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Stranded on the side of the road.


Ronnie

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When I replaced the balancer, I jacked up the car, removed the wheels, and let the starter break the bolt loose. I don't remember even removing the inner fender panel. I guess I will need to remove it to replace the CPS?

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I never needed to remove a fender even on a 90. 88 does not have little shock and is easy.

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4 hours ago, DAVES89 said:

Good ideas, only thing I did different was the breaker bar battery trick. I only have battery powered tools so I don't think my battery impact had enough guts...

My battery impact is rather weak and despite the rating on the packaging, it won’t touch the crank bolt. It is handy for many other lesser chores

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How did you guys hold the flywheel to tighten the bolt? I remember having trouble doing that when I replaced the balancer.

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For that I put the car in reverse and hot wire the starter. Being in reverse causes the starter to run backwards thereby tightening the bolt.

 

Seriously for that I use my battery powered impact wrench and just let it hammer.

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You had me going for a minute Dave. 🙂 I didn't have an impact wrench the last time I replaced the balancer but I bought a good battery powered one not too long ago. Good to know it worked for you.  I had lots of trouble keeping the flywheel from turning last time when I was using a breaker bar with a long piece of pipe on it.

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Sorry for your trouble Ronnie and I’m just curious if there were any symptoms or warning signs prior to the engine quitting. I’m also wondering what warning lights or messages were displayed. There doesn’t seem to be a specific code for CPS. Earlier this month when I had my Reatta in the mountains, there was a bit of a hiccup that seemed like something had been stirred up in the fuel tank and got in the fuel line. It was expelled into the filter I guess and the car ran fine afterwards. The remaining part of the trip I couldn’t stop thinking about my exit strategy if the car quit. So now I’m a bit nervous about taking it on long trips, especially after hearing your story.

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No indication of a problem beforehand. It just felt like missed a couple of times, and sounded like it might have spit back through the intake manifold once or twice. All the normal lights that come on when the engine dies came on but no warning messages came up. No codes in diagnostics.

 

I coasted to the side of the road. When I tried to start it again it hit a few times and that was it. Now the engine just spins when you try to crank it. I carry a spark tester with me and there was no spark at all on any coil. I swapped in the spare ICM/coils I had in the trunk and still no spark.

 

3 hours ago, Nailhed66 said:

The remaining part of the trip I couldn’t stop thinking about my exit strategy if the car quit. So now I’m a bit nervous about taking it on long trips, especially after hearing your story.

I have given a lot of though about what I would do if the car left me stranded.  I drive on a lot of roads back in the mountains where it is easy to get stranded like I was on Sunday. The first part of my strategy is to always have a cellphone, a way to charge it, and pray that you are in an area that has service. That is the most important item you can have to get you home.  I had a hell of a time getting a tow truck but at least with the cellphone I could call my wife to come and get us. 

 

I was pretty well prepared but there are some things you can't control (like waiting on the side of the road for a tow truck to show up). I carry enough tools that I can at least troubleshoot the problem so I can make an intelligent decision on what I need to do - try to fix it, call a tow truck, or both. I carry enough parts that I can fix many of the things that routinely go bad, but obviously not a bad CPS. I also carry a paper factory service manual in one of the rear compartments. Have a look here.

 

I have plenty of bottled water, toilet paper, soap and hand cleaner, 2 lawn chairs, and a change of clothes (in case I have to stay overnight somewhere). Yes, my trunk is always full, but when you are sitting on the side of the road with a dead engine that is a good thing. 🙂 

 

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I told my brother-in-law last night about me and my daughter getting stranded in my Reatta. He jokingly asked me, "If  you know so much about Reattas, how come you were stranded on the side of the road for five hours?"

 

My reply was, "No one can see into the future. Even the weatherman gets caught in the rain sometimes." 🙂 

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As most know I drive my Reattas daily and even have driven two [the Red and the 'vert] to Texas and back. Also the Red to New Orleans, Florida [all the way down to Key West], numerous Buick Reunions, almost everywhere on the east side of Wisconsin. 

heck I bought the Red from a guy in Fort Lauderdale and drove it home with no tools and no personal history of the car. It's part of the adventure.

 Like Ronnie my car is in good repair and I carry a few parts, but always my cell phone. Any car can break down and break down anywhere. I just drove back my wife's 2018 Chrysler Pacifica not knowing I had a blown head gasket until I got home [I did notice I was using anti freeze and refilled it, but never thought it was that]. 

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I've made five separate 500 mile trips in Reattas (a 1988 and a 1990). Two of those trips with a non working Instrument cluster and GCC/CRT. That was before I replaced both. Knock on wood, they are reliable but any car has the potential to break down. The only car I've had that sort of left me stranded at my dormitory was my 1999 GMC Jimmy (I was in college at the time). The fuel pump went out, but fortunately I wasn't on the side of the road when it wouldn't crank or die. It showed no signs of going out beforehand.

Edited by BlakesReatta
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In the last century I used the AAA about once a year, this century not so much. I have a battery impact I figure is good for about 80 lb-ft. More if not in a hurry.

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I have a fairly new Kobalt battery impact wrench from Lowes that is rated at 150 lb-ft. I think the crankshaft bolt is supposed to be 220.

150 + Blue Loctite=220 doesn't it? 🙂 

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I did the CPS tests in the how-to guides today. Both 3X and 18X signals failed. New Delphi CPS on order from Amazon. Should be here Sunday.

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6 hours ago, Ronnie said:

I have a fairly new Kobalt battery impact wrench from Lowes that is rated at 150 lb-ft. I think the crankshaft bolt is supposed to be 220.

150 + Blue Loctite=220 doesn't it? 🙂 

I have a Ryobi 3 speed impact wrench. It is supposed to deliver 300 lbs. What I like about the Ryobi is I use the powerful setting to loosen lug nuts when rotating tires and then the least powerful setting when putting the lug nuts back on and then I use the torque wrench for final tightening.

Glad you got it diagnosed and parts coming. 

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2 hours ago, DAVES89 said:

I use the powerful setting to loosen lug nuts when rotating tires and then the least powerful setting when putting the lug nuts back on and then I use the torque wrench for final tightening.

I do the same when rotating tires. That is the main reason I bought my battery powered impact Mine just has 2 settings, low and high.

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I bought this one (note coupon) on an Amazon deal (1/2 price). Is rated at 300 lb-ft and is good for about 80. Have a corded one that is lots better.

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2 hours ago, Padgett said:

I bought this one (note coupon) on an Amazon deal (1/2 price). Is rated at 300 lb-ft and is good for about 80. Have a corded one that is lots better.

Looks pretty good. I need to test mine by tightening a large bolt and then seeing how much it would take to break it loose with my torque wrench. 

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That's a quick and simple job. I removed the shock and used the socket and battery way to loosen the bolt. A quick pull and off came the damper.  two bolts and the CPS is off. If you use the new style it blots in place without any adjustment.  An hour at most.

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56 minutes ago, jon L said:

If you use the new style it blots in place without any adjustment. 

 

Does the new style fit '88 models like mine? If so what is the part number? Here is the one I ordered. I think it is the old style.

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