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1988 Regal Fiasco Many Sensor & Electrical Problems

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Old 09-29-2013, 05:00 PM
  #11  
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When I get the metal part of the switch off I'll post a pic, but the actual plastic
switch from the end is below. I don't understand what would break that metal lip completely off and not crack the plastic end piece. That lip held the plastic onto it; with a rubber seal in-between. You can see the chamfer on the contact point end where the seal laid. Looking at the electrical contact, on each end of that flat metal blade, there is a metal piece on each side which runs to each contact pin for the harness connector. The way you look at it in this pic, the switch is normally closed, yet it is supposed to be normally open. If I push on the long spring-loaded blade, the circuit would be open then. The spring action keeps it closed, thusly the circuit is complete. That is logically wrong. This is going to haunt me 'till I understand it. If the switch wasn't $34.00 I'd buy one to cut it open.
Attached Thumbnails 1988 Regal Fiasco Many Sensor & Electrical Problems-pic-1573.jpg   1988 Regal Fiasco Many Sensor & Electrical Problems-pic-1574.jpg  
Old 09-29-2013, 05:12 PM
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Wait a minute. I shined light inside the switch and can see the actual pin contacts which the blade touches when the pressure forces it closed. Now THAT makes sense. I guess I'll understand why fluid never leaked out when I get the metal part out of the steering gear. There is no plastic diaphram holding the fluid in. The only thing I can see out of the corner of my eye is the bare metal end of the unit. The rubber seal for the plastic electrical end piece was still stuck onto the metal part. Weird.
Old 09-29-2013, 05:13 PM
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Well, with that being the case, there is another reason why the A/C quit working.
Old 09-29-2013, 05:33 PM
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I understand what you're saying now, Mike. There must be a rubber diaphram in the "fluid side" of that metal part.
Old 09-29-2013, 07:20 PM
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Since I can't make peace with this switch until I understand it - it is not possible for that metal lip to get broken without breaking the plastic connector part. The original PSPSW HAD to be a serviceable unit which used a clamp to hold the 2 pieces together. That is what I originally thought the other day, but dismissed it since I figured they rarely made serviceable automotive switches anymore. The new replacement switches are 1 piece. When the clamp disappeared, then the actuator pin disappeared. Now I can sleep better knowing that.
Old 09-29-2013, 08:19 PM
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Good deal!
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Old 10-04-2013, 05:11 PM
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Does anybody have the correct Coil Pack/Cylinder Wiring Diagram for a 1988 Buick Regal Custom 2.8 Liter.

The info that I have:

1-4-6-3-2-5 (Decal in the engine bay says)
1-4-3-6-2-5 (The FSM says)

The engine kicks back like it is out of time on both of these.
Old 10-04-2013, 06:18 PM
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O.K., I snapped these pics @ AutoZone Library.

On the top pic, the coil pack layout matches my emissions decal.

On the bottom pic, the cylinder layout matches the cylinder casting
#'* in my lower intake manifold.

My VIN is "W". The engine is supposed to be 2.8 L in the 1988 year model.
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Old 10-04-2013, 07:22 PM
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This is weird. I wired it like the top photo, even though the LIM castings were the same cylinder layout as the bottom photo. Are the LIM'* interchangeable between the 2.8L & the 3.8L? If so, this car has had more hands laid on it than I originally thought.
Old 10-05-2013, 09:37 AM
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seriously doubt it


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