cpu

Hello, long time no posts from me. I need to replace the transmission in my 88 Reatta. I don't want to spend much at this time because my Reatta is not in great shape. I just want to try to get it back on the road. I found a few transmissions in my local junkyard. Here are a few candidates. I read info from the Service Parts Information sticker when possible: Y /M /M Eng, RPO Trans RPO 94 Cutlass Ciera. 3.1L. ??? 93 Riviera. 3.8L L27 MX0. 97 Lumina. 3.1L L82. MX0. (Hope that formatted text comes through). Of those, the Ciera trans would be my first choice because the engine is already out. The outdoor labor to remove it in mid-December Pennsylvania will be much less than with the other cars. I can't read the SPI label in the trunk of the Ciera because another engine is placed in there! (Not the Ciera's 3.1). Could this Ciera trans be successfully installed? I've read posts of related discussions but didn't get my answer. Carl

This project was on hold for a LONG time because we had to move the engine and car out of the garage where it was stored. One by one we freed up the stuck pistons. One required drilling holes in the piston to get penetrating oil to the rings that were stuck firmly to the cylinder. Others just had to be banged out. The crankshaft was stuck in a position with connecting rod #1 rotated so that the piston could not be pushed out, since the big end of the rod was too close to the block. Also, one of the #2 connecting rod bolts was too close to the block oil pan rail to get a wrench on the nut. It required using a chisel on the nut, then pushing a socket onto the remnants of the nut. Once the cap was off, #2 freed up pretty easily.

Photos before disassembly.

Hi, my brother owns a 1958 Dynamic 88 2 door hardtop. It was parked and last ran around 1971. We've been restoring it off and on for years. The engine is a 371 2-barrel. It is seized. Back in the 1980s we added penetrating oil, Marvel Mystery Oil, Kroil, etc from the spark plug holes. Tried many times over the years to turn it, to no avail. The #1 goal now is to free up the pistons and remove them, and find out whether the motor is rebuildable. Since the motor can't be turned, we can't remove the Jetaway transmission yet. Recently we removed the heads, intake, oil pan, and some other parts. The oil pan has a pinhole in the sump, but that may have developed after we drained the oil years ago. On the bottom side, all the rods are intact, nothing destroyed. I removed all the connecting rod caps that I could, and was able to get 4 pistons (1, 5, 7, 8) free. The rod bearings show light to moderate wear. I can't remove the crank because it is trapped by the rods of the seized cylinders. Cylinders 3, 4, 6 will not move. I'm hammering from the bottom with brass, but the aluminum pistons are getting gouged up. No movement in sight. I may need to destroy the pistons to get them out. Number 2 has its rod cap positioned so I can't get enough of a turn to loosen one cap bolt. I suspect #2 is not seized. I understand that the 1957-1958 371 engines are externally balanced. So if the internal parts are not very finely balanced, I hope to replace just pistons 3, 4, and 6 and reuse all the other pistons and rods, assuming there is no other damage. Or maybe it will need to be bored. Who sells individual (not 8) standard or overbore pistons? Does any kind of matching or balancing need to be done? I'd appreciate any general advice or comments. We haven't rebuilt an Olds 371 before.

Thank you Peter! I'm back on board.

I dropped my tank and finally have it all apart. The lines on top of my tank just after the sending unit are intact but are badly rusted. Greg, I like the idea of the plastic lines. If I can't find a 92 Riviera or equivalent donor car, I might try to install plastic - nylon fuel lines using new parts. I can buy rolls of nylon feed and return line, and transition fittings for the 90 degree bends and ends. Take a look at these parts: http://www.fmsiinc.com/fuel-lines-adapters.htm http://www.fmsiinc.com/nylon-tubing.htm This might be a bit different than what you are using. I would do it without factory-style quick connects. There would be semi-permament fittings ("A" on the illustration on the FMSI web page) at the fuel filter and rail connections, and metal 90 degree elbows at the bends along the floor pan ("K" in the FMSI illustration). 90 degree metal elbows could also be used where the sending unit lines come out, and nylon line would come right up to there. What do you think?

Barney, Please describe the lines coming off the 92 Riviera sender unit. Are those very short metal lines with some kind of rubber lines pushed on, with no threaded fittings or clamps? I wonder if it is feasible to use a later sender on the 88 Reatta. I'd expect the shorter metal lines to be less susceptible to the rust that ate my tank and all my brake and fuel lines.

Thanks Drake. At those prices, I'll take it all apart first to see whether I really need them.

Drake, Mine's a 1988. I see in the Parts + Illustrations book that the fuel pump for 1988 is different than 1989. The sender and the wheel house plastic shield are different too. The other parts are same in the book from 88-89. RockAuto lists the same part number for the 88 pump and 88-89 strainer as are listed in the parts book; maybe the strainer part number was superseded? I looked up these parts on GM Parts Direct: 3523296 hose, tank fill & vent - did you replace this? * 3526548 pipe, tank fill * 22530727 hose, feed rr * 22527934 hose, rtn rr * 22523751 bolt, tank strap * *GM Parts Direct says this is discontinued. I contacted a local dealer to see if he can get the feed and return hoses. Since the tank and lines are rusty I expect the lines leading from the sender unit are probably very rusty. But I haven't looked at this yet. Do the fuel lines come right out of the sender unit, or are there fittings at the top of the sender?

Hi, I'm replacing my gas tank too. Fuel leaks a little when parked on a hill. Rust has attacked the rear suspension and fuel and brake lines aggressively. I replaced most of the fuel lines and now have the leak. I expect to find the upper half of the tank rusted. The rubber fuel fill line and return line are difficult to get off! I'm working with the car on jack stands. The suspension parts are blocking hand access to these lines... I have a new Spectra replacement tank. $204 from Spectra. I was able to get free shipping by paying for it at their show stand at Carlisle. I planned to replace the following parts while in there: ACDELCO Part # EP240 {DOES NOT INCL STRAINER. #25116162} PUMP,FUEL (ELEC) $79.79 @ RockAuto ACDELCO Part # TS10 {#25055697} STRAINER,FUEL SDR FUEL $7.15 @ RockAuto The fuel tank straps are intact but rusty; I'll replace those too. What about replacing the sending unit? Mine reads the fuel level properly now. Should it be replaced anyway? Are new ones available? What about replacing the pulsator, and the cushion between the pulsator and the pump? The flexible hoses with metal end fittings that lead from the tank lines, just in front of the LH rear wheelhouse, have very rusty end fittings. These are GM #s 22530727, 22527934; see pages 3-4 and 3-5 of the Parts + Illustrations PDF. No longer available. Does anyone know of a source for these?

purchasing history: 2001: front rotors - Bendix, made in Canada 2001: rear rotors - store brand, made in China 2008: front rotors - Bendix, made in USA * 2008: rear rotors - Bendix, made in USA ** * Old rotors were taken out of service. Rust ridge on rotor. Could probably be cut on a lathe. Decided to replace with Bendix USA-made rotors in case USA-made ones become extinct. ** Wife insisted on buying USA-Made Bendix rears, searched for the parts and ordered them herself. She said "I don't want to buy cheap Chinese junk for my Reatta"

Hi, time to replace the rear brake rotors on my 88. I recently bought Bendix front rotors that were made in USA. Bendix has always worked well for me. It's getting harder to find Bendix parts, though - a parts guy told me their domestic production was expected to end soon. RockAuto lists these brands of rear rotors: RAYBESTOS Part # 5870R WAGNER Part # BD60843 ACDELCO Part # 18A201 Has anyone used one of these? Good quality? Made in USA? I could buy the Wearever or other various Chinese-made rotors at Advance Auto or Pep Boys, but I'd rather find USA-made (or at least Western hemisphere-made) rotors. Also - is it feasible to have my used rear rotors cut on a lathe to remove any wear or ripples? They look rather thin as-is, but I don't have the minimum thickness spec. Are the rear rotors generally made for single use, no cutting?

Hi, I've been coping with transmission trouble in my '88. I thought it would need a rebuild soon. But maybe not... The trans began giving a shudder somewhere around 40 MPH. I have not yet checked whether the trans was in the 3rd-4th shift, or the torque converter was attempting to lock up. I had the car lifted to check the brakes and noticed a piece of metal tubing just laying behind the engine/trans in parallel with the steering rack. It was somewhat captive and cannot fall out on the road, but it was disconnected at both ends. The part appears to be a hollow tube, like brake line tubing, with some small offset bends but it's mostly straight. I found a photo of a part that might be the same part, on the AC Delco web site: AC Delco 8656072 LINK,T/V CBL The part in the photo is called a link. Is the link a hollow metal tube? Or is my tube a vacuum connection for the modulator?

Is anybody going to Fall Carlisle 2007?

My wife is shopping for new wheels for our 88. Yours look good. Are these aftermarket wheels, or from another GM car?

One more old thread HERE

I have followed all the recent GM and Delphi trouble news closely. Still, this really is hard to digest... AC spark plugs discontinued? Are we sure? If you have a complete list, or a link to an article describing specifically which product lines are going away, I'd like to see it. Even if GM stopped selling broad ranges of service parts, I'd expect there to be a place in the market for Delphi's service parts. Of course they need to get their costs under control. Thanks

Hi, Check these older threads. I replaced all the components on my front end a while back; I had the "opportunity" to replace once control arm after the "reaction rod" broke, clean off... "Front End Rebuild" thread "Suspension replacement questions" thread Rust belt rust weakened my control arm rod, and it snapped at the threads while my wife was getting on the interstate. How lucky it happened at 10 MPH rather than 70 MPH. Given all the effort with ball joints, in general it might be better to simply replace the control arm. They cost something like $150 when I bought mine. The control arms were used on other cars, not just the Reatta, but someday their supply may dry up. I intended to post a lists of parts, prices, photos, part numbers, ... but have busy working on all the other projects.

Here is another recent posting about how to do this: http://forums.aaca.org/showflat.php?Cat=...true#Post384334

Many previous threads on this group discuss more details on how to read back the malfunction codes. Here's a quick intro for the 1988 Reatta: 1) Engine off, ignition switch set to run (dash display on, etc) 2) Go to climate control screen on CRT 3) Simultaneously press the OFF and ^ (temperature UP) touch screen buttons, hold for a few seconds 4) A new menu is displayed, allowing you to diagnose several systems on the car. 5) Navigate to the trouble codes display (may require more than one button pressing; follow prompts) 6) Read back current and history codes - they will be in an alphanumeric format, e.g. "E046" 7) Write these codes down, then look them up in the online Factory Service Manual on REATTA.NET Or, with this list of codes, for example "E046", search the old messages on this group. Good luck

Hi guys, I've been away from the group for a while. Our 88 is still running fine. I was searching on line for something on early Firebirds, can't recall what, and came across a cryptic message on some discussion group (can't remember where, was about 1 week ago) saying something like "AC spark plug production ends at the end of June 2006" I'm not trying to spread rumors. I've actually been trying to buy locally (NE Penna) a set of RapidFires, or even conventional type, AC plugs for the Reatta, and none of the local shops have them. Is AC discontinuing spark plug production? Or maybe there is some original-style appearing plug used for detail-correct restoration that they are discontinuing, as would be discussed on a classic Pontiac message board? I searched Google again and could not find the original message.

Today one of my local newspapers had this little feature: AUTO ALBUM by Tad Burness 1989 Buick Reatta It consisted of a column with an artist's rendering of the Reatta exterior and interior, basic specs, and a few paragraphs about the target market, original price, and current market conditions for the Reatta. See if this is in your local paper in the Autos section. I didn't attach it because it is copyrighted material... Contact me if you want more details.

F14crazy said: <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'm American and all and love this country but this is a global society and we all rely on each other. Who said that no other countries buy American goods? </div></div> In another post I mentioned that I try to buy US-made goods if at all possible. We just bought a microwave oven to replace our made-in-USA Amana. The new one was made in China, and was "defective" (microwave outputs power when handle is touched to open door). The old Amana had interlock switches that were precisely sequenced to prevent this behavior. Quite possible the new Chinese one didn't have a defect, but rather a design deficiency. If America were buy only US-made goods, we would have a isolated economy, which is not in our best interest. If we are to export goods to the world and make money from other countries, those people must have a means of generating their own wealth to buy our goods. So we buy their oil, silk, paper, whatever. But when we train foreign workers to make our semiconductors, computers, pharmecuticals, software, and ship the technologies and jobs overseas, we are selling our future. With trade deficits such as we've seen, this is not a beneficial economy. We're exporting wealth and strategic know-how, and *standard-of-living*. We can have brotherhood, hold hands, kumbaya, but I don't want to raise others' standard of living at our expense. I don't want to help those sheiks. I don't buy Jap cars not because of Pearl Harbor, but because I don't want Asia to get all our wealth!

Buying spares of all those parts is what I've been thinking of doing, too. It's very possible that some of the parts already have faults, but if the price is right...

I shipped for 16x7 aluminum wheels from PA to CT to have them straightened and refinished. UPS charged me about $22 total for all 4 wheels. There were 4 individual boxes. That seemed to me to be a bargain. That was in 2002 - perhaps prices are more now with the higher fuel costs, but I'll bet they are still within striking distance. At least his $10 shipping is not $25 shipping - seems everyone is selling their stuff on ebay for low prices and making it back on grossly inflated shipping (to circumvent ebay fees?)