88, 89, 90's with original Accumulator?

[Guest wally888]

I ran across the following from a previous post/thread.<BR> Wonder how many 88, 89, and 90's have never had a new Accumulator or taken the Brake Tests?<P>Unregistered User hoorea <BR>unregistered <P> posted 01-29-2002 12:59 PM <BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>how can you have problems with something as obvious as brakes and not know it? maybe if things are too good, there must be something wrong? if it's not broke, don't fix it! <BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>IP: Logged <BR> <BR>Easily Distracted <BR>Member <BR>Member # 5047 <BR> posted 01-29-2002 01:23 PM <BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>hoorea just do the test and you will see!!!<BR>Have you invested 3 minutes of your life and done the test. I would be interested to see the results. Please post results. This forum is full of cases of people who did not have any problems with their brakes until they crashed. Check NTSB for Reatta complaints. Many!! Robert Just do it!!!!!<BR>[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Easily Distracted by Shiny Objects ]<P>--------------------<P>Robert Ottawa, Ontario '89 Reatta <P><BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>Posts: 1115 | From: | IP: Logged <BR> <BR>Unregistered User hoorea <BR>unregistered <P> posted 01-30-2002 04:41 AM <BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>no thanks , my brakes couldnt work better. i dont believe in making problems where there are none. if you look hard enough you can find fault with anything. <BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>IP: Logged

[Guest]

IN MEMORIAM<P>Mr. U.U. Hoorea was buried today at Mount Teves Cemetery following brief services at the Church of the Unregistered and Unbelieving.<P>Mr. Hoorea passed away August 17 at a local hospital following a two-car accident on Route 17. Mr. Hoorea's automobile, an older model Buick sports car, rammed into the rear of a truck-trailer at an estimated 70 miles per hour. State police said the accident was unexplained, as there were no skid marks or other apparent attempts to stop.<P>Mr. Hoosea was 21, and leaves no family.

[Guest]

Jerry, you make me giggle out loud!

[Guest wally888]

Robert, wrong again!<BR> Was in July!

[Guest EDBS0]

Thanks for the laugh, Robert

[Guest]

yes, thats hilarious. there are two kinds of comedians, the kind that gets paid for it, and the village idiot. want to hear something really scary? i have a 89 with 200,000 miles on it, and everything in the braking system is original (except linings). never been flushed. at this point flushing would cause nothing but problems. brakes work perfectly, i dont intend to do anything with a perfectly functioning system. trouble happens on its own. why help it? i have to stop typing now so i can wring wy hands with worry. what really worries me is, i might be worrying about the wrong things.

[Guest EDBS0]

I here by nominate hoorea for the The Darwin Awards. They salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally kill themselves in really stupid ways. <BR> <A HREF="http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/index_darwin2002.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/index_darwin2002.html</A> <P>Could be reading about u in the next book. <P>What are you thinking How about humour us and <B>TEST!</B> ur brakes?<p>[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: Easily Distracted ]

[Guest]

thanks for the nomination, but i am still alive and well, with really good brakes. to be safe maybe you should go test yours again. dont want to take any chances.

[Guest wally888]

Following are some questions and answers. The answers were provided bt Rick Fletcher, the person in charge of retrofit of Antilock, including Teves, brake systems at Prior Rebuilders.<BR> 1. Q. During Manual front and Power assisted rear brake flushing, will pushing the pedal to the floor numerous times, cause any damage?<BR> A. Pushing the pedal full strokes on manual bleeding the front should not damage the unit. When bleeding the rear you should not have to push it full stokes because of the pressure from the motor charging up the system.<P>5. Q. Do you keep records of failed Units/Cores to indicate the most prevalent component failures and the most likely reasons for failure. ( We are almost 100% convinced most failures are due to poor preventive maintenance, especially continuing to use old fluid?)<BR> A.The most common failures are:<BR>bad accumulator<BR>rubber cups, seals, o-rings getting worn out<BR>motor - brushes, relays<BR>pressure switches<P>8. Q. Any suggestions for owners about how to avoid brake failure and how to prolong the period until they need your services.<BR> A. Periodically flush brake system.<P>**********************************************<BR>Draw your own conclusions!

[Guest Greg Ross]

Wally,<BR>By any chance are you and jJ in ca-hoots here, my suspicion being that "hoorea" alias Wally888 and jJ are actually using humor to bring this extremely important issue back for the benifit of all.<BR>There can't possibly be an enlightened individual who participates (or at least monitors) on this Site who does not take brake system maintainance seriously.<BR>On the other hand;<BR>"Hoorea", the consequences of what you speak is known in legal circles as negligence, and probably more aptly "Gross Negligence". <BR>Should you Sir or Madam, be involved in an acident causing bodily harm resulting directly, or even indirectly from your failure to do what a prudent person would do....<BR>And I suppose you also only believe in carrying the absolute legal minimum of Liability Insurance on this Death Trap, you call a Reatta. Ignorance may be Bliss but...no excuse in Law.<BR>I suppose you've placed black electrical tape over those annoying yellow and red "Idiot Lights" on your dash, have you? <BR>Perhaps if you have no regard for the properties of hydraulic systems you'll take a suggestion and at least let "Physics" do the rest.<BR>Sell the Reatta to someone who can afford to maintain it properly, buy a K-Car if there are any of those still on the road, and at least if you rear-end someone the lesser "Mass" will do less harm.

[Guest]

EDSO: Concur with your Darwin nomination. (Wonder how many fatal coronary victims earlier proclaimed: "I don't need no heart check; it works just fine with no maintenance -- just a couple cheeseburgers every day!")<P>Hoosea: To each his own. Good luck -- and if you happen to see a Maui blue convertible, please keep a respectable distance.<P>Jerry<BR>aka The Village Idiot (whose first priority for a Reatta is brake flushing and accumulator replacement)

[Guest]

GM Ross,sounds like you "suppose" a lot of things. all wrong! the red and amber lights on my reatta work perfectly along with the rest of the brake system, i carry ample insurance, and there is certainly no negligence involved here, all maintenance that is needed is done. needed being the key word. could you be an outhouse lawyer? well, dont quit your day job. whatever that is. nothing like brakes to stimulate discussion on these cars. out of the thousands of reattas some (a few) have had serious problems, the rest (mostly all) work fine. trouble is you never hear about those on this forum, but i know that you cant argue with an expert.

[Guest]

Well, folks, that about says it all....<P>The Village Idiot

[Guest wally888]

I am not smart enough to script the ongoing thread! Maybe...ED or JJ.........?<BR> Except for the Neanderthal Man no one has claimed to still possess their original Accumulator. I had to replace two on one car and one on the other, both 89's.<BR> Wish we all had a pressure gage built into the system. I'm sure we would gain a lot of insight i.e. " My pressure drops from 2800 psi to 1800 with just one brake application"<BR>"Mine only drops to 2300psi!" or My pumps kicks on at 2100 psi. Mine come on at 1600.............<BR> Having a few minor/momentary brake failures, reading about others problems/wrecks and the results I obtained when I tested the 89 model with the pump relay removed, seemed to make me constantly aware of the possibility of an emergency or wreck. Decided on a 91.<BR> Ignorance is bliss!

[Guest]

Six hours before Challenger lifted off and then exploded, the O-rings checked out A-OK.<BR>No "amber or red lights" were blinking, hoorea. <P>Members of this Forum hope your last words on this planet won't be, "Oh, poopoo!" <P>Their concern, I'm certain, will be for your victims, not you.<P>The Village Idiot

[Guest EDBS0]

Poor hoorea braindead in August 2002, when will the rest of him go?

[Guest]

Question: Origional accumulator? The log on my number 2 Red Reatta shows the accumulator replaced because the amber light was on. I don't know if the accumulator was ever replaced on my number 1 Red Reatta. I own two red Reattas. Had a blue one also.<P>I have a spare accumulator just in case as well as several spare Teves units. Never know.

[Guest]

Darn! I missed this thread. Pretty funny stuff, but is this guy serious? Reminds me of something about "an ounce of preventative maintenence is worth a pound of bondo" or something like that. <BR>"check your brakes and check them often there's no reason not too" <BR>I've got more!

[padgett]

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1852190735">Here's one.</a><P>RRR: accumulator will not cause only the amber (yellow ?) light to come on - it is part of the boost system so the red light will come on first. (Red light does work ?)<P>If only getting the yellow light, need to pull codes to find out why.

[Guest Geoff Meador]

I'll chime in-<BR>My 1988 still has the original accumulator.<P>I should prepare, it seems, to be grilled by the seasoned veterans of this forum.<P>The Reatta is regularly subjected to the whole shebang of diagnostics, including the infamous "brake tests." There are no idiot lights, no incorrect fluid levels, no warning signs.<P>It works fine. I'm not going to mess with it.

[Guest]

Hmmm, I guess i should test my brakes, my 88 has just turned 240,000 miles from daily driving since I got it at 72k in 1993. Been a grat car, probably has original accumulator, I've got it for sale for $2,900, even thought of parting it out after seeing all the interest in parts. I need a real truck now, that little door thru the trunk only lets me cary eight 4 by 4's and 50 fence boards on the front seat (true story) Laterz reatta fans.<P>Chuck 55chevy@geocities.com

[Guest tempest68]

Dont EVER change your brake fluid. Dont EVER change your oil. Dont EVER lube the chassis. Heck, dont EVER have your car state inspected (in states requiring such things).<p>Then scratch your head some day wondering why a once fine automobile suddenly turns into a hunk-o-junk.<p>No one ever has to do ANY maintenance. But those that want the most bang-for-the-buck realise its foolish not to! Given that the brake test will tell you whether there is a problem, I just dont understand why anyone would say "no thanks, I dont care if I can find a problem early". I guess they'll skip seeing the doctor in their old age. Then wonder some day why they have a lump thats just getting larger. "we're sorry, mister/ms. so-and-so, but if you had done some tests [diagnostics] earlier, maybe we could have found the cancer in time. But since you failed to, you'll no longer be with us in two months!"<p>God help those who ignore proper maintenance...on their cars and themselves. (and I pray for their families that are left behind, who pay the price for they're loved-ones arrogance/ignorance)

[Guest wally888]

Why is it when you have to wait 3 months to get an appointment with a specialist his 1st. words are, "Wish you had come to me sooner"!?

[Guest EDBS0]

<A HREF="http://www.reattaparts.com/new_arrivals.htm" TARGET=_blank>What brake failure? a few dozen badly hurt Reattas</A> <p>[ 08-23-2002: Message edited by: Easily Distracted ]

[padgett]

Working for a major airframer and flying in excess of 100,000 miles a year, I believe in maintenance.<P>If you have an 88 and it passes all seven checks then you have one that was built very well. <P>OTOH mine had no lights but tested marginal so I replaced it. Being an oddball part and under $100, I also bought a spare for either my next Reatta or 2012 whichever comes first.

[Guest]

I truly think you are all a bunch of ex-hippys from the paranoid 60's. They never caught me, and that pretty much proves "they" really are not out there.<P>I have all original brake parts in my 88 (except pads of course) and it stops pretty good most of the time. I do get the amber light now & then, but I keep a rubber mallet in the trunk and a few well placed wacks on the brake controller on the left fender well makes the light go out.<P>I did try to replace the brake fluid, but I found that Absolut had the wrong viscosity.<P>And No, I will not tell you the color of my car, as I really dont want to to get out of the way, at least not toooo sooooon!<P>Damn, there goes them brakes again.

[Guest]

Reading this thread, I see numerous references to a "brake-test". Being a new owner of an '88, makes me wonder what this brake-test is. Is it performed with the on-board diagnostic tools, a detailed do-it-yourself project, or a more extensive series of tests best carried out by a qualified technician?

[Guest wally888]

Is difficult to find a Teves qualified tech.<BR> Tests at site below.

[Guest]

Twodoors and Wally: We came across our Teves expert by accident; it might work for you. We have a Range Rover, and our mechanic (Britallia) handles only British/European cars. These guys are familiar with the Teves system, as a ton of European cars used them. Check your local Brit repair shop.<P>Jerry

[Guest Geoff Meador]

padgett (and others), I suppose that I should add that my '88 only has 55,000 miles on it.<P>That could be a contributing factor the the longevity (thus far) of the accumulator.

[padgett]

Could be. Mine is also well under 100k and had no lights but replaced because was marginal on # of pumps and time to motor stop.<P>Suspect is more of an age/heat issue though. Miles do not relate to cycles. You may have just gotten "one of the good ones".