Machiner 55

On a 1989 Reatta, does the oil pan need to be dropped to replace the oil level sensor? I did a search but the posts were conflicting. The situation that I have is that the engine starts and runs for perhaps two minutes then shuts down. Then a message appears on the CRT screen that the "Oil level is too low". If I try to restart the engine it just spins (no spark). If I disconnect then reconnect the battery the engine will once again start. I'll check the wire and connection in the morning (Sunday) but I suspect the float/switch assy. In advance, thank you for your time.

I just did one of these for an 89 Riviera. Found a close color match (burgandy) of foam backed headliner material at Jo-anne Fabrics for $10.99 per yard. Needed two yards and my wife had a coupon for 50% off of any one item so, I paid for only one of the two yards. I already had a 16.5 oz. can of 3M adhesive. Still have some left in the can after the job. So for under $25.00 and several hours in the garage I'm now able to sit upright like a man while driving instead of scrunched up like some ape. Here's a link to a site that offers "how to" as well as photos of the work in progress. http://www.diynet.com/diy/ab_interior/article/0,2021,DIY_13689_3024340,00.html If you still don't want to tackle this project, bring it over to me along with the $400.00 and I'll do it. P.S. I just happened to have the passenger seat out prior to starting this project and I found that the added clearance helps with getting the headliner in and out. You have to be careful with the backerboard because it may have become brittle and is easily cracked when bent.

You may also consider this: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/meg-g-12310.html

Padgett just saved me $500.00. I recently encountered the E041 fault code. I used the diagnostic tree found in the service manual and traced the fault to a possible failed cam sensor. I then remembered reading something about that on Padgetts' home page. See: http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/a/padgett46/cammag.htm I found the directions and photos to be quite clear which made the repair a piece of cake. I followed the "Paul W." method of insertion. Also, I found that using Berryman B-12 Chemtool carb/choke cleaner worked great for cleaning the gunk away from the metal surfaces. I also used a little acetone to finnsh cleaning prior to application of the JB Weld. If the JB Weld stuff holds, I should be good for another 155k miles. Now, if only changing out the Park / Neutral switch would be so easy...... Thanks Padgett!

Cool... I anxiously await the mail. Thank you very much.

OK. I'll bite. How much does the carpet set cost?

Can anyone tell me where the tank ties into the vac system?

After reading your post I decided to check what was in store for me with my air cleaner as it never ceases to amaze me what I've been finding since purchasing this car. Not only is the tube that connects the air cleaner box to the port behind the headlight gone but the underside of the box has been cut away! (to allow for more air flow, I presume.) Oh well, just one more thing to fix. Thanks for your post.

Can someone tell me where the tank ties into the vacuum system? I guess I'm needing a picture drawn. The schematic of the vacuum system placarded on the RH strut tower doesn't depict the reservior. So, I'm wondering where exactly the tank ties into the system. I'd like to configure it as it was when it left the factory. Just a note. In the last 48 hours I got the cruise control to work again as well as the air conditioning. The plug or "pigtail" that connects to the compressor was disconnected. For the life of me I don't know what the previous owner was doing with this car!

OK.

To Padgett: Thanks for the info regarding the laptop connection. Very informative. Regarding the reservoir... I found that it was disconnected when I bought the car about four weeks ago due to the fact that the barbed connector on the tank itself was broken off. I managed a repair but didn't know where to route the line from the tank. I still don't know and I can't find any details or photos in the service manual. There were a couple of vac lines disconnected by the previous owner for reasons unknown to me. The cruise control didnt work untill last night when I routed a formerly plugged (with a machine screw) vac line located after the tee on the check valve to the cruise control solenoid located under the air filter breather tube. I don't see any other disconnected lines so I don't know where to connect the reservoir tank. Is there another tee somewhere that I'm missing?

For Padgett: How do you connect a laptop to it and what program are you ruinning that allows you to "see" what's going on? For anyone: Can someone tell me what is supposed to be connected to the reservour located under the air cleaner on the left hand side of the engine compartment. In advance thank you for your time.

Thanks to all who responded. From DTerry: <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> 88ReattaJohn: The aftermarket replacement modulator has to have the extension and the spacer attached to be the same length as the original. </div></div> yes, the new one was installed with the extension and ring. I will try the vacuum lines and the flush and filter next. From Padgett: <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Am not sure what you mean by a "shudder". What are the engine conditions (rpm, throttle postition) when it does that ? </div></div> As to your question... There isn't really any way for me to discribe what I mean by "shudder" You would have to experience it personaly. As to the gauge readouts.. I'll have to try to monitor those in the future. If I happen to stumble across a fix to this issue I'll post it. I went to your site. Thanks. It was very informative. There's one thing we don't have any extra of, and that's time. So, I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate the time anyone expends on these posts. Again, thanks for the responses.

What prompted the attention to the modulator was the car's "inapropriate" method of using 1st gear. The only way to get from 1st to 2nd was to ease the gas until it shifted itself to 2nd. Otherwise it would shudder unless I backed off the gas (throttle) until it acheived 2nd. All other shifts worked fine. The other thing that made me look at the modulator was that when I purchased the car (about two weeks ago) there were some vacuum lines that were disconnected. That led me to pulling the modulator out for inspection. When compared with the service manual diagram, I saw a difference in it's configuration. Also, as mentioned in the original post, I blew out the valve itself. It also didn't look like the diagram in the service manual. I got the valve from the local Buick dealership today. I changed out the valve and the modulator solenoid (configured as per the included instructions and the service manual diagrams) and ended up with the same problem. Although the shudder is still there, it seem to occur at a different RPM than before. In addition, the other shifts seem alot smoother than before. As a matter of fact, If I "tromp" on it it'll chirp the tires then go to 2nd where as before it would just shudder unless I backed off the gas. It's different now but not fixed.

Went to the local Buick dealer today. The helpful parts desk person said I'd have the part by tomorrow if the part was available in Chicago. The part costs only $5.25. Hopefully this will be a quick and easy fix. Will keep you all posted.

Any help here?

See if this works.

Do all 1988 Reattas have the 440-T4 transaxles in them? the reason I ask is that when I went to change out the Modulator valve, the instructions that came with the vacume valve state that it is configurable in three different ways. 1.) With extension and ring removed. 2.) With extension only removed. 3.) With extension and ring installed. This last one is the recommended way for use in 1986 and newer TH-440 and I assume that this is the proper configuration for my 1988 Reatta. But when I pulled out the modulator vacume valve from the trans it was configured with the extension and ring removed. To make matters worse, I (like a dumb axx) started the engine and put the car in drive to move it out of the rain. This blew out the modulator valve piston along with about a gallon of Tx fluid. Not knowing the correct orientation to reinstall the piston I consulted the service manual. This only served to add to my confusion. The exploded diagram of the trans on page #440-T4-2, shows the modulator with the extension and ring installed on the vacume modulator(item #19), The o-ring(item #18) and the modulator valve piston(item #17) but, the picture of of the piston doesn't look at all like actual piston that blew out of the case! It actually looks more like part listed as (item #403 valve, manual) without the tab that hooks onto the link (item #401). So what the heck is going on here? Anyone got any experience with this situation?