First week with my Reatta

[Posti]

I bought my Reatta off eBay on November 2, but was not able to pick it up until November 12th.  It was filthy from sitting outside for 6 months under trees, and the electronic dashboard and climate control systems were out.  The car ran well, so I drove it the 20 miles home.  I immediately started ordering parts and literature off eBay, and joined the Forum here for help.  This group has been really valuable to me already.  The climate control system was fixed with a $6 part from the junkyard, I rebuilt a bad passenger side headlight motor, and replaced the dead electronic dash.  I also cleaned the car thoroughly and was really happy to see shiny paint.  I clay barred and waxed the car today and it looks terrific.  The front bumper rub strip was marked up, so I cleaned and repainted that with black bumper paint.   It also drives like new - very solid and tight.  I've always liked the Reatta, and the retro-tech dashboard with the touch-screen CRT is a hoot.  The interior in in decent shape - I need to clean and recolor the carpet, and the passenger door panel has pulled away from the top mounting bracket - a heat gun and patience may correct that.  I got personalized plates for the car which should be in this week: BUIK4 2.  Anyway, loving the car so far!

 

[Ronnie]

I hope we have more threads like this. I enjoy reading them and helping out when I can. I'm sure other members will chime in when you need for help with your project.

[Posti]

WEEK TWO

 

My Reatta came with its original documentation folder and much of the documentation, though the owner's manual had been misplaced.  It has a placeholder card  that tells the dealer to insert the Craftsman Document which was to be found in the passenger side storage bin.  A good owner's manual arrived in the mail, thanks to my habit of going crazy on eBay when I get a 'new' car. I also got a 1989 Buick full-line sales folder, 1989 Buick Colors folder, factory shop manual, new features shop manual, 1988 Reatta-only sales folder, 1989 Reatta dealer ordering form, a SECOND owner's manual...  ummm, did I mention I go a little crazy?  Other items also came in - a Cadillac remote key fob that also works with the Reatta (I just found out about and ordered the new reproductions), and another IPC.  The first replacement IPC in the car had the right side and the indicator lights working, but no clock or odometer.  The seller refunded my purchase in full and told me to keep the unit.  The second IPC, also bought off eBay, ended up with both top sections working, but no indicator lights.  On the plus side, I found out that the Reatta has just over 136K miles, which is very low for a 28 year-old car.  Also on the plus side, the second seller gave me a full refund, and also came over with some other parts (he turned out to be local).  I bought a spare brake master cylinder/pump assembly, hub cap, and ABS front sensor leads, and he ended up giving me the IPC, a power antenna with a new mast I could transplant into my unit, and a dome light cover.  I put the first replacement IPC in, preferring indicator lights over the clock, and have some ideas on how to troubleshoot the other replacement IPC.  The license plates (BUIK4 2) came in and I got those installed.  An intermittent engine fault code readout on the CRT and suggestions from this group prompted me to replace the oil pressure sending unit.  During all this time, I had been driving the car fairly often and really enjoyed it.  This past Sunday, I got the power antenna working and was feeling really happy.  I drove the car out to my parents' with no issues, but when I went to start it later, it just cranked.  I had the car flatbedded home Monday, only to be told it started right up for the tow driver, who fired it up and pulled into my driveway.  Ah, the joys of old cars!  Anyway, further discussion on ROJ led to the ordering of all new relays (fuel pump, ABS, and Brake Master) and plans to visit the local Pick N Pull this weekend for a later-model 3800 ignition coil assembly.  I just ordered a replacement passenger side door panel (blue) and a window switch from ROJ members.  The relays and the coil pack will get replaced before I try driving the car again, but that is just a precaution.  While the no-start condition was unfortunate, I see new cars on the side of the road every day.  The Reatta is almost three decades old, and is to be allowed an occasional hiccup.

[Ronnie]

Thanks for posting Bob. Sounds like you are having a lot of fun with your new Reatta. More enthusiasm like you have for these cars is what is needed. I look forward to reading more about your journey with your Reatta.

[Posti]

WEEK THREE

 

A busy week - I was able to replace the relays, upgrade the Motorola ICM to the Delco 3-pack setup, and install a new O2 sensor. It starts and runs fine, but I have not had a chance to really test it out. I also got the wheel covers all polished up nicely, ordered a replacement passenger door panel and power window switch from ROJ members, ordered replacement speakers, and got in more literature. One bonus was locating a fairly complete 1988 Reatta in a local junkyard - the taillight assembly looks pretty good and can be had for $65, so I plan to snag it as a spare. I also picked up another climate control fan module for $7 when I got the Delco ignition setup ($33) from a local self-service yard. Although there is no garage space for the car, the Reatta has a nice waterproof and plush-lined cover to sleep under.

[DAVES89]

Good for you. Your window switch went today by USPS.

[Posti]

WEEK 4

 

I picked up my Reatta exactly a month ago today.  Not much done this week, though I drove it more.  I picked up a complete taillight setup with uncut harness on Wednesday, along with a good door sill plate and spare trunk lock actuator.   Installed new Sylvania high-output halogen headlights - MUCH better than the old units.  The Engine Control error keeps coming up, though it might pop up ten times in one 20-mile drive and never come up at all the next.  I have ordered the cam position sensor and interrupter magnet and figure on replacing both.  Got in a great door panel to replace the warped and sun-damaged passenger side.  I also pulled a good passenger side door gasket.  The new remotes have been mixed - one out of three works - the other two are totally dead.  None of them will open the trunk. The window switch I got from an ROJ member was incorrect, so that goes back this week.  I am looking forward to getting the codes cleared up.  Even though the car failed to start only once and has been wonderful to drive all other times, I am a little nervous about where I take it.  On the bright side, when I am done most of the potential trouble items should be taken care of.  Oh, and I got the recommended sequential turn signal conversion setup in.  Another project after I get the engine stuff taken care of.

[Ronnie]

Sounds like you are having fun with your Reatta. You are well on your way to having a nice car to drive. The more familiar you become with the on-board diagnostics, and how to use it to troubleshoot problems, the less you will worry about something going wrong when you are away from home. The diagnostic system is the best feature of a Reatta in my opinion.

 

Changing the headlights is a good upgrade. I replaced mine with something similar to yours. Dave (DAVES89) has the ultimate Reatta headlight setup. Maybe he will chime in and tell you about what he used.

 

I think stock Reatta headlight bulbs provide poor lighting. However, you have to be careful not to use any of the really high wattage bulbs with the stock wiring. They can overload the stock wiring and headlight switch. For high wattage bulbs you need an aftermarket wiring harness that has relays in it to carry the load instead of the headlight switch. As you may know, headlight switches are hard to find and they are pretty expensive.

 

You are lucky to be able to get some parts locally. I have never found a Reatta in a savage yard around here.

[DAVES89]

I actually have two different setups in my cars. The Black [my winter car] has the best set up. I purchased Truck-Lites [$350 a pair] that are sealed beam military grade LED bulbs. They are far and away the best set up but pricey. In comparison to my wife's 2010 Buick Enclave I believe they are equal. I installed them in the Black because it gets darker earlier, I'm older and my reflexes and vision isn't what it used to be so it is also a safety issue.

The Red and the 'vert have H4 conversions. They are a great improvement over stock and even Silver Stars and are not that pricey at $30.00 or so a pair. The Black and the Red have a relay headlight harness to help with [believe it or not] turning off the lights as the current draw is so low the car doesn't recognize that the lights are off and won't retract the lights for a period of time [2-10 minutes]. The 'vert works fine as I believe it has the relay running change that occured in later build numbers starting in 1990, because the lights retract fine.

[DAVES89]

I got the mail in and one of my Christmas presents was there. It is a Sequential light assembly to replace the one that went bad last summer on the 'vert. Should be a quick wire in as the leads are all there for each bulb. Of course I also have to put the harness back in as I swapped it out with an uncut harness when this problem presented itself.

[Posti]

Five weeks with my Reatta and I am slowing down on the fixups and stuff bought. The initial rush is done - either that, or I am just too busy with holiday stuff and uncooperative weather. I had planned to put in the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors, the camshaft interrupter, and a new serpentine belt this weekend. They all remain in my trunk, along with the oil and filter. Naturally, I drove the car to my parents' yesterday and did not get the Engine Control code once all day. One thing about the car surprises me - it is not very peppy. I had a 1988 Olds Cutlass wagon with the same engine that would light up the tires and felt like it was powered by a V-8. I'll replace the plugs and wires, and see what other tweaks can be made. The car drives fine, but I'd like a little more power. Given it is smaller and lighter than the wagon, I am pretty sure the Reatta has more to give.

[Ronnie]

Don't expect too much pep out of the Reatta. If I stomp mine to the floor from a dead stop it will squeal the tires and that's about it. Two things come to mind that might cause your car to have less power. Low compression - is easy to check and might tell you if you have a weak cylinder.

 

The other thing that can cause a drop in power is a clogged catalytic converter. They sell a pressure gauge the screws in the O2 sensor hole to tell you how much back pressure there is in the exhaust and that will tell you if the cat is clogged.

 

If you add 16" wheels and tires like a lot of us have, you can expect a little less acceleration if you use taller profile tires. At least that was my experience. I had some 235/60-16" on my car for a while. They killed the acceleration so much I had to change them. I now have 225/60-16" and they are much better. The stock wheels with 215/65-15" tires had the best acceleration and ability to spin the tires from a stop.

[Posti]

Not a lot accomplished this week - I replaced the plugs and plug wires on Friday and was pleasantly surprised to find that the old plugs, while VERY old looking, were in excellent shape.  (see photo below)  I would have to say that the internal engine components and everything involved in mixture are working perfectly.  The plug wires were Delcore and still had all of the rear exhaust heat shields in place - they may be original to the car, as one wire fell apart when I was trying to remove them.  The new plugs are the recommended Delco Rapidfire platinum with Pro-Series Standard Brand wires.  (All obtained from Rock Auto for $40 including shipping).  While space was tight in back, even my ham-hands managed to get the new parts in place with little effort and no blood loss.  I did remember to order the 1995 3800 wire set to go with the upgraded Delco ignition pack.  One interesting development - I have put about 200 miles on the car since I replaced the plugs, and the 041 Engine Error Code that has plagued the car since I got it seems to have vanished.  The sensors and interrupter are still in the trunk - might be a temporary respite, but until the error code starts up again I won't mess with what is running well.  Also, it may be my imagination, but the car seems to have more pep.  I am satisfied with the performance, at least.  

 

I applied some elbow grease and Resolve carpet cleaner to the badly stained carpet and floor mats, and they look pretty good.  I need to send off for the Leather Magic water-based dye I used with great success on a 1976 Dodge Aspen wagon with carpet that had faded to almost white.  The water-based dye is permanent, does not stiffen the carpet fibres like the rattle-can spray, and is custom-mixed to match the interior.  I need to figure out the actual color name as opposed to the GM code - all the sales lit just says 'Blue'.   I'll post the results when I get it done.  I also fixed the cigar lighter socket so I can use my GPS and other plug-in items - just needed the connector plug contacts cleaned and bent back into shape a little.

 

Overall verdict after six weeks - I love the car!  Still fun to drive and I am getting my confidence back after it stranded me at my parents' a few weeks ago.  I am now convinced I had a vapor lock or flooded the car with some quick start/off/start cycles after running it on the highway, as it started fine the next morning for the tow driver and has yet to even hiccup since.  If I had not been so quick to throw in the towel and gone back a little later, I am sure it would have fired right up.

[89 MAUI]

Bob -

 

I am with you in finding something new to fix or repair but the enjoyment of getting one step closer to having the Reatta ready for the road.

I was at that point when I decided to drive her and my wife to the 2012 National Buick show in Charlotte,NC.  Once we got down to the area of the show the engine was just not running smoothly.  When we arrived at the show she decided not to run in the parking lot.  All of a sudden my Reatta was swamped with Reatta guru's such as Barnie, Jim Finn and others all wanting to get this Reatta running.  Well it finally started and we enjoyed the show.  Out of 29 Reatta's mine was the only Sapphfire Blue Mettallic and that made me proud of my Reatta.

At the end of the show my wife and I headed north to go to Baltimore in 103 degree heat.  We got about 80 miles, the engine was running 210 degrees and she decided to stop running at 70 mph on the interstate.  Long story short the 23 year old fuel pump decided to finally kick the bucket.  While it was up on the hoist I was able to see the undercarriage and how much rust there was and I saw that I had to replace the steel fuel lines that were ready to rust through.  So that was my next project.  What I found out was the '88 & '89 were steel lines but the '90 & '91 were neoprene plastic lines which are direct replacement for the steel lines.  Just make sure you get all the connections including the fuel filter and the fuel tank pump connections.  By the way - Because my rear suspension was so rusty, I decided to change the rear end - only 4 bolts holds the rear suspension to the chassis.

Look at how much enjoyment you can have with your Reatta !!!

 

Woody

[Ronnie]

Not a lot accomplished this week - I replaced the plugs and plug wires on Friday and was pleasantly surprised to find...

 

...Overall verdict after six weeks - I love the car! ...

 

Thanks for posting the updates. I enjoy reading them.  I wish I had documented what I've done to my Reatta over the years like you are.  Most of us have been down a similar path with our Reattas.  It takes a while to learn how to work on these cars and get the bugs worked out. Once you do you will have a great driving car.

 

I like your enthusiasm. It inspires us all.

[Posti]

Bob -

 

I am with you in finding something new to fix or repair but the enjoyment of getting one step closer to having the Reatta ready for the road.

 

Woody

 

Hiya!  I seem to be lucky with mine - it does not have any apparent rust, and even the engine aluminum is not really corroded from age.  I am used to old cars, having a half-dozen antiques ranging from a 1937 Pontiac and 1949 MG TC to the Reatta.  I keep tools and parts in the trunk, and I used to be a mechanic, so I can usually get a car going again.  I am planning to drive the Reatta to Charlotte in April for a big AACA show there.

[Posti]

Week 7 - Still having occasional issues with the Engine Control warning, but the car runs great. I have put about 600 miles on it over the holidays with no hiccups. The original rear view mirror had a bad spot, and I tried a universal replacement that did not really fit well. So I got an actual Reatta mirror off eBay for $20 and it is in excellent shape. Then the front left turn signal bulb went out and I discovered the car uses unique 890 bulbs that none of the local parts houses carries. O'Reilly's wanted $7.50 per bulb and would not have them until tomorrow (Jan 3). I checked Amazon and was able to get them for $6.50 for a pair with free shipping. Weather has not been cooperating, and I will have to wait a bit before getting the camshaft sensor and interrupter installed. Another instrument unit coming from eBay - hoping this one will have everything working.

[Ronnie]

I think you got a good deal on the mirror. Some of us use mirrors with a compass built in. The one I have also has the auto-dim feature. I think it might have came out of a Roadmaster. Don't remember for sure.

[Posti]

Two months now with my Reatta - I know the Forum is about to go down, but I'll keep posting until the end. Removing the parking light assemblies proved more difficult than I expected, and I ended up figuring out how to access the bulbs in place instead. If I had bothered to check the ROJ How-To section, I could have saved a lot of time! The 880 bulbs went in with no issues and work great. I also cleaned up connections on the parking lights. Another IPC from eBay showed up Friday - I should get better weather later this week to install it. Be nice if everything works on this one - I have gone through four IPCs, each with a different issue. I also ordered some carpet dye from a place that I used before - their product is water-based but permanent, and colors over fading and stains really well. It also does not stiffen the fibers like most of the rattle-can coloring, and is matched to the factory colors. Heavy snow (well, for this area) kept me from doing anything to the car, but I have been driving it instead of my small pickup truck on the icy roads. The Reatta is amazingly solid and grippy on ice and snow and feels very safe. I've put about 1000 miles on the car since I got it and am really enjoying it. Still getting he Engine Control code error, especially early on in a drive, but still not a single hiccup or stumble. When the weather warms up I'll get the camshaft sensor and interrupter installed and hopefully get rid of the code.

[Posti]

Week 9 with the Reatta - I spent most of the week DRIVING the car!  In truth, it has almost become a daily driver, with more than 1000 miles racked up on it since purchase in the middle of November.  We had (for us) a bad winter storm last weekend that left roads covered in ice and snow for days.  The Reatta was terrific - I drove it everywhere with no issues.  People in minivans and trucks were getting stuck on the street with tires spinning, but I just kept it slow and steady and the Reatta never slipped once.  On Wednesday, weather warmed up enough that I could install the fifth IPC, and this one had everything working!  It was great to see the entire dashboard lit up.  A curious side note was that the Engine Control error went away for three days before reappearing with cooler temperatures.  I also took time to give the car a thorough bath after the snow melted away to make sure I did not have any road sand or salt left on it.  The carpet dye arrived, and if weather cooperates this weekend, I'll see how it works out.  I'll take photos before and after.