bikemikey

I'm going through this same process myself. It looks like the boot and bump stop in the picture will work. It also looks like the old style ( two piece ), the new style is one piece. With the old style you'll have to push and twist the bump stop into the dust cover, it's hard ,but it can be done. I forget where I got mine from, but they sent me one of each. I guess they are trying to get rid of the old ones, but it does not matter. Mike

Yeah, it is pretty much the same thing.

Digger, I checked out Rockauto, but there is nothing for "front" coil spring insulator. There is something for the rear but not the front. I've done a lot of checking on the web and I'm thinking they don't exist. It's a discontinued item and all the parts store say it does not fit this car. I'm afraid these insulators are like our brake accumulators, hard to find. I'll probably end up using my old ones. I'm thinking that in the future for those who are in dire need of them and can't find them, maybe you could sleeve a portion of the coil with a hose. It might work on the bottom of the coil, but I don't know about the top. I think some car manufactures do their coils that way. Mike

I totally agree, I just ordered two front strut bellows with the bump stops. I might as well try to find some spring insulators while I'm at it and do it right. The insulators are still okay but I rather have some new ones, although it looks like they are hard to find. Thank You Barney, that makes sense. I located some aftermarket spring insulators on an O'Reilly site, whether they fit or not and the availabilty is another thing. I'll have to measure mine when I take them off. If I find any that works I'll let the forum know. Thanks

I totally agree, I just ordered two front strut bellows with the bump stops. I might as well try to find some spring insulators while I'm at it and do it right. The insulators are still okay but I rather have some new ones, although it looks like they are hard to find. Thank You

After I created this thread I did a little more research, which I should have done before installing the struts. The manual calls them " jounce bumpers" instead of bump stops, I don't know if there is a difference. The jounce bumper sits on top of the dust shield. Some aftermarket parts are integral with the dust shield and "JB" and some are separate. I was thinking about buying a kit that's separate, and cutting a slot in the bumper and try to get it around the shaft of the strut , then put a hose clamp around it. That way I would not have to undo the strut again. Any thoughts.

I just installed some new front struts and mounts on my 89 Reatta. I noticed on the old struts one of the bump stops was missing and the other one was totally ruined. I had a mechanic friend who was helping me and we decided to install the struts without them. He thought it probably would not be a problem. I never had a problem with the old struts. The only reason I changed out the struts was because of the strut mount bearings were bad and making noise. I'm wondering now how critical are those bump stops , should I be worried about them? Thanks, Mike

Could it be a bad TPS sensor? I had to change one out on a Ford Escort, it had similar symptoms . Anyone share that opinion. Mike

If you have not done so, I would clean the Throttle Body and the IAC. You might consider cleaning the MAF but be careful. A bad TPS, I think , can cause surging. I had to replace the cam magnet and sensor on my 89. It ran fine for a while with a not so good idle, then it started to throw codes here and there, but it would heal itself. I ended up changing out the ECM and now it runs fine, no codes, improved idle. You also might have a vacuum leak around the TB. Hope that helps.

I haven't had a chance to look at the diagnostics, but I do know there was an improvement when I took the car on a couple of test drives. The engine ran a lot smoother at idle and did not throw any codes so far. So I guess it was a good move to change out the 02 sensor and the ECM. I'm taking the car out Sunday , so I'll check out the diagnostics then. I'm now wondering about the PROM or memcal , whatever it's called. I suppose in time it will become an issue as well.

2seater, there was no oil on the old knock sensor, dry as a bone. I could not find a torque setting for the new sensor, so I just snugged it up. I also installed the new ECM and used the old PROM. The car ran fine, the idle seem to have improved a little bit, of course that was with just a few miles of testing. I'll put more miles on the car this week and see how it does. It was loads of fun installing the new ECM, when I was done I felt like a pretzel. Good thing I see a chiropractor once a month. Mike

Will do. It will probably be next week, but I will get back to you. Mike

I need to check ED08 and see what's going on with it, I did not look at that one. I am going to change out the ECM this weekend, I'm thinking it is bad. This car will throw codes sometimes then heal itself. The way I see it, it is electronic, 26 years old and doomed to fail at some point in time. I'm also going to check the ground connection at A12 on the ECM connector. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I should get full continuity on the ohm meter ( no resistance ), am I right on that one? I still might have to change out the knock sensor, but I'll wait and see what the new ECM says. I don't like the fact that ED17 doesn't move. I'll let you know later what I find out. Thanks everyone

Checking the data on my 89, I noticed that on a warm engine, closed loop, ED17 seems to be stuck on 151. ED16 (spark advance) is stuck on 0 even when I rev the engine. Isn't ED17 suppose to fluctuate somewhat. I'm thinking I have a bad ECM , I 'm going to change it out this week. Every now and then I get a code E026, but it seems to go away. I'm also thinking I have a bad knock sensor or maybe the ECM is not giving any information to ED16 . I'm getting a funky idle. Any opinions, thanks.

Ronnie, sorry for the confusion. I see what you are saying, I got a little confused myself. I got side tracked on the TCC solenoid not clicking, but I can see that is a separate issue. I'll do as you suggest and clear the codes and start over and see what codes pop up and trouble shoot each one. I'm going to order a manual today so I can get a better understanding. Appreciate that info. Mike

Okay, I'll do that. I need to buy me a manual since we don't have the online one anymore. I sure do miss it. Mike

Since I have owned my 89 Reatta, it has never had a smooth idle, but good enough to get me around. About a month ago I got a 041 cam sensor code, replaced the little magnet and sensor, fixed the problem. Also at that time I decided to clean the MAF with the proper cleaner, but it ran real rough, so I installed an old one I had, went back to normal. Then I decided to change out the egr, it was getting a little corroded, thinking it might help the idle. The car threw an 063 code, small egr fault along with an 026 code, so I fixed that. I also clean the automatic transmission connector, the round connector with 5 wires. Now the car threw an E034 MAF code. So before suspecting the MAF, I did the TCC circuit test on the scope. I could not hear the TCC clicking, I tried several times but could not hear a thing. I'm thinking maybe something is going on with that connector. I was wondering if it's okay to pry the whole connector out of the transmission so I can see the inside connection to the plug? I assume there is enough play in the wires so I can change out that connector if I need to. Isn't there 4 sensors within this circuit? Appreciate any opinions. Thanks

In the past I have torqued spark plugs by feel, but that's probably not a good idea. I'm gonna have to break out the torque wrench next time I change plugs in my Reatta. I'm pushing seventy, so my torque isn't what it used to be. I have another question on a code, but I'll start another thread. Thanks, Mike

Yeah, my mechanic friend uses it all the time and I don't think he has had any complaints. I used it on my lawnmower and motorcycle and never had any problems. I think if you just put a little on the leading thread your okay. I just thought I'd pass that along. I keep looking for a reason for this weird idle. I'm beginning to think it's mechanical like a weak valve spring or lifter. I just had this same problem with my daily driver. After putting the blame on some sensors, I finally did a compression test and it ended up being a burnt valve. I probably should have done that in the first place. My engine has about 122,00 miles on it, so it's about time for something mechanically to go wrong. Thank You

I think I have the regular stock spark plugs on my car, I forget what kind they are, but they don't have that many miles on them. I came across an article that says you should not use anti-seize lubricant on spark plugs, because of grounding problems. I'm just wondering if that could cause a weird idle. I recall putting some on mine when I change the plugs on this 89. I was wondering what your opinion might be on this issue, and if you could recommend a good spark plug and gap. Thanks

I took the Reatta out for a drive today, no more codes, it looks the magnet fix worked. I put about 250 miles on the car, so it was a good test run. I would like to thank Padgett for the well illustrated page on the E041 magnet fix, it is a great idea and it worked for me. I still have that weird idle, but I think I know what it might be. When I got back from my trip I smelled a whiff of gas. I noticed the fuel injectors were not sitting all the same in their perspective holes. I also noticed a little piece of rubber sitting in its well. It might have come off of the o-ring, there could be a vacuum leak there. I'm thinking about spraying some carb cleaner around the fuel injectors to see if the engine rpms change. Does that sound like a good idea? Thanks

That's a good idea . I have changed out most of the vacuum tubes, but like you say there might be one hiding from me. I'll break out my little bottle of butane to find it if there is one. I know one culprit is that hose that has a radical bend to it, close to the tps. I changed it out with a bigger hose because you can't buy the original one. I had thought about cutting the metal tube further back, which I still might do, to smooth it out. On the other hand I like to keep things original. If the bad idle is still there, I'll keep looking.

Well, it ended up being the little magnet, it was about totally gone. Since the 89 has a chain tensioner, I figure I could get a few more miles out of the timing chain, so I went with the "fix". I installed the little magnet, tomorrow I will smear some more J B weld on it. I noticed the magnet that I used is a little different than some of the pictures I have seen of them. Mine has four little rods on the side, I guess they hold the magnet inside. It also has the top hat design. Just thinking out loud here, it would seem like they could make a new design, ( aftermarket ) like a rubber grommet ( magnet inside ) with a lip that just pops in place from the front with a push. Or, maybe not. Hopefully, I have the car running again by Friday. I anxious to see if that erratic idle goes away. Mike

My Reatta is an 89, sorry about that. I think you are right about the problem being a cam sensor or the little interrupter . It was probably just a coincidence that it happened at the same time. This car has about 122,000 on it, so it needs to be replaced anyway. Everything has been replaced on this car except the harmonic balancer , timing chain, camshaft sensor and the interrupter. This car has always had an erratic idle, so it is probably related to the 041. I will also check the connection on the cam sensor just to be sure it is okay. Unfortunately I have to pull off of this car to work on my other car which is my daily driver. ( It's a Ford, please don't tell anyone ). I'll get back to you when I get it all done. Thanks everyone. Mike

Okay, this is what I have so far. I have a current E041 code with two history codes, B552, C553, although I don't think the history codes matter because I disconnected the battery thinking I could get rid of the codes, wrong. I also noticed that one of the three relays on the firewall had fallen off its bracket. It is the far right one on the passenger side. I don't think it matters that it did that, but tomorrow I'll swap out a relay and see if that is the problem. I'll also check those hoses for a vacuum leak. I got to the part on the screen where it says clear code reset, I touched "yes" but it did not go away. I probably did something wrong, I'll try again tomorrow. Thanks Mike