is pretty screwed up. It only blows out of the windscreen defroster vents. Where should I start the troubleshooting? Any ideas?
  
• The passenger seat controls (mounted on the door) don't appear to work. Before I go in too deep with that, anything obvious I should try?
  
• I don't have the owner's manual. Does anyone recommend an online source or better still, a PDF or some such?
  

Any pointers very much appreciated!

Ben

Play with this forum and you will find the SEARCH feature...... all your questions have been ask before, but if you need help, we will be here.

Owners manuals can be found on Ebay.... careful don't pay too much, as they are still available new from www.helminc.com

You may want a factory service manual...... those are also on Ebay, they can be had for around $60. There will be some offered by dealers for $150

Air out the defroster vents only is almost always a loss of vacuum at the controller (under the glovebox). USUALLY disconnected in the engine bay near the firewall.

Nice car! Many miles?

I have learned tons just by being here. As mentioned, search function is your friend, but the resource thread is invaluable too! I found the online FSM through it, as well as priceless parts sources.

Main thing is you came to the right place. No such thing as a dumb question.

Thanks for the replies guys. I have explored the search feature but the results can often be somewhat overwhelming and I can spend literally hours sifting through it. I thought I'd ask a few questions in my introductory post to help get better feeling for the place.

Air out the defroster vents only is almost always a loss of vacuum at the controller (under the glovebox). USUALLY disconnected in the engine bay near the firewall.

Great, thanks for that. I'll investigate.

Nice car! Many miles?

Thanks Pensive Scribe. 151k or so. Done about 700 miles in it so far including the drive back from Santa Barbara when I bought it. Drove like a champ

I have learned tons just by being here. As mentioned, search function is your friend, but the resource thread is invaluable too! I found the online FSM through it, as well as priceless parts sources.

What's FSM?

Factory Service Manual

FSM can be found at reatta.net for free, just register to view the copywrited material.

This may help with the seat switch. http://forums.aaca.org/f116/seat-switch-connector-375861.html

FSM can be found at reatta.net for free, just register to view the copywrited material.

This may help with the seat switch. http://forums.aaca.org/f116/seat-switch-connector-375861.html

Great, thanks for that Daniel.

I've just been poking about the firewall and sure enough, there appears to be two broken vacuum lines. Right now, I'm trawling the forum looking for any pointers on this but if anyone can help in the meantime, please do chime in. Thanks.

I picked up aftermarket vacuum lines on eBay and replaced all of them on my 90. You'll need a handful of different sizes and it isn't very expensive. It makes a world of difference and on a car that old, you'll find other leaking lines for sure. It makes the engine bay look nicer too. Once you're free of vacuum leaks, you'll be surprised how much better your motor idles and runs.

Nice find btw. I love the color.

Thanks PontiacDude. Yes, I plan on replacing the lines but in the meantime, I'm trying to figure out where the severed line (in my photograph) leads to. Any ideas?

Thanks

Ben

The vacumn line sticking up in the air is the line going to the heater/a/c and that will probably solve that problem, the lower one if for the cruise control.

The fitting or "T" at the junction from the engine is also a check valve. You can check it while you are working on the lines.

The vacumn line sticking up in the air is the line going to the heater/a/c and that will probably solve that problem, the lower one if for the cruise control.

The fitting or "T" at the junction from the engine is also a check valve. You can check it while you are working on the lines.

Thanks for that. I've managed to patch up everything that looks questionable in the engine compartment with plastic vacuum hose and rubber ends I had lying around (the Mercedes R107 has similar vacuum circuits). Hasn't solved the problem of fans blowing air though the windshield vents only. I've taken the liner out of the glovebox and it would appear that the lever that a rod pushes/pulls is seized. I've dislocated the rod in the photograph but cannot move the plastic lever. Any suggestions on my next move? I am trawling the archives.

Also, without an owner's manual I'm finding it hard to understand the controls for the ventilation. Can anyone help me with this?

Many thanks

Ben

The lever will not move manually. The controller moves the lever. The other end of the rod you pictured is movable.

a quick run down of the climate control functions:

"OFF" and "^ TEMP v" are self explanatory.

AUTO will, as implied, automatically adjust the system settings to achieve the requested temperature inside the car. This will mode will switch between A/C and heat, adjust the fan speed, and determine which vents (hi or low) to direct air flow to as needed to attain and maintain whatever temperature has been set on the display.

Bi-level will do much the same as AUTO but will force output to both the dash and floor vents concurrently.

ECON is the same as VENT on many older GM cars, just blows outside air into the car, no compressor operation.

HTR will run heat to (if I remember correctly) the floor vent. I believe it may run the compressor to dry the air under some circumstances, otherwise there would be little to distinguish it from ECON.

DEF and R DEF are the front and rear defrost/defog functions respectively.

On fan speed, in AUTO mode it will adjust the fan speed as needed to maintain the requested temperature. This can be overridden with the fan up/down control to high, med high, med, med low and low. It will cycle through all possible speeds and back to AUTO with repeated presses of the fan up/down control.

KDirk

Ben,

Sounds like you need an Owners Manual as well as an FSM.

Your car and mine look like twinz.

John F.

a quick run down of the climate control functions…

Great, thanks for that, very useful.

I'm throwing the towel in for now. I can't figure out what the problem is. I'll do some homework.

Ben,

Sounds like you need an Owners Manual as well as an FSM.

Your car and mine look like twinz.

John F.

Indeed, the blue/blue is a nice combo in my opinion.

A lot of the vacuum system is tied together. If you're dumping vacuum pressure elsewhere, chances are you aren't getting it to the climate control either. The places I found the vacuum line leakage was worst was on the throttle body and on the front of the driver side fender there are 2 hard lines that turn to rubber right at the end. I actually removed those hard lines and sand blasted and repainted them, and replaced the rubber lines on the ends.

A lot of the vacuum system is tied together. If you're dumping vacuum pressure elsewhere, chances are you aren't getting it to the climate control either. The places I found the vacuum line leakage was worst was on the throttle body and on the front of the driver side fender there are 2 hard lines that turn to rubber right at the end. I actually removed those hard lines and sand blasted and repainted them, and replaced the rubber lines on the ends.

Great tip PontiacDude. I'll look into that.

I've spent a good while thoroughly inspecting all the vacuum lines in the engine bay and replacing lines or rubber parts if they look even remotely bad, haven't been able to address the problem with the fan only blowing through the window vents. Any more suggestions very much appreciated.

Alternatively, is there a way to rig it up so it blows though the proper vents just to get me through the rest of the hot season?

Thanks

Ben

Also if you drop the temperature to 60 degrees which is one push after 65 degrees will change the input air to recirculation. It pulls around 80-90% of the air from the interior, the rest outside air. On really hot, humid summer days it can make a big difference. If you look at the car graphic on the climate control panel it will show the flow of air, where it's coming from and which outlets it's being sent to.

Oh yeah one more thing, WELCOME TO THE ASYLUM, i mean forum.

Richard

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but I had a few vacuum lines that looked ok but then actually collapsed under any pressure. I've also heard of the "flapper" coming disconnected on some cars.

I've spent a good while thoroughly expecting all the vacuum lines in the engine bay and replacing lines or rubber parts if they look even remotely bad, haven't been able to address the problem with the fan only blowing through the window vents. Any more suggestions very much appreciated.

Alternatively, is there a way to rig it up so it blows though the proper vents just to get me through the rest of the hot season?

Thanks

Ben

You should get to know my website, Reatta Owners Journal (www.ReattaOwner.com). It has lots of information about troubleshooting problems with the Buick Reatta. You can find specific information about the Heat/AC system here: Heat & A/C System

EDIT: Removed some incorrect information.

Measure the vacuum at the line going to the HVAC, and see if it's even there.

Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate it.

BTW the rod controls the Hot/Cold servo and is operated by a stepper motor. It should move as you change the temp from 60 to 90 and back again. If not, disconnect the rod at the flapper (left end of rod) and flapper should move easily. If not then free up. If it does move when loose but not when connected then you probably need a new HVAC programmer (black box) providing the electrical connections are good.

The defrost/vent servo is above the accelerator pedal and is vaccuum operated. You do need a good vaccuum to work and I have seen those stick shut as well.

If going to test a lot of vaccuum components, having a hand pump is a good idea. I have one of these.

Thanks for that tip padgett. After poking about the forum I believe the rod in the glove box is the least of my worries as it is thankfully stuck on cold.

Today I removed the panel beneath the dash on the driver's side and explored that area. Not the nicest place to work having the full weight of my body on my neck and head. I did see a bunch of vacuum actuators and sure enough, the orange (I think) line had come away from the actuator that looked like it controlled a large flap that (surely) would be what would direct the air to either the windscreen or to the passengers. I connected it but it didn't make any difference and holding the flap open with a screwdriver didn't do anything either. I then started to take the front of the dash apart in the hope that I could get to whatever pushes the air towards to the glass and turn it the other way. It was futile. This car is seriously kicking my ass.

I did have one of those handpumps a while ago as Mercedes use a similarly infuriating system of vacuum circuits to do various (crucial) things, but I sold it thinking I'd never have a car like that again.

Sincere thanks again all of you but I'm going to move on to the next hopefully easier problem (bulbs were missing in the footwells, replaced them, they don't seem to turn off).

BTW the rod controls the Hot/Cold servo and is operated by a stepper motor. It should move as you change the temp from 60 to 90 and back again. If not, disconnect the rod at the flapper (left end of rod) and flapper should move easily. If not then free up. If it does move when loose but not when connected then you probably need a new HVAC programmer (black box) providing the electrical connections are good.

The defrost/vent servo is above the accelerator pedal and is vaccuum operated. You do need a good vaccuum to work and I have seen those stick shut as well.

If going to test a lot of vaccuum components, having a hand pump is a good idea. I have one of these.