Machiner 55

Sounds similar to a problem I had on an 89 Reatta. The engine would run for varying lengths of time. When it shut down, the CRT display would indicate a low oil level condition. The onboard scan tool would give me varying and erroneous data which led me and others on this board on a wild goose chase. Long story short, I ended up changing out the ECM (Engine Control Module). Click here to see how it turned out

Aw Shucks. Made me blush.

I think I might pop up to Lincolnshire Saturday (Aug. 20) Gonna be WAY too hot and muggy outside for me to go there today. Will anyone there have the "Darlin" rollers available for purchase. Don't need the whole kit ala B. Eaton, just two sets of three rollers. Thanks.

O.K. Thanks.

Check this out. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/453067/4

Just off the top of my head. You could purchase one of those indoor/outdoor electronic thermometers (wired, not wireless) like the ones you can find at Menards, WalMart etc. Probably cost you around $15.00. Mount the display on your dash and run the "outdoor" sensor through the door jamb and down the top of the fender well in such a way so that when you close the drivers door and hood that you don't chop the wire. Secure with duct tape strips. Attach the sensor head to the upper radiator hose and secure with duct tape. You could even insulate the sensor from the engine compartment by wrapping paper towel or cloth over the sensor prior to taping it. (not between the sensor and hose) This should give you the water temp coming out of the engine so that you can compare your dash gauge. I have never done this but, it's what I'd try given your situation. Also, make sure that the I/O thermometer you purchase has the ability to read temps in the range that you are trying to check. ie 150*f to 275*f. Other ideas include drilling and tapping and mounting a screw in thermometer. (messy and time consuming) or purchasing an hand held infared thermometer. (expensive)

O.K. I got it now. The photo at the top of this thread as well as at the top of the two photo set is the "Before" photo. Thanks. I replaced the oxy sensor and spark plugs not too long ago. Not a whole lotta room to work in that area but, enough to wiggle in a die grinder I suppose.

O.K. Thanks.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> polished with a light swirl remover <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> </div></div> some good paint remover </div></div> Could you offer suggestions for products.

Not sure what to make of the photo. Is it a "before" or "after" photo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> (I've got a shitload of 'em from my electronic days). </div></div> I've always wondered.......... exactly how many resistors is that?

Thanks for the post.

Those items from an 88 or 89 Riviera will work. Got a CRT from the local salvage yard for $35.00. Other board members have used this outfit for repair of their CRT's. http://www.rexservice.com/ Jim Finn at: jfinn@cpinternet.com is an excellent source.

FYI August 11th?13th 2005 Indianapolis, Indiana 2005 Great Lakes Regional Meet, hosted by the Central Indiana Chapter, Adams Mark (Airport), 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis, IN, (I 465 West side to Airport Expressway East),1-800-444-2326 or 317-248-2481 or http://www.adamsmark.com Bill Uteg, 2005 Meet, 5301 Woodside Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46228-2227 Registration Form August 17-20, 2005, Lincolnshire, IL the 2005 Heartland Regional Meet - Northwest of Chicago at the Lincolnshire Marriott Hotel. Car show, swap meet, awards banquet dinner on Saturday, and a Gray Line 4-hour narrated sightseeing tour of Chicago. Lincolnshire is near the major city and suburban museums, malls, Great America amusement park, golf, Botanic gardens, and other attractions. Registration forms and more info available on the Chicagoland Chapter website at www.buickclub.org/chicagoland or contact Rick Schick @ (630) 904-1950, Steve Kelly @ (847) 464-1301, or Don and Joan Ryan @ (815) 675-6914. For swap meet info, call Jim Schlif @ (815) 547-3984. Host hotel: (800) 228-9290 http://www.buickclub.org/ http://www.buickclub.org/Calendar/calendar.html

AutoZone stores in NW Indiana carry it.

Suggest you check your brake relays.

I recently had problems with an ignition lock on my 1989 Reatta. Rather than mess with the intricacies of getting to and removing the lock cylinder, I just changed out the whole steering column. I bought the column from Jim Finn at a very reasonable price. He can be reached at: jfinn@cpinternet.com As to whether it is a DIY or dealer job depends on whether or not you are mechanically inclined and have, or are willing to buy the tools required to do the job. Some people can't wrench their way out of a wet paper bag yet they tear into something they have no business tearing into. They learn not to attempt trying this again after paying the dealers repair bill AND the bill from the towing company they hired to get the car there after they made it undriveable by wrenching on it. Before deciding on whether or not to attempt this task yourself, check out the Factory Service Manual (FSM) on pages 3B4-1 thru 3B4-11. No manual you say. Then go here for the online version: www.reatta.net

Thanks for letting me know what that connector was for. After changing out the ECM as noted in the post above, I installed another Anti-theft module onto that connector. Nothing happend. No change. Neither better or worse than before the install. The security system just doesn't work. I'll have to do some more digging once I get some other things done around here. Can't spend all of my time in the garage hovering over the Reatta, now can I? Or... Can I? Hmmmmm.

Good morning to All, What follows below is the conclusion to the original post "Oil Level Sensor" where we find that the basic problem didn't have anything to do with the oil level sensor. The car was faking us all out. Thanks to all who responded to my posts, helping me think through the problem. At Last. Once again, thanks a million to all who responded with words of encouragement and enlightenment. To make a long story short it was the ECM causing the random readings and erratic problems listed in the previous posts. If you want the longer version, here it is ..... After reading through all of the suggestions, wearing the pages of the FSM (Factory Service Manual) to shreds and checking the wiring, grounds and what-not I decided to do a little Brain-ectomy. Actually, an entire brain swap. I decided to pull the ECM from my 88 and put it in the 89. I kept the Mem-Cals with their respective "hosts". The trouble moved with the swap! (Kinda nice to have a couple of the same vehicles around.) I drove around with my brain hanging out as well as with the ECM hanging by it's wires on the floorboard. I then purchased and installed a reconditioned ECM. The car ran OK but there was an awful sulfur like smell in the exhaust. Thought it might be water (condensate) in the gas. The car had been sitting for some time with just a few gallons in the tank. Also, there were two troublesome and recurring codes. One regarding the knock sensor the other the oxygen sensor. The "Service Engine Soon" light was on continuously while the ignition key was in the "on" position but, the engine ran without quitting and I was no longer getting all those erroneous readings, as listed in the earlier posts, when cycling through the ECM data. I then took the car get it emissions tested. You can't get a car plated (tags) in Lake or Porter counties of Indiana (once classified as the two most polluted counties in the country by the EPA) unless it passes emissions testing. Well ... it failed. Miserably. So, it was back to the FSM and running scans. They led me to install a new oxy. sensor. The old one crumbled apart in my hand after taking it out. Man what a difference. Sulfery smell was gone, runs better. On to the knock sensor. A persistent code E043 and a continuous "Service Engine Soon" light. Tried as I might, using the diagnostic flow charts in the FSM, I couldn?t rule out the Knock Sensor. The FSM said that it could also be a faulty Mem-Cal. (Can?t be that. They?re too expensive to go bad, besides, the knock sensor is a cheaper way to go.) But, before changing the Knock Sensor (a forty dollar part) I took out the reconditioned ECM out of the 1989 and put the 1988 ECM back into the 1989, leaving the Mem-Cals in their respective cars. Guess what? Adios code E043 and "SES" light. I put the reconditioned ECM back in the 1989 and again the code E043 returns. So my "New" ECM was defective! (Amazing ain?t it? I?ll bet you never saw that one coming.) It had a one year warranty so I returned it and got service with a smile. Helps to have you car there at their store and running with the "Brain" hanging out when you return their defective unit. Bolsters your argument. They ordered me another one which was received the next day. The replacement works just fine. (so far) It?s been about a month and about 1500 miles later and it?s safe to say that the issues have been resolved. No codes or SES light. Runs great. 26mpg on the highway (148,000 mi. on odometer.). Again, thanks to all for your input.

Two manuals would be ideal. The poor mans method that I use is to scan and print all the pages from the FSM that I'll be needing for the particular job at hand. (ie. exploded diagram, "how to" text, bolt torque specs. etc.) I sometimes use a small magnet to hold the page to the car for easy reference. I don't have to worry about tearing up or smudging the pages. Heck, I can just tear them up and throw them away once the job is done.

Hello Mike, I was unaware that R-12A is propane. I did not research it. Someone brought it up in an earlier post. I Googled it and provided a link for those interested but, I have to agree with "Luftweg". The automobile is full of stuff that can cause a body harm. The 15 gallons of gasoline, a quart or so of sulfuric acid, various metal parts whirring around at 2000+ rpm. all encased in a metal cage flying down some highway at 70 plus mph with other metal cages coming at you with a closure rate of 140+ mph and you're worried about a little propane in the mix? Well.....? Life is an exercise in risk management.

Check this out: R-12a FAQ

In Realestate it's; "Location, Location, Location." Regarding Machines it's; "Clean, Clean, Clean." What I tell Trainees where I work is to look at the "blueprints", engineering prints, exploded diagrams etc. I then ask if, after their inspection, they see any metal shavings. Any dirt... grime, waxy buildup, slugs, galling, scoreing or contamination of any sort? The answer is always "No." I say , well then, when you reassemble that (whatever) make sure that nothing goes into it that isn't on the print. That will go a long way to eliminating any problems down the road. Remember... It doesn't matter what kind of machine it is... A clean machine is a happy machine!

Recently, just for the heck of it , I drove my 88 with the main and pump relays removed. After the first or second Brake application I had to do as you discribed. I had to almost stand on the brake pedal to get the car to stop. Like having "coaster brakes". And then there's this: Just ran across this in the FSM on page 5E1-14: "Additionally, any condition which results in interuption of power to the EBCM or hydraulic unit may cause the warning lamps to turn on intermittently. These circuits include the <span style="font-style: italic">main relay, main relay fuse, ECBM fuse, pump motor relay and fuses and related wiring</span>. So, don't sell her yet.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> If only the yellow, would anyone have an idea why the relay would affect ? </div></div> Just ran across this in the FSM on page 5E1-14: "Additionally, any condition which results in interuption of power to the EBCM or hydraulic unit may cause the warning lamps to turn on intermittently. These circuits include the <span style="font-style: italic"> main relay, main relay fuse, ECBM fuse, pump motor relay and fuses and related wiring</span>"