Order_of_the_fly

I'm hoping to find a mechanic in Dallas that has some experience with Reattas. Anyone have any ideas?

Well I got out today with plans on fixing the IPC and it seems to be working fine now. No electrical problem indicator, no 00 and when I push to test it lights up like a Christmas tree. I still took it out and sprayed some contact cleaner on it for good measure though. I was thinking and this happened once before when the weather was cold and rainy. I'm in Dallas and just as the first effects of hurricane Gustav hit us that's when it acted up again, however today is sunny and warm. Would cold weather be a factor or just a coincidence.

Awesome, my brother is far from being a grease monkey but he is a wizard with electronics. When I pull it out I'll have him take a look at the soldered connections, maybe he can give me something to report on. And thanks for the heads up Dave. I noticed on the other thread that you'll try to get more IPCs. If you don't already have a waiting list I would love to take one off your hands.

I found a IPC on ebay if anyone wants to scoop it up. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/90-93-BUICK-RIVIERA-REATTA-DIGITAL-CLUSTER_W0QQitemZ370081657729QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item370081657729&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A1%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

I have a similar problem with my dash lights going out. It does the same 00 with the "electrical problem" indicator but when I push the test button the lights are so dim that I can barely read them. Would bad connections to my IPC cause the lights to be barely visible or does this sound like a bigger problem with my electrical system. much, much thanks.

Well I got back from the shop and a lube and oil change later the alarm started going off again. I took out the back panel and it seems that all they did was disconnect the key less entry wire harness again and thought it was fixed. I started taking my dash apart and got down to that steel plate under the initial piece with the sound dampener on it when I realized that the factory book I have doesn't really tell me much on where to go from there. Just that its in there somewhere and what it does, not how to take it off. Has anyone taken out they're alarm system at home? Could you give me a walk through on what I should be looking for and what I should watch out for?

I do have a Factory Service Manuel for the Reatta but since I know little to nothing about cars most of it might as well be in a different language, it does have a lot of very useful information regarding dismantling this and that and giving me brief descriptions of what box does what. As far as the anti-lock brake system I plugged the wire harness back in and they seem to be working fine now, weird. I just got it out of the shop last week so I plan on taking it back in first thing in the morning after I noticed a few things today they failed to fix, maybe I can get a free-bee on this bizarre alarm problem.

Okay, I tried to use my key in the passenger door but it didn't work. I then took out the back panels so I could get to the wire harness. I disconnected the wires running to it and the alarm seems to finally be silenced, however, it also disconnected my anti-lock brakes. I'm guessing it also runs my key less entry because that stopped working too. When I start up the car and both brake indicators pop up the emergency goes off but the anti-lock stays on. I think I'm going to try and plug those back in but get into my dash so I can pull out the main part. I just don't want to disconnect something detrimental so that the car goes dead, if that's even possible.

I had to unplug my battery so I could get in and out of my car but I'll try the key in the passenger door next. In my big book of Reatta knowledge its telling me that in the location your specifying there is a receiver module for my remote entry that connects to my anti-lock brake harness. Does that sound like the same thing? I'm just going to get in there and start diggin around. I appreciate the help and I will update you in a little bit, hopefully it will be easier then I'm making it out to be. Oh and its a 1990.

You mean taking that whole back panel out where the speaker is? I opened the trunk access door and noticed some screws, should I start there? I'm worried that once I take the panels off I will never be able to get them back on the same way, any suggestions?

I pulled out my big book on the Reatta and its has the location of the relay behind the left side of the instrument panel, above and to the right of the parking brake. How easy will it be for me to take this apart and try to detach the relay? Is there any chance that I will inadvertently disable something else while attempting this or is it pretty cut and dry?

Every time I open either the drivers door or passengers my alarm sounds. I've tried turning the car on, locking and unlocking the doors manually and with the keyless entry but it sounds for the full three minutes before shutting off. Is it possible for me to disable the system myself or would I have to take it into a shop and have them do it for me? Thanks, Lance

Yeah, surprisingly easy to take out and hook up. I actually had a private "mechanic" help me with the belt and he used a tire iron to brake off about a 1/4 inch size spot on the lip of my tension wheel. I doubt its big enough to be a problem but I would still like to replace it if not for my own OCD then for what Maui said. Where does everyone buys parts, not locally but online? Please tell me theres some lost treasure trove of Reatta parts sitting in a warehouse next to the Ark of the Covenant.

Thanks for the advice. I actually figured out what the "compressed air" sound was, my belt slipping on my alternator when it was trying to seize up. I was stopped and waiting for a train to pass this morning when she locked up on me. Luckily I only had about a mile left to drive so I unhooked the belt and drove her the rest of the way. I can't believe how locked up it is, at least it was a cinch to take out. I had to order a new one from O'Reillys which should be here around 7:30am tomorrow. Aside form it being just old do you think the belt could have been too tight and that might have caused it to seize?

Thanks Ron, I'll check out the brakes tomorrow. Sorry to sound confusing but when I'm in drive and the car is shifting to lower gears it jerks a little. It also started(as of maybe 4 hours ago)making a strange noise when idling. It sounds like compressed air being released at maybe 20 second intervals and never for more than a second at a time. I cant seem to locate where its coming from and when I turn on the A/C it has no effect on the noise(the a/c works fine though). I plan on taking it in tomorrow to have it checked out. Any thoughts?

Hello all! My name is Lance and I just bought a 1990 Reatta coupe this past weekend and I gotta tell ya, I'm super pumped that I found this site because I am in <span style="font-style: italic">way</span> over my head. She has about 252,000 miles on it and from what the mechanic says is in damn good shape for being "such an old bird". All in all she sounds great and runs even better but I still would like to do some work of my own if not for a smoother idle and shifting but to at least get to know her better. Which brings me to my question: Is there anything on a minor scale that I can do in a weekends time to maybe flush her out and squeeze out some better performance? Also my oil gauge is spiking, could this be my sender? It does have a almost new tranny(50K)but it seems to jerk too hard when I down shift. I was reading some past posts on using Sea Foam but failed to see if it really does make enough of a difference to even bother. I understand that using it could possibly grant both of my wishes and for the small dollar price why not give it a shot...but, I would love to have some other options in the event that it does nothing. I'll try to get some photos up when it finally stops raining here. Much thanks.