alexhouston

Thanks

I must be the odd-ball in this forum. I always buy and sell many cars as a hobby. I tend to keep my older ones like '24 Dodge Brothers touring, '27 Hudson super 6 sedan, 49 Dodge wrecker, 50 Chrysler, 60 Chevy Kingwood wagon(only 9 built), 64 Coupe Deville and 73 Bradley. Some of my not so odds are 89 buick Century plus parts cars, Ford Taurus(3), 90 Reatta, 88 Riviatta, 89 Reatta parts car and as of tonight another 88 Reatta. Probably a few more I can't recall. My biggest problem with my cars is deciding which one to work on and drive which is a big issue considering my fettish for cars. Does anyone else have that problem?

Can someone point me back to the online repair manual. I have lost my shortcut. I need to know where the fan relay is. I think on the fire wall but does anyone know for sure or which one? Is it the same for a '90? Thanks

You didn't tell us when it started acting up. Was it after the cat converter change, or did you do the cat converter as a trial fix? If you did, it could be the muffler stopped up. I would consider removing the pipes before the cat converter and running it disconnected. If it runs good, that is the problem. This is many times the case when the mechanics cannot find the poor performance problem.

Does anyone know if an '89 Riviera sun roof will fit a Reatta? I have one I am getting ready to crush but if anyone can use it, they are welcome to it. I could save it but I don't know if it is worth saving unless it will fit a Reatta?

Since I have had mine, I have seen many here in Pasadena, Tx. Only one white rag top,w/red interior, rough condition. Several coupes - Maui Blue, many red, a few black, a few clarete. Not as rare as I had originally thought. Funny thing is I don't find many in junk yards.

I was needing one last month. I couldn't find a grey one so I asked my local upholstery shop what I could do. For $10, he repaired my severely broken one with wire and JB weld. Looks new! Apparently this is quite common at upholstery shops.

Check your private messages.

I suggest removing the brake hoses at the backing plate. That would eliminate all questions of hoses swollen closed and master cyl problems. Still won't turn, adjust your brakes. I did one once but ended up with oversize shoes and mine would not turn, and was very hard to assemble. (No wonder wheels would not turn.)

My experience from your description will be about $3500 estimate. Most likely you will be fighting about a "Total" with your insurance company. Let us know the "real" estimate is when you get it. It will be interesting how close I came from your description.

My experience is that to break loose many lug nuts, etc I have to get out the breakover and cheater bar all too often. Seldom do I ever use the impacts when working on anything other than wheels, and then the 4-way is much easier. I would recommend a 3/8 air ratchet for most auto work. Mainly due to small size which will fit most places where an impact won't. I also find my ratchet is much safer to use to reassemble motors, etc due to not so easy to over-torque. As far as good tools at best prices, I buy only the best brands. Harbor Freight tools have never lasted for me, and most frustrating is that you cannot get parts anywhere. I find pawn shops to be a really good place to buy tools. Usually I bargain for price. I never pay their posted price. I typically get tools at 1/3 the new price, cheaper than the Harbor Freight cost for junk.

When mine did that it was the Crank position sensor. After a cool down period about an hour or so, it always cranked right up and ran great, sometimes for days and many trips before it did it again. Always the cool down period and it started right up.

If it wasn't cluncking before the trany overhaul, my thoughts would be improper reassymbly by your transmision shop. I have seen only the front motor mount be bad, but that was only after a serious frontal wreck. The bad dogbone rubber can cause a clunking sound but is not serious. Also easy to replace. Very cheap at a junk yard since so many are interchangeable.

I have a set I think from a 20 or 21. Quite sure they are the same as a 22. Do you know any way to be sure? Parts came with misc other parts when I bought a 25 parts car. Need to get rid of earlier 20s parts. radiator(honeycomb) with shell and medalion, misc spare tire carriers, windshield stantions, one lower with glass, etc

This past weekend I took the Riviatta on the road to the ranch for the first time. I typically take my truck but this time I opted to find out if my car could get the 30mpg some were saying they get. The best I got was 24mpg on a 120 mile straight highway ride at 65mph with few slowdowns. This really a little better than I had originaly expected. What milage do the rest of you get on the highway?

When mine went out it sounded like a slipping belt squealing plus vibration.

My Radio will not play on the right side. I suspect I need to replace the power supply/amp which I am sure I have a few of. However, I am not knowledgeable enough to know which part it is or where it is located. Can someone post a photo of it showing where and what it is? Also, the "Options" button on my touch screen seems to have stopped working. Is there some trick I am unaware of? Thanks

I brought this up a month ago but now that I have parted with some of my other cars, I have time now to pay more attention to this '90 Reatta. This is the one I got from Paula a couple moths ago. When I got it, it ran but I had to replace the injector wires, and all the others on top of the intake. They were disentigrated from heat and age. The car runs great now but on one trip, the oil presure dropped to one tick above the red warning on the guage and was zero at idle. The temperature also seemed to start to rise. At the time, I did not have time to spend looking into the cause but I am suspecting the cam bearings. A complete overhaul right now would not hurt my feelings at all because this car is nice enough to be a keeper for many years to come and could be my daily driver. However, I want to know what is really wrong before I tear it down. Previously several people had input as to possible causes like EGR valves, etc. I have forgotten all the suggestions so please respond with your thoughts again. Thanks.

Does that really matter? Two of them I have dealt with work full time at the Buick Dealer running the body shop. I never bother to ask their citizenship as it is none of my buisness.

I am spoiled to well qualified, hungry and needey body people around here. I had the whole front end of the Riviatta painted for $200 flat. That included a small amount of body work after I had fit the riviera front end to it. hood cost should be: Paint match about $50.00 Other Misc about $20 prep labor 4hrs at $50 = $200 paint/buff 2hrs at 50 = $100 Total fair price around $370 I know around here I can get labor much cheaper and could get it done for well under $200.

Question for everyone to ponder: Can't the anti-lock brakes cause such a symptom?

I would love to have it but the trip to and from Florida would be tough. Would there be any way we could meet half way?

A deep socket with the side cut out to slide over the wire is available at most auto parts stores. I paid $6.00+/-. Makes many applications very easy. Beats busted knuckles trying a wrench.

Solved the puzzle. Charactoristics of city driving and a teen with a lead foot! I cleared out the trip settings and started with a Zero MPG reading. Drove down the highway and got 31mpg intantaneous mpg after a few miles. Then got closer to home with all the stop lights and traffic. Average quickly went to 12.2mpg. Teen then drove it and came back with 8.1 mpg showing. Cosidering we almost never drive this car on the highway, and most trips only a couple miles at most, I guess that explains the low average that shows up on the screen. Thanks for everyones input.

Can't help then. Mine is much older.