DAVES89 Posted December 21, 2023 Topic Author Share Posted December 21, 2023 About 2 hours ago I swapped in my best IPC, Headlight and Wiper Switches. Looks much better! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 Does the amber indictor light for the fog lights work in the headlight switch? If not, it may be the switch that came out of my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted December 21, 2023 Topic Author Share Posted December 21, 2023 Sorry Ronnie, I didn't try that one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted December 21, 2023 Topic Author Share Posted December 21, 2023 On 10/25/2023 at 9:50 AM, DAVES89 said: Thanks for the compliment 2seater. I probably owe you lunch next time for all the kind words. On another front, sitting on 328,800 as of this morning but because my wife took a vacation I get to use her car so the miles are going to slow way down. I also have been working on my ABS warning light. I tried 2 of the Saab leads and maybe it was that my adapter plate was too thin but no go as the light stayed on. So I swapped in 2 1988 ABS leads [had to cut off the 1988 only mounting brackets] and after an almost 2 year intermittent Amber ABS warning light that had turned permanent, I am now warning light free. Everything works as it should on this car, no warning lights, no fluid leaks, starts/stops as it should, looks and runs great. Just in time to put it away soon... Had to go to a funeral this afternoon in my home town about 80 miles away. Turned 330,000 on my way home... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarookha Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 What I did for my Reatta today: Started the thermostat replacement ordeal. An 11mm crow's foot on a 3/8" drive universal joint and extension, or a 1/4" drive 11mm socket with a 1/4" universal joint and extension are needed. It helps to unplug the vacuum hoses, being careful not to break the plastic manifold fitting (oops...). Parts needed: the thermostat, obviously, but also the following two Fel-Pro parts: Fel-Pro 35608 Engine Coolant Thermostat housing O-ring Fel-Pro 35126 Engine Coolant Thermostat Seal I found both on Amazon, neither of my local auto parts stores could source the seal. BTW, I don't understand why folks replace their OEM 195 degree thermostats with cooler units. The engines run more efficiently at higher temps, as long as they were designed to function that way. You are no more prone to overheating with a hot thermostat than you would be with a cooler thermostat, or even no thermostat at all. The ability of your car to avoid overheating is determined by the health of your radiator/fan/waterpump setup, along with the degree of corrosion buildup in the cooling passages. Let her run at design spec, those engineers had good reasons for doing it that way. As for the engineer who decided the thermostat housing retaining bolt needed to be nearly inaccessible with standard tools, that's a different story! May he/she be destined to have to access basic necessities on a regular basis with a similar level of frustration! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 I've always installed a 195* thermostat when replacing them in both my previously owned '92 Riviera and my currently owned '91 Reatta (both have the same 3800). I did install new radiators and water pumps as a preventative measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 11 hours ago, sarookha said: BTW, I don't understand why folks replace their OEM 195 degree thermostats with cooler units. The engines run more efficiently at higher temps, as long as they were designed to function that way. You are no more prone to overheating with a hot thermostat than you would be with a cooler thermostat, or even no thermostat at all. The ability of your car to avoid overheating is determined by the health of your radiator/fan/waterpump setup, along with the degree of corrosion buildup in the cooling passages. Let her run at design spec, those engineers had good reasons for doing it that way. Lowering the engine operating temperature is a compromise. Within limits, a cooler engine is more tolerant of exceeding the design parameters of performance. It also has the benefit of increasing the lifespan of the rubber and plastic parts under the hood as Pagette, (RIP), was fond of pointing out. The higher temperature does lend itself to greater efficiency and is as designed. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted February 11 Topic Author Share Posted February 11 I run a 180 in my 2 Reattas following Padgett's recommendations. Car stays cooler and performance change if any is not noticeable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Went into the storage igloo to check on my Reatta...all is ok. Only six more weeks until April when I will take it out for a MA required yearly auto inspection. Local cruise-ins start as early as April 11th around here. Also, I took the 2000 Eldorado out of storage today to have new Goodyear Assurance 225/60R16 tires mounted. Currently, what is on the Eldo are leftover tires from a '91 Polo Green Reatta Coupe that I sold quite a while ago. Turns out they were twelve years old. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Down Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 With age comes wisdom, sometimes. This past week the convertible would not start which was no surprise as the cranking was getting weaker and weaker. The battery was 5 years old so I anticipated its demise and replacement. Instead of yanking the battery and hauling into an auto store for replacement as I have done too many times to remember, I remembered that AAA offered a battery replacement option. So I called AAA and within the hour a truck pulled up, tested the alternator, removed the old battery and installed a new one. I was also surprised to see a AAA discount so the charge was $214 for everything. I think that I did good this time................... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted February 18 Topic Author Share Posted February 18 That's a good idea, however what I do is drive the car I have with a weak battery over to the local you pick yard and go in and look at batteries on the shelf. I pick one out, set it on the counter and ask the guy to hold it while I bring in the core battery [ the one that is in the car]. I bring it in, and only get charged for the battery and no core. The selling price is $30.00 and this is an 800 amp battery about a year old. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarookha Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 New adventure, I made my own version of the "Shelfence". Black walnut, works great, keeping small bits from sliding under the seats, and larger things within reach depending on which passenger wants to reach them. Storage bins still open without a problem, and the whole assembly is easily removed by lifting the back end and rotating upwards. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ship Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Nice setup. Is it secured in anyway, maybe wedged in left and right against the side panels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarookha Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 (edited) On 2/20/2024 at 10:18 AM, ship said: Nice setup. Is it secured in anyway, maybe wedged in left and right against the side panels? The bottom of the front board has hooks (made of hanger wire) that hook into the stock strap fasteners on the front of the bin openers. The curve of the hooks allows the back end to be rotated upwards to remove the whole thing easily. This is a prototype, I'll upgrade to curved 16ga sheetmetal tabs if the wire isn't stout enough. But so far they are working just fine. Edited February 22 by sarookha 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 10/6/2022 at 6:45 PM, DAVES89 said: Can a 1989 ECM prom go in a 1988? I have two extra ASSU proms. Do you still have these? I would like to buy one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 What is the true sign of Spring? All y’all decide.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Your first photo reminds me that I'm going to have to get my roof replaced this Spring. I like the bird on top. 🙂 Nice photos! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Both are a sure sign of spring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) Rattle can facelift to repair the sins of the PO. Getting her ready for the 1st show of the season…. Edited March 9 by DPS.01 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 9 Topic Author Share Posted March 9 That looks great! You did a great job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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