jbeary

Well, it's a good thing my dash is still mostly apart from having just fixed the defroster flap arm. Your advice is well taken Ronnie. With this car, I can only hope it's a something as acessiable as the solenoid. Thanks a hundred times over for the help.

These are all great suggestions and THANK YOU RONNIE! I think I need to start at the ignition switch because I thought it was funny that this car didn't let me turn it back to the "Accessory" position but the '89 I have does. Maybe that's the root of my problem. I priced solenoids and yeah, the delco ones on Amazon are crazy expensive but I really haven't priced starters so it may come back to that Padgett. And I probably should pull the battery and bring it over to AutoZone and let them test that too but the loose connections were what I'd originally thought and that's just not the case... Can you guys point me to the location of the starter interrupt relay? I hate asking you guys to do the FSM research for me, but if anyone just know's where this relay is located I'll go straight to that and just take it out of the circuit first. Then I think I need to look at the ignition switch to see if any of the linkage is binding or if the switch itself is damaged. I need to hit Jim Finn up again for parts so maybe it's that time again... THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!!! Man...I'll tell you guys... The 89 I have has almost 200k miles on it compared to the 91 with 79k miles on it. Yet, the build quality between these two cars just blows me away! Everytime I put a wrench on either car, its just so easy to tell how well built the 89 is compared to the 91. Everything I researched told me to find a 91. Since mine is one of the last hundred or so made, I don't know... Maybe they were just throwing these cars together at the end. The defroster flap issue alone told me why the 91 was a low milage car. I know that there were two used car dealers messing with the 91 for at least a year so maybe that's the difference between the two cars, I don't know. But if I had to do this over again, I'd have looked for a rust free 89 and avoided the 91 model.... These other bugs aren't worth the challenges that the 89 presents with brakes and the metal fuel and brake lines.

Yep. The solenoid isn't trying to engage. I think the battery is good. It's a continuity issue I believe. I was thinking it was the VATS blocking the starter because I can't find anything else between the starter and the switch aside from the ECM. I was just wondering if there was a know "feature" that would lock out the starter when the car is hot. I mean this thing gets really hot. I just bought a larger transmission cooler when I saw how hot it ran and I'm thinking about swapping out the thermostat with a lower temperature one now. Looks like the water pump is pumping and I had the same "runs hot" experience with my Grand National before I swapped out the thermostat. But before I went through changing the thermostat in this Reatta, I was hoping someone out there may have had the same issue or someone knew that the car not cranking at all when hot was indeed a "feature". Can't find anything about this in the FSM. Thanks so much again.

I'll do those tests. Thank you guys! I'm guessing that the fuel pressure needs to be at a certain pressure to actuate some relay? Is that correct? And possibly if the crank sensor is intermittent then there's some other relay that would lock out the starter??? Grasping here because the thing does not turn over at all when its hot and the starter isn't dragging like it going bad. Just never had an intermittent starter. Seems like they either work or they don't so I'm thinking along the lines that a relay isn't engaging. Is that plausible?

Hi All, My 1991 Reatta will not crank when it's hot. After it cools its fine but if I drive across town and turn the car off, when I get back in, the dash lights fine, the fuel pump whines but it will not crank. I've considered the VATS but the security light does go off after a few seconds and it cranks and starts fine after a few hours of sitting. Is this a known issue? I haven't seen any posts about this issue specifically, just thought I'd throw it out there. The car left me stranded the other day and I haven't wanted to drive it because of this. It's the 1991 Polo Green Reatta that came from Dallas, the one with the unhinged defroster flap. I pulled the dash a few weeks ago and managed to fix that but now I have this issue. Drove the car to and from work two weeks before this mishap so I don't think I mucked up any continuity. Have only driven to and from work so its had plenty of time to cool between cranking. Thanks in advance for the help.

I agree. If you can save the entire car somewhere you can surely part it out eventually. As a new 91 owner I found out there's many part difference from other Reatta's. What's the condition of the interior?

Hi All, I'd like to buy a drivers side door panel. Interior is tan. My current one has been painted and had a large hole above the armrest repaired, otherwise it's complete. Hope to find a reasonably priced panel in good condition. Please email me at jbeary@gmail.com. Thanks!

I'd like a couple of sets when they become available too. Please email me at jbeary@gmail.com or pm me here. Thank you!

Just bought a $1200 POS Reatta this month that's still up on stands. I agree with all, and you'll do what's best for you. Yet what a bummer of a first post. I was in the middle of ordering brake lines on Amazon when I came here, because no matter how much I research, you are the expert I aspire to be. Now I have three Buicks that don't run or drive and losing your inspiration is troublesome to me. I truly hope you'll reconsider closing the door. It took me 20 some odd years to finally decide to park another rusted Buick in my carport; right next to the Grand National that I bought out of college and in my wife's spot no less (yes she's carrying groceries in through the rain). Please know the sun isn't setting, it's rising. I hardly know you guys but you all helped me decide what to do with my cherished junk and I thank you for everything although we've never even met.