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What did you do with your Reatta today.


DAVES89

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When I stopped there the museum was locked [I remember it as an old general store]  so I just looked in the windows. I then walked down to the cemetery where they are buried. Also looked in the windows of the house. Neat place to visit.

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Jim

Five years ago I was found to have lung cancer.  My top 1/3 of my lung was removed.  2 years later samples of the nodes to that lung were found to have cancer.  I was given a MRI and found that I had stage 4 cancer in 7 different locations in my abdomen.  The oncologist immediately put me on the "poison" and a new cancer drug called catruda.  I was getting the drugs on a 3 week infusion time, each infusion is called a "cycle".  At 6 month's time they removed the "poison" and from then on I was only on catruda.  I had 35 cycles of catruda and in November I had the 35th cycle of catruda.  Through-out the 35 cycles they gave me a MRI every 3 cycles and compared it to the previous MRI.  After the 35th cycle they gave me another MRI.  In January I will have another MRI.  My neighbor has just started the same program and their insurance is paying $23,000 a cycle.  My insurance has paid 100% and I did not know how much the catruda was costing.  The catruda purpose is to retrain the white corpuscles to attack cancer cells.  So for every third month I will get another MRI and compare it to the previous MRI.  So I have been getting an infusion for 35 cycles (over 25 months), I still have stage IV but hopefully the catuda will keep me alive.  I also had a cancer in my urinary bladder, they were ready to remove my bladder but because I was on the catruda  for the lung cancer they gave me 10 doses of radiation.  They have reviewed the internal view of my bladder and state the cancer has been removed.  Thankfully my hospital is keeping me alive.

 

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That is quite a story and good for you for keeping up the fight. 10 years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 2 colon cancer and 12" of my colon was removed. Just last year I was diagnosed with another cancer, this time prostate. No surgery yet as the cancer was caught early. I am doing what is called "watchful waiting" as the cancer is very small, localized and is not growing.  Because of the colon cancer my best option is radiation, no surgery because of the colon surgery scar tissue.

 On another front, I have been having problems with lack of acceleration on the '89 Black. After talking to Kendall we decided that I had a clogged catalytic converter. So I cut it out, roddded it out so it was empty and reinstalled it. Works great however the exhaust is louder. I am also getting a code E044 which is either an exhaust leak, bad oxygen sensor, or bad MAF sensor. I will start with the MAF sensor as I cleaned the throttle body with a tooth brush and may have damaged the sensor. 

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Dave -

I know you hit the pick yards, why not get a used catalytic converter with somewhat low mileage car or does your state inspect for catalytic converters and if not for antique vehicles then remove it.

Also good luck on your prostrate cancer and make sure your doctor keeps a watchful eye on it.

Woody

Edited by 89 MAUI
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Well it's not the MAF sensor, and I don't have an extra oxygen sensor. But I am thinking about swapping out the muffler. It is quiet till the back of the car. I did look under the car this morning [it was about zero and if there was a leak anywhere I would have seen it with the vapor. There is another Reatta that I cut the muffler off and laid it in the car so I could get it anytime. This may be that time.

 This muffler was going bad anyway and the shorter inside tail pipe broke off when I removed it from the back of the car, so I think I will try that next. I don't think the sensors or leaks are tripping the code it's the lack of back pressure.

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I think I would check the fuel pressure to make sure the problem isn't a bad regulator or fuel pump before replacing the muffler.

 

21 hours ago, DAVES89 said:

I have been having problems with lack of acceleration on the '89 Black.

Does this occur when the engine is cold or does it start when the engine is warmed up and operating in closed loop?

 

21 hours ago, DAVES89 said:

I am also getting a code E044 which is either an exhaust leak, bad oxygen sensor, or bad MAF sensor.

Were you getting a code 44 before you gutted the cat?

 

 

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No code 44 until after I removed the cat. I had to as it was clogged. After rodding it and putting it back together the acceleration is back. Now it's just loud.

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I would suspect the O2 sensor or possibly the doughnut shaped gasket where the tailpipe connects to the manifold. An air leak there may possibly give the O2 sensor a false lean indication being immediately behind the sensor. That gasket at the rear manifold outlet gets hard as stone from heat and if disturbed from doing exhaust work may not seal properly. Also possible the sensor has been subject to extreme heat due to clogged cat. Backpressure itself should have zero impact and should be approx. zero at idle and low speed even with a new stock cat and stock muffler, rising to only a few psi at full throttle and rpm. Easy enough to observe O2 readings and fuel integrator and block learn to see what's what.

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I am off to AutoZone for an adapter and some more clamps. No one may remember this bit about 2 years ago I was dealing with a bad muffler and went on the "other" forum search and looked up muffler remedies and found what was a good replacement. So then went to E bay and found not one but two stainless steel stock replacement mufflers, one for $25.00 delivered. that is going on to quiet the car. 

 I will deal with the E044 code after I am done with this as I need the car to be quieter. Also has to be done today as we are due 1-3" of snow and then sub freezing weather for much of this week. Warms up for the weekend but my wife has plans for Saturday and then who knows with the weather. 

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I'm looking forward to hearing how much the new muffler will quiet down the louder sound caused by removing the guts of you cat.  I removed the cat on a 4 cylinder Chevy Caviliar and it was loud at certain RPMs. It was the worst at interstate cruising speeds.  Replacing the muffler helped a little but it was still louder than the wife liked. I had to go back with a new cat to quiet it down to normal. You got a really good deal on the mufflers.  I hope the new muffler makes enough difference that you will be happy with the sound.

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I checked my files and I paid $22.95 for one muffler and $18.00 postage. The other was $60.00 delivered. Both are Stainless Steel and are almost two inches shorter then stock. The inlets/outlets are correct in both size and placement to original.

 I  checked E07 for oxygen sensor reading and it is 0.00. So I need an oxygen sensor. I checked my parts bin and I have 3 of them so one will go on tomorrow.

 Total cost for this job about $100.00 for the muffler, adapters, muffler clamps and oxygen sensor. I didn't want to stick that in this car but the neat thing is when I go to part it out I can take off one clamp and slide the muffler off the exhaust pipe and I am set up for another car. The tailpipes would stay on the muffler. So if I look at it that way about $30.00 is my unreimbursed  cost.

 This is important when you are trying to keep all 4 cars as daily drivers. 

 Ronnie the car is just a smidge louder then stock at all RPMs. I drove back from Bob's house at speeds up to 75 MPH and it was very comfortable sound wise in the car. The old muffler was blown due to all the back pressure. 

 My wife just got home from errands and has started the car, revved it a bit and has now approved the job, so all is good... except for the oxygen sensor. Maybe tomorrow?

Edited by DAVES89
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Glad to hear the new muffler helped with the sound. More than likely the new O2 sensor will stop the code 44.

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Just got in after replacing my oxygen sensor. All is good. Now I have an intermittent Amber anti brake light that comes on at 16 mph and then  sometimes goes off. Classic sign of a failing ABS lead [usually front]. This car is busting my chops and I am close to just parking it and driving another. I have another lead, but still...

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Don't let it get you down Dave.  Is ABS a must-have feature because of the snow up there?  I would agree that it is a good safety feature but we drove the majority of our life without it and we made it OK.  You've already done all the work to make that car road worthy, and you plan to part it out in the spring anyway, so why not just slap a piece of tape over the light until you feel like fixing the ABS problem. As I get older I'm starting to better understand the meaning of, "Don't sweat the small stuff."  If I see the red brake light coming on I feel like it needs to be fixed immediately but I don't feel that way about the yellow ABS light.  Maybe I would feel differently if I had to drive my car in the snow like you do.

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Well it's not needed but I have come to appreciate ABS. I won't be doing it today as it is getting colder and I don't want to crawl under my car one more time. I worked on the exhaust Saurday and again yesterday so I am done for a bit. I will be putting on the tape so it won't bother me so much. The "Service Engine Soon" light is out so things are getting back to normal...

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So I met my daughter for lunch and the light came on. I started the car to come home and the light never came on. I still put tape over the light as there is nothing more annoying then a amber warning light while night time driving.

 I offered the car to my daughter this spring for free with the understanding that if something broke I would get the car back [also for free] so I could part it out. This makes me feel better as the car has been a great car, it's just that I have that '88 Black/Tan that is sitting in the garage waiting to be my next winter driver. 

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1 hour ago, DAVES89 said:

So I met my daughter for lunch and the light came on. I started the car to come home and the light never came on.

My '99 Blazer has been doing that for two years or more.  Most of the time the light goes off on it's own while I'm driving it. Sometimes it requires a restart to get it to go off. I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to the Blazer.  It is still a good vehicle but it being a '99 model I don't jump right on every little thing that goes wrong. If the light would come on and stay on I would try to fix it.

 

You are lucky that your daughter would be willing to drive a Reatta.  My daughter loves going places in my Reatta and we have spent countless hours in it going through the mountains and at car shows. Not once have I been able to convince her to drive it.  She never gives a reason why other than saying that she's happy with me driving. She won't drive any of my other cars either.

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On 12/9/2019 at 9:17 AM, DAVES89 said:

I will deal with the E044 code after I am done with this as I need the car to be quieter. Also has to be done today as we are due 1-3" of snow and then sub freezing weather for much of this week.

I thought you might find this funny since you are so use to having snow.  To my surprise we had a snow shower this evening that was supposed to be just rain turning to flurries. I have about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of snow on the shrubs and grass but nothing on the roadway or the sidewalks. Temp right now is 33 so snow will probably be gone by tomorrow morning.  They have already called off school for tomorrow in some places and others are starting school 2 hours late.  Everyone panics when we get a little of the white stuff around here.

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