another New Reatta Owner-with questions

[Guest grkman1]

Hello

I am excited that this past weekend. I picked up a NEW for me Reatta. I drove 160 miles to bring it home. It drove beautifully. It is Claret, with grey leather, 16 way seats. AFter about 30 miles, a note on the computer said that it was shutting down the compressor because of lack of freon in the system, even though the air felt fine.

I also noticeds that after about 50 miles, the lower half of the screen started to flutter. It eventually went awy, but has come back since.

The speaks are horrible, and Id like to get them replaced. Anyone know the sizes of the door speakers and the back speakers so I can get them changed? I am hoping that the problem are the speakers, the easier way out here, and not the radio. I get crackline, and poping sounds out of some of them. Maybe some of you have experienced this.

How hard is it to change the CRT Do the plastic panels around them just pop out, to get access to the screws that hold it in?

I appreciate any and all information

Thanks

[Guest F14CRAZY]

You may get an on-screen message saying that freon is low (because of atmospheric pressure changes) but that wouldn't disengage the compressor. If it did say it disengaged though, then yes, you're likely low on freon. Check or have it checked with manual gauges, then proceed with whatever fix suits you. The rest of the system will work fine without the compressor engaged, just no real air conditioning. Setting it to "econ" will do the same thing but won't annoy you with messages.

The CRTs commonly do develop that "sizzle" as mine did. I haven't used them, but I know that Techni-Car does rebuild them. Their contacts are below.

techni-car

450 gim gong road

oldsmar, fl 34677

800-886-0022

813-855-0022

I did get a properly functioning unit from Jim Finn, my favored Reatta parts supplier. He's at jfinn [at] cpinternet.com. The bezel around the CRT comes off easily since it just snaps and doesn't have any screws, though becareful not to bend the aluminum face. Remove the 4 black torx screws and the CRT can slide out. Remove the data and coax connectors behind it.

Your audio system is probably suffering from two things...faulty capacitors, a common problem with the '88-89 radio unit can cause the popping sounds, and also blown speakers. To my knowledge, most all stock speakers have gone bad due to aging at this point, so I would go ahead and replace them with afterkarkets. Any good name brand is going to sound much better than any stock Delco speaker from '88. Unless you go with like a composite setup, you can go ahead and leave the tweeters connected. Unlike the bigger speakers, they do not seem to go bad, and the system sounds better with them even with aftermarket speakers. I'm sort of partial to Pioneer, but you can find deals locally or on ebay for some decent ones. The fronts are 5.25'', rears are 6.5'' (both round).

In the next message I'm going to post, I'm copying and pasting the directions for the radio capacitor repair, which would be your problem if the radio still pops after replacing the speakers. If you're not into soldering, a good electronics repair shop should be able to do it (give them a copy of the instructions).

[Guest F14CRAZY]

1988 ? 1989 Buick Reatta Radio Capacitor Replacement Instructions

Background: Many 1988 ? 1989 Reatta Delco radios cause popping sounds in the speakers because 6 green capacitors need replacement. The model number of the unit discussed here is 16072780 and it is AM/FM Stereo w/equalizer.

Remark: These instructions are for the most part just further documenting the information previously posted on the Buick Reatta forum by Saheim on 12/5/02.

Note: The following wording assumes that the radios heat sink (black color) is at the back.

Instructions

Remove one ¼? hex head screw #A (see photo) at the front of the radio, and lift up the top steel cover to remove.

Desolder top circuit board from steel case at 2 locations and bend tabs with pliers, so as to separate circuit board from steel case.

Remove ¼? hex screw #B on right side of case and also ¼? hex head screw #C at right front of the steel case.

Now lift off top circuit board to expose bottom circuit board.

Next, remove four 3/16? hex head screws from top of black heat sink.

Then remove a T-15 head screw (sometimes this is a ¼? hex head screw) from each side of the heat sink (no photo), and lift off the heat sink. On the two rails that support the heat sink is a white heat conducting compound. Leave it on ? it is necessary. Six green capacitors that are to be replaced are now visible.

Next remove a ¼? hex head screw from the bottom circuit board. It is near the front left side corner (see photo).

Then remove a 3/16? hex head screw #D from just under connector plug sockets on the right side of the steel case (see photo).

Now you can lift up the bottom circuit board out of the steel case. It may not just pull out because of some binding, but gentle prying will free the circuit board.

The above procedures will take you 5 to 10 minutes if you have the tools ready.

The 6 Delco green radial capacitors are each 1uf 50 volts and are 5 mm high and have a diameter of 5mm. I obtained replacements from: HYPERLINK "http://www.mcminone.com/"http://www.mcminone.com and their part number is: 31-8565. The size of the MCM capacitors is 5 mm high and diameter of 4 mm. Usually the 1uf 50 volt capacitors that are obtained are higher and must be bent over when mounted on the circuit board due to heat sink clearance requirements, so usage of the MCM product made the job easier.

I have never been proud of my soldering skills and had zero experience with circuit boards, so I consider the removal of the 6 green capacitors and the installation of the replacements to be a bit difficult. In addition, a pro might have a different procedure, but here is how I accomplished the task, which took me about 90 minutes:

First, I marked the location of the wire leads of the old capacitors on the underside of the circuit board with a red felt tip pen. When I heated the underside wire leads and pulled at the top of a green capacitor with needle nose pliers (or a hemostat), usually the body of the capacitor would pull away from the two wire leads which were left in the circuit board. I would then pull at the leftover wires from the top of the board while heating the solder from the other side.

However, after removal of the capacitor?s wires from the circuit board, the holes had closed up. (If I had a solder sucker, that might not have happened ? but I don?t know). Heating two holes from one side of the circuit board while trying to thread the two wires from the new capacitor was more of a challenge than I could handle.

My solution to the problem was to use a jeweler?s drill bit (size 60 or smaller) in a pin vise so as to make new holes where the old capacitors were previously installed. I was careful to make a diagram as to where each of the new capacitors should be mounted, since many are quite close together and it might be easy to mix up where the wire leads should go.

Now each of the new capacitors was soldered into place and the radio was reassembled.

Remark: My radio was making a popping sound perhaps only once every minute or so and wasn?t really annoying and otherwise sounded fine to me (although I don?t have a good ear for sounds). With the replacement capacitors, the popping has completely disappeared, but for some reason the overall sound quality seems significantly improved. Sound now seems clean and crisp ? perhaps there used to be some high frequency static that I didn?t consciously detect.

Anyway, best of luck with it, and please do post back with your findings.

[Guest F14CRAZY]

Sorry I don't have the photos, but a search of old threads should find it.

[manikmekanik]

Congrats on you Reatta acquisition!

Before you replace the CRT, check the connector, it may have only wiggled loose a bit. If so, add a little hot glue once it's tight to prevent this from happening again. Use only hot glue, like for craft projects, not super glue, nor JB weld, as they are permanent.

Your compressor may only need a seal replaced, avoid r-134 upgrade, if you can, as the r-12 keeps the car cooler. I have a few cans of r-12 on hand, if needed.

Goto Reatta.net for a wealth of intelligence on Reattae.

Be sure to apply for membership to the Buick club of America, I can be your sponsor, and also the Reatta division, an elite group of Reatta owners who have formed an exclusive national organisation.

[Guest grkman1]

hey guys

Thanks for all the information. I need to sit down and reread all of this. I am not too electronical but I think that I can do what you said.

Adn Reattitude Randy, I am very interested in membership. Can you email me more info?

As I explore the Reatta I have more and more questions.

I pulled the driver seat forward to get to the back but it did not move. I redid it and it moved....but tried again and it didn't Is there a trick to this? Am I missing something? I guess I should try to get somehow an owners manual.

Your info is most appreciated

George

grkman1@aol.com

[Howard]

Welcome. We seem to have a flood of new Reatta owners of late. Good to know as time passes, there is still a demand for the car. George, regarding the seat. I'm assuming you are referring to the seat back. The seat back does have a device in them to lock the back in postion during braking. Sometimes, when the car is not level or the seat back is moved to quickly forward, the device engages. Be sure the car is level and that when you move the seat back forward, you don't jerk it. Hope this helps and welcome!

[padgett]

As to the popping, a new Delco receiver module (is located in the console is $124.95 + shipping from M&R, no core needed - http://www.mnrelectronics.com/delrecboxwit.html . I doubt that a radio shop could replace the capacitors for that. Note: make sure you get the one with the equalizer.

Speakers in 1988 were paper cone and most are disintegrating by now. Replace with any good modern plastic cone speaker.

ps if done right, R-134A is fine for central Florida, I have to turn mine down in fairly short order. If the original compressor and warming up at stoplights, the compressor seals are probably going.

Once the ECM shuts the a/c compressor down for low pressure, you have to disconnect the battery for a minute or so to reset the latch before the compressor will engage.

[Guest F14CRAZY]

What Padgett said. He's probably right and unless you're lucky, it would be cheaper to be a new module.

[Booreatta]

If your compressor has shut down, you may have to un hook your battery to get the system to restart.