[Congrats to Ronnie]

Hey there, Ronnie ... I've told you many times over the years how much I appreciate all you do for me as well as for the others on this site but that was just one on one praise. It is nice to see you get formally recognized for your consistently superior service and advice to your fellow Reatta owners. Congratulations! John

[Radiator]

Going to replace the radiator on my 1990 Reatta tomorrow. As I recall it was a pretty straightforward replacement but it has been a number of years since I replaced the radiator on my previous Reatta so does anyone have any tips or suggestions lesarned through experience? Note: So not to annoy anyone I did a radiator search on the 'forum' site first before appealing to the membership but did not come. Thank you in advance. John

[brake rattle/rear caliper carrier loose]

We used Disc Brake Alignment Kit #WAGF11715IS on my 1990 Reatta way back on 06-30-09. No problems since. As an aside, the Kit on Ronnie's site looks identical therefore it no doubt works fine. Good luck, John

[Low oil warning]

_{Does this happen every time or only when you start the car after it sits long enough for the oil to drip into the pan? There is an Oil Level Sensor in the Pan. If it is defective or installed incorrectly you will get a false reading of low oil. It is a simple replacement or proper install during an oil change and the part only costs approximately $45.00 at parts stores such as AutoZone.}

[Gasoline changes]

FYI - The website that Farnelle is referring to above is: http://pure-gas.org/

[Insurance or Value Assessment]

 

Thank all of you for the replies; especially the actual insurance industry answer. Currently I average perhaps 8,000 + miles per year so I have coverage through a regular provider at a very reasonable rate … but that only covers the other guy if I am at fault or my car if she or he is uninsured. All provided good suggestions so I’ll give them a try … Florida has some difficult insurance laws due to so many elderly drivers.

 

Side Note: This is why this Forum is valuable for all members and viewers.

 

 

 

[Insurance or Value Assessment]

Over the years a couple of times Auto Insurance has come up on the Forum; some folks have Antique Insurance, Some Show Car Insurance, and some like me with an everyday Reatta have Regular Insurance. I’ve looked into specialty insurances but they do not allow for an everyday car. What is concerning me is after watching a few Legal Shows on TV it has become painfully obvious that even though the other person is at fault all the courts will dole out is Blue Book Value or repair costs, whichever is less ... in other words, nothing for a 25-year-old Reatta.

 

My Reatta is pristine therefore it has a decent street value; I sure the heck do not want to get zero for it should someone crash into it. Does anyone know of a way to have the car 'officially assessed' as to its value and then have that 'officially' documented so that in case someone damages the car I will get it repaired rather than junked?

 

I had an earlier Reatta totaled by a Buick Dealership in the '90s but I insisted they either repair it or provide me with another comparable Reatta ... they repaired it but kept it four months to do so. That was a unique situation ... I am told today that repair would not happen.

[can someone recommended a shop in the south Florida area to refurb my leather]

Hi Richard ... this is John in Sarasota. Sorry I haven't been on to see your message but hopefully I got to you in time. Hoyt's Auto Upholstery here in Sarasota is outstanding and then some; they have a terrific reputation to back that up! They are as good as it gets. I had them repair my driver’s side seat ... it was worn from getting in and out. They first found the perfect match for the seat color [tan]. They ordered the material and called me as soon as it came in and had me bring the Reatta down. They do not do half-butt work ... they pulled the driver's side seat out of the car. They ripped out the side and back of the seat and replaced it with the new material doing all stitching by hand. The end result is a seat I defy anyone to tell it has ever been worked on, absolutely beautiful. The cost? A very reasonable $187.25. I tipped the guy because of the impressive result that exceeded my expectations and I appreciated the gentle way they treated my car.

Hoyt’s Auto Upholstery – Don & Hedda Summertin [Owners] … they have a great team – 4017 Sawyer Court, Sarasota, Florida 34233 – 941-924-2604

Take care, John

[Symptoms of a weak fuel pressure regulator???]

Hi there, I just went through that. The symptoms you describe are exactly what I had recently [see Enoytsur’s Hard Starting post]. I replaced the Fuel Pressure Regulator and it corrected the problem immediately.The tutorial on Ronnie's site in the Repair section is excellent. One tip ...the back screw is very difficult to reinstall. I recommend cutting a shortpiece of rubber tubing, stick the head of the screw in it and once you get the screw started simply pull off the rubber tubing and finish tightening. I didn’t have tubing so I put a glob of Plumber’s Putty on my index finger creating a similar way of holding the screw so not to drop it. Also, a mechanic's mirror is very helpful. The price can be as much as $120.00 but since I had spent a King's ransom for labor and changing out parts that opted to purchase a GP Sorenson Fuel Pressure Regulator for $40.99 at my local AutoZone. The part is solidly built and … it works! Ronnie’s site link to Fuel Pressure Regulator replacement: http://www.reattaowner.com/roj/component/content/article/67-engine-a-drivetrain/fuel-system/242-fuel-pressure-regulator-replacement<o:p></o:p>

Hope this helps, John<o:p></o:p>

[Hard Starting]

Thank you! I want to thank each and every Forum Member that took the time to try to help me to resolve this intermittent Hard Starting problem [basically when the car sat for over 20 minutes or when it was very hot]. Though the Mechanic suspected the Fuel Pressure Regulator early on he tested it and it tested okay so he moved on to other parts. As it turns out it was the Fuel Pressure Regulator that was failing. I installed a new one over the weekend [thanks to the excellent tutorial on Ronnie's superior, extremely helpful site] and the car fired right up and has started as it should ever since.

Side Note: The tutorial is great ... just one warning; the back ‘blind’ screw is very difficult to get started so patience is needed ... took me quite a while to finally get it. I ended up wrapping a glob of plumbing putty around my index finger and then sticking the screw in it so I wouldn't keep dropping it.

Again, thank you! This forum has been a lifesaver [figure of speech] over the years. Kudos to all of the dedicated participants. John

[Hard Starting]

Here's an update ... can should use some assistance on this.After two months and lots of parts replaced and money spent the problem stillpersists. The problem seems to be more defined now: Hard Starting after the caris has sat for a while [approximately 15 minutes or more]. Once it starts thefirst time it starts over and over right away ... in fact, it will startnormally if I run into a store for a few minutes. On the other hand, if we gointo a restaurant for lunch the Reatta has to be cranked a few times to get itstarted. Note: Loses Injector Pulse or at times a weak signal. The followinghas been done plus lots of testing:<o:p></o:p>

FuelPressure Testing, Extensive testing and measuring all systems related tostarting, Replaced Fuel Pump,<o:p></o:p>

Replaced Fuel Pressure Relay, Replaced Oil Level Sensor,Pump Strainer, Cleaned Four Ground Points, Replaced ESC Module, Replaced CamShaft Sensor, Replaced Crank Shaft Sensor, Replaced PCM – ECM, ReplacedIgnition Control Module, Replaced Ignition Coil.<o:p></o:p>

Thank you in advance for your any info or comments; it isvery much appreciated. John<o:p></o:p>

[Hard Starting]

Thanks for the help everyone .. still haven't found the root cause but will eventually. I truly appreciate folks giving a hand. John

[Lights Question]

Truthfully you can spend a lot of time and perhaps money messing with the Headlamps because there are so many variables. I tried all of the shortcuts and/or hmmm maybe this will work fixes; e.g., replaced the Bell Cranks only, replaced the Rollers in the motor only, etc., but I still had a frustrating wobble in both Headlamps. I finally did it the right way. To that end, from my perspective I recommend purchasing Rebuilt Headlamp Motors [barney is a great source … he does an outstanding job and you know they are 100% correct].Oftentimes many of us consider a Motor rebuild to be simply putting in the Rollers … that does not always do the complete job … for example the shaft could be worn. In addition, I recommend purchasing rebuilt or reengineered BellCranks [a few different folks on this site sell them … over the years I have used both Kingsley’s and Barney’s with excellent results]. After installing the aforementioned Rebuilt To New Condition parts properly your Reatta’s Headlamps will be tight and likely will not wobble at all but to make 100% certain adjust the White Up-Stop that the Assembly rests against when open to the point it is snug. If done properly there will be no wobble to the Headlamps. By the way, in all likelihood the White Up-stops arebroken … if so you will need to replace them.<o:p></o>

Note: My recommendations are based on my experience only and not meant to question anyone’s skills. If you can rebuild the Motors completelyand properly so that the shafts [as mentioned earlier the shafts in my original Motors were worn] are tight then that is great.<o:p></o>

[Hard Starting]

I have an issue with my 1990 that my mechanic cannot correct… hard starting at times. Sometimes it fires right up … even perhaps 4 times ina row. However, far more often it takes 4 to 10 seconds to get it to start [sometimes more]. Also, sometimes you crank it for a bit then STOP cranking and oddly then it starts. <o:p></o>

It seems, but not 100% certain, that it is harder to start when itis hot humid weather [we are currently at 90 degrees and humid here inSarasota]. He replaced the Fuel Pump and associated parts … cleaned 5 grounds …ran every kind of conceivable test all of which pass with flying colors. Still no luck, hard starting at times. This guy has 35 years of experience and has animpeccable reputation and has proven to me over time to be a very good mechanic. <o:p></o>

He is now wondering if the problem is electrical in nature but is leery to start down that road without more clarity due to cost.<o:p></o>

Has anyone had a similar problem? Any suggestions? Thank you. John

[Power Window Motor]

Does anyone have an opinion on which Power Window Motor is better ... AC Delco or Dorman? About the same price on Amazon ... the Dorman appears to come with a nut and bolt kit to replace the rivets. Thank you.

[Door Panel Cleaner]

Thanks to all who replied! All clean now. It took a few hours, lots of elbow grease, and a couple of the aforementioned products. Again, thank you! John

[Door Panel Cleaner]

Hi there, recently a mechanic put a screwdriver through my Passenger Side Door Panel. Fortunately Jim [thanks again, Jim] came through as usual witha replacement ... and it is in fine shape. The Panel has heavy soil around the edgesas well as in a couple of other places that I’d like to get rid of. I've tried my normal leather cleaners; Meguiar's and Armor All, but neither work at all. I've also tried products such as 409 and Scotchguard. I've always kept my cars pristine so I have never had to restore [so to speak] any leather or leather-like interior items that have aged or ground-in soil on them. To that end, I could use some product suggestions for cleaning the Door Panel. Thank you in advance for assisting, much appreciated.<o:p></o

[88 Cruise Control making trips interesting]

Tom, though this picture from the Manual is a tad confusing you can use it to locate the Servo and Tank [Cruise Control System] under the hood. Once there inspect each of the associated Vacuum Hoses. I recenlly had to replace the large hose that goes from the Cruise Control system [in the photo] through the Firewall and attaches to the Brake under the under dash shroud. It was a tad tough puling it lose at the Firewall but was fairly easy to replace it once I did. Good Luck! John

[Courtesy Lights]

I honestly cannot say in that the mechanic [who was one of the original Reatta factory trained mechanics] I used to go to did the inititial testing and concluded the BCM was the problem ... then the Keyless Module ws the problem ... neither resolved the problem]. I no longer go to that shop so I do not know his test results I only know he said he narrowed it down to the aforementioned parts. I certainly can look up the guide and retest. Thank you.

[Courtesy Lights]

Hi there ... way back on July 12, 2013 posted this concernregarding the Courtesy Lights on my 1990 Coupe. It has taken a while but I haveslowly worked though all of the suggestions posted on the site and on the sideincluding replacing the BCM Unit and the Keyless Module. Unfortunately none ofthe 'fixes' resolved the problem. Does anyone have a thought on how to get the CourtesyLights working as they are supposed to? Thank you in advance for pondering thisodd but annoying problem. John<o:p></o:p>

[Servo Vacuum Hose]

Problem solved ... the Grommet that the Vacuum Hose passed through that is through the firewall had melted over the years onto the Vacuum Hose. Used leverage to pull it, along with the Hose, into the cabin of the car. Cut the old Hose away from the Grommet in order to reuse it ...lubricated the inside of the Grommet and slid it on the Hose on the engine compartment side ... pushed the Hose and the Grommet into the Firewall hole from the engine compartment as far as I could but due to limited space it could not be snapped in ... used large Needle Nose Pliers inside the cabin to pull the Grommet into the hole until it snapped in.<o:p></o:p>

[Servo Vacuum Hose]

Hi there, has anyone replaced the Servo to Brake Switch Vacuum Hose on a 1990 Reatta? If so, I could sure use a tip or two on how to remove the old large Vacuum Hose that goes through the Firewall and attaches to the Brake Switch. I have pulled from both sides of the Firewall and it does not budge, not even a fraction. The old one has been spliced a few times therefore it is no longer repairable. After removal I have a replacement Hose ready so that needs to be able to be installed as well so, again, if anyone has done this any help you can provide will be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

[Courtesy Lights]

Hi John, Good to hear from you! There are two relays that are marked R.A.P. (Retained Accessory Power). I would check/replace each of them to see if it fixes your problem.

. Hi Ronnie, thanks for responding ... nice to see you are still helping folks. Hope the Mrs. is doing great as well! There is one RAP relay on the passenger side of the console ... is that the one you are speaking of? Where is the best place to purcase a realy; the dealership?

[Courtesy Lights]

The Courtesy Lights on my 1990 do not work when the locked door is pulled from the outside or when the remote is used to unlock the doors. They do work when the door is opened but immediately turn off when the door is shut instead of timing out after 30 seconds or so. Seems to be a fuse but I cannot locate one. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance for assisting. <o:p></o:p>

[1990 White Coupe Sarasota]

Hi, there is a 1990 White Coupe for sale here in Sarasota, Florida ... the interior is Maroon. The sort of (was a demo so she purchased it with 3,000 miles on it) one owner car has 67,000 miles. The asking price is $3,875.00. Condition of the body is nice but there are a few door nicks on the passenger side. The interior is okay ... could use some freshening up but all is in good shape with the excerption of a cracked driver's side armrest. The tires would need to be replaced. The mechanic I use tells me it is in very good mechanical condition and I trust him since he was the local Buick Dealer’s Reatta mechanic before he opened his own shop 16-years ago. Contact telephone number is 941-822-2564. I will be glad to inspect the car further if someone is interested.