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BP

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    SPEAKER CLOTH

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Some weeks ago, a patron of the forum, POSTED in a discussion, saying he had some leftover fabric for speaker covers for a Reatta with a Tan interior.

    I have attempted a couple of searches to try and find the POST and contact him, but I have been unsuccessful in retrieving any info.

    I?m not sure at this point if its ?operator error? or I just imagined the whole thing

    I Can?t remember if the text used was ?fabric? or ?materiel? or ?cloth? ? any help is appreciated. Even if someone remembers the POST so I know I?m not going batty ?

    Thanks

    BP

    Just picked up "Firey" 88 Reatta ... but I?m not really sure why

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    I just picked up a 1988 Reatta. I?m not really sure why, my 89 Reatta keeps me busy enough.

    I didn?t see it listed in the Database. The VIN is 1G4EC11C3JB904258 ? Its Red with Red Trim and Gray interior (I don?t recall any suede inserts in the seats so I assume it came off the production line late in 1988 (or the seats are not original). No 16way seats and no sunroof.

    This car experienced and electrical fire in 2001 and has been patiently waiting for some attention ever since. The fire appears to have started in the center console just above and to the right of the gas pedal.

    I?m looking for some feedback

    1) How do I tell when in 1988 it was produced

    2) Any ideas on the cause/source of the electrical fire in that area.

    Thanks

    BP

    Rear struts

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Yes indeed - small plastic plug in the top of the strut (i presume to keep dirt out) I used a small sheet metal screw and threaded it into the plastic cap then pulled it out with pliers. TORX size for strut top is 50 I think.

    I ended up wrapping the shaft with a piece of duct tape and then a piece of leather to prevent damaging the strut shaft while i vise-gripped it in place to remove the top nut.

    ABS discovery

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Yellow (Amber) Light can be actuated by a Low Reservoir Level! I struggled with this phenomenon when I first got my Reatta.

    What makes this diagnosis difficult is the level sensors in the reservoir are NOT detected by the ADL.

    There are actually 2 level switches in the reservoir, one switch opens to alarm and one closes to alarm, both are integrated into one connector. The Factory Service Manual identifies these contacts and a paper clip jumper across the ?opens to alarm? contacts satisfies the amber light and allows you to determine if reservoir level is the cause of the Yellow Light.

    In summary, with the reservoir connector unplugged and a paper clip inserted in the plug across the ?opens to alarm? contacts. The Yellow Light should go away (If the cause is low Level)

    If the Yellow Light is still lit, the code is most likely captured in the ADL

    Good Luck!!

    Selling '63 Skylark Convertible

    in Buick - Buy/Sell

    Posted

    Hey, I may be very interested in your 1963 Skylark Convertible. I haven?t decided yet exactly what car I may restore but I do like the 63 Skylark

    All my Buick friends think I?m crazy they believe the 61 and 62 were nicer or the later models like the 66 N up. Please tell me more. Where are you located, What options the car has ? is it running? ?

    If you want you can e-mail me some pictures too thanks

    Trunk lock

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Padget is right, check the fuses first. (That guy is amazing!!)

    I had a similar problem ? My key would not operate the trunk latch solenoid either. Then one morning I went out in the driveway and the Solenoid was cycling (clunk, clunk, clunk) (Haven?t seen much on this problem lately but a search of ?trunk solenoid? or ?trunk cycling? may bring up more information. The problems were not related but the later FORCED ME to fix both problems.

    You are right about the key simply operating a switch. In my case some contact cleaner and a few cycles cleaned the contacts there and resolved that problem connecting the switch to a multi-meter told me when the switch was cycling and that the contacts were closing properly.

    The solenoid cycling was linked to moisture in the solenoid and wiring. Again cleaning the contacts reconnecting with shrink-wrap resolved this problem as well

    I seem to recall three wires where I only expected to see two. (I?m embarrassed to say that I couldn?t confirm the wiring to the FSM drawing) When I was fiddling with the solenoid wiring I?m pretty sure I snipped the extra one and sealed it tight with shrink-wrap.

    Again as I recall reinstalling the lock into the body was the most difficult part of the whole process. Would have helped to have an extra set of hands.

    Good Luck

    This winter?s project - Under-body Rust!!

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Thanks! I?m flattered by your response. I read the forum almost everyday, but I have little experience in the hobby, so I have little to contribute to the forum. I am looking forward to meeting some of you in Flint and putting some faces to the names here. You all have helped me a great deal. But I ramble ...

    In response to your questions Ross

    Question#1 What methods did you use to knock the old bushings out of the control arms, and to press the new ones in?

    I was going to mention about the bushings but felt the post was getting way too long. For removal ? I used tons of penetrating fluid and tried a couple different methods.

    The bushings in the suspension support were the most fragile. The guy doing the powder coating said he would ?take care of these.? What he meant was he?d melt the rubber out of them as part of the baking process for the powder coating. Once the rubber was gone I just chiseled a crease in the center and they pretty much, fell out.

    For the control arms I made a ?rig? out of threaded rod (7/16th?s) and a 3? PVC Pipe Cap and some fender washers & nuts. The pipe cap provided the needed depth to pull the bushing ?into? during removal and installation. I wrapped duct tape and a hose clamp around the cap (in case it shattered) and slowly tightened up on the threaded rod nuts to press the bushings out and in.

    To prevent the metal on the control arms from bending and distorting, I cut (approximately) a 1 inch wide piece of 1.5? black plastic pipe, then slit it axially and hose clamped it in place around the bushing in the control arm gap. This maintained the control arm, bushing gap and provided 360-degree support. Some mechanic friends suggested just cramming a spare socket that fit in the gap to maintain the required gap. Working alone, I didn?t have enough hands to hold everything in place. The black plastic was easy to bend and manipulate into place both before and after the bushings were installed.

    When the bushing didn?t push out, and I sensed the pipe cap might shatter I removed the rig and creased the bushings axially with a small chisel then I worked a center punch as much around the circumference of each edge of the bushing as I could to "free up" the bushing from the arm. Then more penetrating fluid. Then I put the rig back on and finished the removal.

    I was surprised the plastics worked as well as it did, but I was easier (for me) than fabricating the rig with steel spacers and steel pipe cap. All the bushing installations went smoothly. I sand blasted the control arms and painted them prior to installation so the conditions were optimal for reassembly.

    Question#2 - I don't understand the bit about compressing the spring, sounds like you had to assemble actually on the car?

    I did have to assemble it on the car. The spring is held in place by (actually ?pinched? between) a pair of rubber backed insulators. The support beam is flat these insulators are flat ? but the natural position of the spring is curved. The spring insulator bolting is only about an inch long. So, to position and seat the spring properly it must be set in place and loaded (so it too is flat) during assembly. Otherwise the bolting doesn?t engage and I imagine the torque requirements would change too. By the way, the upper insulator was the one that was no longer available from GM (part-# 17981840) Lower insulator was part # 17982002. (Note: many cautions in FSM on this regarding "centering the spring"!!)

    Question#3 -What happened with your Camber angle, did it square up?

    I can?t speak to this issue. I had no alignment problems going into this project and always planned to have the alignment check at its <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> conclusion. I have noticed no real change in ride or handling. All my bushings were in ?OK? shape, I changed the basically because I was there.

    Question#4 - What condition did you find the isolators to be in, one of mine is quite rotten.

    The insulators on the support beam were in rough shape. One was almost completely rotten the other was marginal. I was not surprised given the condition of the beam. The lower beam insulators were in better shape. Beam Insulators are 2 piece GM part-# 03538757 is the upper (larger piece) Lower Beam Insulator was part # 25678602

    Hope the info helps out. Good luck! Be safe working under there. I have a list of all the rear suspension part numbers if you need them.

    Again, I?m sorry for the verbose reply.

    This winter?s project - Under-body Rust!!

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    I finally finished my ?Winter Project? on June 3rd.. (Just about 5 months from when I started.) I don?t have nearly the experience most of you have on here, but I thought I might mention some trouble spots I bumped into along the way maybe it will help somebody out later on down the road.

    The Rear Suspension Support beam removal went pretty smooth. I missed a couple brake line bracket screws, which were mounted to the beam, when I lowered it.

    Removing the control arms from the support beam went pretty smoothly. Removal of the outer control arm bolt on the right side was impossible. I finally had to have it cut out by my friend at the local body shop. (I broke an impact socket trying to remove it and he broke a socket also before his cheater sheared off the bolt head. The left side bolt was difficult but came out much easier than the right. For the left side I placed the knuckle in the vise and used a punch and a 2-pound hammer to drive the bolt out.

    I had Rear Suspension Support sand blasted and powder coated and began to reassemble. Reinstalling the beam was pretty easy (four bolts)

    I made the mistake of rebuilding the right side brake caliper. Instead I should have just purchased a rebuilt caliper. It was only about $8.00 more i think than the caliper rebuild kit. And was definitely worth the extra couple bucks to save the aggravation.

    I had a hard time finding a source for insulators for the rear spring reinstallation. One set of insulators was no longer available through GM Parts Direct. (Although when I checked in January all parts were available ? see what procrastination gets you!) My local dealer pulled a rabbit out of his hat and came up with a pair for me.

    I had my car on four jack stands during the entire project. This caused me to deviate a few times from the guidance in the Factory Service Manual during reassembly. Compressing the rear spring while I reinstalled the spring insulators was a bit of a chore. The FSM tells you to lower the car to compress the spring then install the insulators, I carefully loaded the spring with two jacks under each control arm. Not hard ? just different.

    Last ?speed-bump? during reassembly was the darn right side brake line again. One of the brake line bracket screws, is located right below the gas tank fill line, with the beam up and bolted in place I couldn?t get a wrench on the bracket screw install it. I had to lower the whole beam one more time to install that screw.

    A couple things I did which were immensely helpful; I took plenty of pictures during disassembly and I refused to disassemble the left side control arm and wheel until the right side was complete and reassembled this allowed me a model to look at while reassembling the right side. It also allowed me to take advantage of ?lessons learned? during the right side overhaul.

    When I completed the assembly I flushed and bled the brakes, and had the dealer perform an alignment and check my work.

    All in all, I?m pleased with this winter?s restoration project. I learned a lot! The cost was about $1,000 to which included, coating the support beam, new bushings on both control arms (8 total), new bushings & new insulators for the support beam and new insulators for the rear spring, rebuilt brake calipers, and new emergency brake cables and one new ABS wheel sensor.

    Sorry about the lengthy reply. If this was inappropriate to post here somebody just tell me and delete this post.

    Next winter, maybe I?ll work the front end. See you in Flint!

    This winter?s project - Under-body Rust!!

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    I got the strut cap nut off today. Thanks!

    I ended up wrapping the top of the strut shaft just below the strut Mount insulators with several layers of duct tape. Then I clamped on a pair of vice grips to hold tight the strut shaft. I used a 24mm Impact gun to remove the upper strut-mounting nut.

    The vise grips left one tiny scratch on the strut shaft very near the top. I don?t expect it will impair the struts performance. I couldn't get the strap wrench to grip tight enough and I couldn't hold the TORX wrench and turn the Cap nut hard enough to break it loose.

    Thank you all for your feedback. I really welcome your advice.

    This winter?s project - Under-body Rust!!

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    Thanks for the feedback. I?m having fun learning and restoring. Everyone here helps a lot.

    I?m having trouble removing the top nut on the Strut.

    First problem was recognizing the TORX fitting on the top of Strut shaft. It had a plastic plug (I assume to keep out debris)

    Once the plastic plug was removed I didn?t have enough clearence between the top of the strut and the top of the wheel housing to fit any tool.

    Now that the entire suspension is out I have plenty of clearence. But the fastners won?t budge. Not quite enough room on top of strut shaft to ?double nut it?. I?m considering throwing the whole thing in the truck and giving Midas a crack at it. (I hate to give up though, I'd like to do it all myself)

    Any thoughts?? Also can anyone confirm the TORX size on the Strut Shaft? I'm pretty sure its #50

    Thanks! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

    This winter?s project - Under-body Rust!!

    in Buick Reatta

    Posted

    I me be in over my head. Come to think of it ... When your working under your car its all over your head

    I knew I had some amount of rust on the underside rear of my Reatta. This winter?s project was to wire brush and re-undercoat.

    Well ? one thing led to another and the next thing I knew the rear end was removed and sitting on the garage floor. Wish me Luck! Any advise is welcome!

    I have some pictures if I can just figure-out how to attach them!

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