DS_Porter 89 Burgandy

Go to ebay and search for example "1157 led red bulb" Lots of different styles and prices. Generally the more expensive ones are brighter and more dependable. You can fine tune your search with price range, location (USA not China)...

I replaced all the rear light bar bulbs with LED's. It took a lot of trial and error. What you want is a bulb that outputs red light and lots of lumens for the brake/turnsignal filament and of course less bright for the tail light filament. The outer bulbs on the corners also output red light. Unfortunatly they all came from China so I have no part numbers. Buy a few spares if you find some that look good.

For me it has always been either the ignition module or the crankshaft position sensor. In either case it does not post a code. I carry both spares and enough tools to make the swap. Crankshaft position sensor can be a challenge if you are out on the road....... Try the ignition module first.

A wealth of information and wisdom. He helped us all. I shall miss him..

to EmTee's question - Yes if oil pressure drops low enough the Fuel Pump will drop out. Power to the fuel pump when the engine is running is supplied through NO contacts in the oil pressure sending unit. Years ago when I bought my first Reatta it was hard to start but when it finally did start after several seconds of cranking it ran perfectly. Power to the fuel pump runs through NO contacts in the fuel pump relay and separately through NO contacts in the oil pressure sending unit. When starting the engine the ignition is turned on and the ECM turns on the fuel pump for two seconds through the FuelPumpRelay located on the firewall. The fuel rail is pressurized and the engine starts and develops oil pressure. After two seconds the FuelPumpRelay is turned off and power runs through NO contacts in the oil pressure sending unit.

The alignment pin ensures that the crank sensor is in the correct position so that the timing pulse ring does not rub or contact the crankshaft position sensor. Without the pin the adjustment can be tricky. A matchbook thickness on each side of the pulse ring is a good guage.

Most common ignition failures are the crankshaft timing pulse sensor and the ignition control module. Neither one sets a code. I have replaced both more than once over the years.

Dongles and key disks did not slow me down either. That's how I learned AB ladder logic in my spare time. Allen Bradley came out ahead because after we all got educated we standardized our plant to use all AB processors and software

One day back in 1997 I was shopping for a nice dependable Honda for my wife. My attention strayed to the Buick listings and I saw an '89 Reatta that was only a couple miles away. I didn't know much about them at the time. I took a short test drive and I have had one ever since.

Seems that some of you guys are making the headlight issue much more difficult than it needs to be. Search "Headlight shut off/retract repost" That explains my fix which allows the headlights to shutoff and retract normally. The headlight switch benefits from the reduced load of LED's. Any type of bulb that physically fits will work. No need for another harness with a relay.

See "Headlight shut off/retract repost" It explains my workaround for shutting off the headlights and having them retract as they should. New harness is not necessary.

Sounds like a good tip about UV protection. I use Armoral ultrashine on my engine compartment. People say it looks better than brand new. No UV damage under the hood. Too much time on my hands......

I recall when we were climbing up the grade out of Death Valley when the temperature outside was about 110 degrees. I watched nervously as the engine temp climbed to 244. Kept the air conditioning on and the speed at about 25 to 30. Good antifreeze good radiator cap. No boil no leaks no damage. Successful trial by fire. Whew... Yes I believe the pusher fan comes on at a fairly high setpoint. 240?

Just the fact that the an ICM failure is not unusual tells me that thermal paste is a good idea

Dave is correct. Most likely the ignition module. I have had several crank sensor failures but the crank sensor generally works right or fails completely. I suppose it could be intermittent but not likely. Swap parts one at a time starting with the ignition module. Use a little heat transfer paste between the module and the mounting plate. Keep us updated

I had my center armrest/console cover redone a couple years back. It is vinyl and I had to buy a whole yard. It matched perfectly and I got to keep the excess material. $100 was fair I thought. I believe the door panel sections are also vinyl

Nice before and after

Still looking to upgrade or improve your Reatta radio? I have owned two '89 Reattas and I still have one. When I finally move on to something newer I will miss the sound system. The radio / sound system puts out excellent sound quality even at high volumes. It does however have a couple weaknesses. The speakers will eventually buzz and blow out if you play it loud like I sometimes do. I have replaced my two door speakers and two rear speakers with quality replacements of the same size and they sound great with enough bass for me. The other issue is the capacitors in the radio. They break down after about ten or more years and you begin to hear some static or crackling. Rebuilt units are available and can be tracked down for a reasonable price. I have a unit on my bench waiting for a rebuild. The touch screen interface was and still is a marvelous piece of engineering with the graphic equalizer and the balance controls for the radio as well as everything else. In case you didn't know it has onboard diagnostics and can display and clear fault codes and engine parameters. The radio is located in the center console to the rear of the gear shift beneath the ashtray. The only thing I have added is a small MP3 player that broadcasts on an FM frequency and plays on the radio. Sounds great. You'll find the bass is pretty good with fresh speakers and medium volume but if you want more you could put a boost amp in the trunk to blast your eardrums and blur your vision. Its a great car. Yup. Smooth is a Buick. dport44@comcast.net

Dielectric grease does not conduct electricity. It does not necessarily improve heat transfer. Thermal past improves the transfer and therefore the improved removal of heat between two metallic surfaces. ICM's fail often enough that we want to do all we can to improve the longevity

Above lockup speed it could be what you feel when you release the throttle and the drivetrain torque switches from engine driving the wheels to wheels driving the engine. Torqueconverter is locked and it feels the same as any stick shift car in high gear. Or it could be what you feel when the converter first locks up. All normal stuff and it it should still be fairly smooth and non jarring.

FYI The vacuum release switch is up under the dash and next to the brake light switch. It is operated by the brake pedal arm. Sounds like you have that ruled out but you might want to make sure the hose is connected. When I purchased my Reatta it was disconnected

Before I swapped out my radio for a reconditioned unit with new capacitors I could "hear" all the static sources in the car and they were mostly from motors The brushes in DC motors arc slightly and this static is throughout the plus side of the 12v supply. Radios need good filter caps to smooth and remove it so that it doesn't pass through the radio amp and out through the speakers. So yes I believe it is the antenna motor. A capacitor can be placed across the motor connection to reduce the noise. Trial and error to determine the value of the capacitor. A sharper tech than I might know what value works best.....

As a matter of preventative maintenance the only way to check is to remove the serpentine belt and spin it by hand. "Feel it" Listen carefully. I had one fail unexpectedly and it started to make noise and I hoped I could make it home but no such luck. The belt began to smoke. End of trip. Tow truck. Brings to mind an A J Foyt quote - " a six dollar ball bearing in the gearbox failed" He was on his way to winning the Indy 500 I continue to make educated guesses about the longevity of various car parts. Get out there and enjoy the drive. Life is a crapshoot.... I should have been killed by now.......blah blah

Most common alternator failure is the drive end bearing. Occasional replacement before it fails is good policy. Easy to do and it can prevent a tow truck incident. I learned the hard way. Also check the brushes. Easy and cheap stuff. Kits are available. Check model number carefully

I just had the same problem about a month ago. Turned out to be the fan control circuit board. Its mounted at top center of firewall with two screws and two connectors. Readily available from Rock Auto and others. Its a solid state device that you cannot test or repair. While you are in there look at the heat exchanger and remove any debris for better air flow.