Fix It

The original factory stereo in a 1998 Buick Regal was available with two different options; an in-stereo tape player or an in-stereo compact disc player. Regardless of the option choice, the removal method is the same. Despite the excellent reliability of Buick factory radios, they do fail occasionally; leaving the driver and passenger with an eerily-silent interior. Replacement factory stereos are available in used condition from most salvage yards for a nominal fee or new from Buick dealerships for a much higher price.

Instructions

Removal

1

Open the drivers side door and remove the left instrument panel insulator by prying it free with a flat-head screwdriver.

2

Press the tilt lever on the steering column and adjust the steering wheel as far down as it will travel.

3

Remove the retaining screws on the lower leading edge of the ash tray panel cover. Pull the cover forward to disengage the retaining clips. Disconnect the ash tray lights electrical connector and remove the lower ash tray trim panel.

4

Open the passenger door. Disengage the instrument panel trim plates retaining tabs inside the air vents using a flat-head screw driver. Pry around the circumference of the instrument panel trim plate with a flat-head screwdriver until all of the retainers are disengaged. Pull the instrument panel trim plate away from the dashboard and set it aside.

5

Remove the screws holding the radio in place using a ratchet and metric socket. Pull the radio out and unplug the black antenna cable from the back of the radio. Disconnect the radios electrical connector and remove the radio from the vehicle.

Installation

6

Reconnect the radios antenna cable and electrical connector. Set the radio into position and reinstall the radio retaining bolts. Torque the bolts to 18 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.

7

Set the instrument panel trim plate into position and press down on it from left to right in order to seat the retaining clips. When the panel is properly seated there should be no large gaps between the panel and upper dash pad or radio face.

8

Reconnect the lower ash tray cover panel to the ash tray lights electrical connector. Set the panel into place and press down on it until the integrated locking tabs are fully-seated. Reinstall the lower ash tray panel retaining screws and torque them to 18 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.

9

Tilt the steering wheel back to a normal position. Reinstall the left instrument panel insulator. Turn on the ignition and test the radio.

The Regal started out as a top trim level on the Buick Century in 1973, and five years later split off to become its own model. That was good timing, too; while earlier Centuries had been beautiful and stylish cruisers, by 1978 the car was set to devolve into a terrible little hatchback. The Regal, though, went on to both parent the awesome Grand National and GNX, and to carry the Buick performance banner through the companys retirement-home years.

Time Schedules

Most maintenance schedule intervals measure in miles of use, but some go completely by time. Oil change intervals, oddly, are one of them. General Motors recommends changing the oil only when the oil life monitoring system tells you to, or every 12 months -- whichever comes first. Every six months, you should inspect the brake system pads and lines, the CV joint boots for grease leakage, the cooling system hoses and clamps, the exhaust, fuel, steering, suspension and throttle systems. Realistically, unless you never drive the car, these six-month inspections should line up pretty closely with the O-dictated oil change intervals.

Service Schedules

Manufacturers give two different types of service schedules. The "Normal" service schedule should apply to most drivers, but thats rarely the case in the real world. "Severe" service schedules are more intensive, designed to help keep cars running when they encounted car-killing conditions like lots of stop-and-go driving, extremely high or low average temperatures, bad road conditions and dusty or dirty air. In this case, the primary difference is that the Normal service schedule comes in 7,500-mile increments, and the Severe schedule comes in 6,000-mile increments. Apart from that, the Severe schedule requires air filter inspections every 15,000 miles, and filter replacement every 30,000 miles.

Normal Service Schedule

Starting from the very first interval, which your car has long since passed: Rotate the tires every 7,500 miles and replace the cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. At 30,000 miles, perform the above and replace the engine air cleaner element, inspect the supercharger lubricant if so equipped and inspect the fuel tank cap and lines regardless of when you did it on the time interval. At 60,000 miles, do all of the above and inspect the engines serpentine drive belt. Do all the same things at 90,000 as you did at 60,000. At 100,000 miles, replace the transmission fluid and filter, inspect the spark plug wires for cracking and damage, and replace the spark plugs. Perform the same service at 120,000 as you did at 60,000. Start the whole cycle over at 127,500 miles.

Severe Schedule

Rotate the tires every 6,000 miles; at 15,000 miles, replace the cabin air filter and inspect the engine air filter for dirt and clogging. If you can see light through it, it should be fine. At 30,000 miles, do all of the above but replace the engine air filter, inspect the supercharger lubricant if so-equipped and inspect the fuel system. Do the same at 45,000 as you did at 15,000. At 50,000 miles, replace the transmission fluid and filter. At 60,000, rotate the tires, replace the cabin filter, replace the engine air filter, inspect the supercharger lubricant, and inspect the fuel system and the drive belt. Do the same at 75,000 as you did at 45,000, and do the same at 90,000 as at 30,000. At 100,000, replace the spark plugs, inspect the plug wires and replace the transmission fluid and filter. Do the same at 120,000 as at 60,000, and start the cycle over at 126,000 miles.

Special Notes

If youve just bought the car or youve lost track of the servicings, then perform every maintenance task to "reset" your service schedule clock. Replace the oil even if the O doesnt specify it, and start over from Mile Zero by replacing the air filter element, cabin filter, serpentine belt and spark plugs. Inspect the fuel system and oiling system, rotate or replace the tires, inspect the plug wires, and grease all of the grease fittings on the chassis. However, if you dont know the cars history, then DO NOT, under any circumstances, get a full transmission flush. Old fluid breaks down and develops a unique chemistry of its own, and completely new fluid circulating between the transmissions clutches may not mix with old fluid soaked into the clutch material. The result: slipping and burned clutches, and a fried transmission. If youre starting over from Mile Zero with a full maintenance regimen, just perform a filter change and transmission fluid drain-and-fill, then another drain-and-fill at 6,000 and 12,000 miles. This gradual method of replacing the transmission fluid will give your clutches time to absorb and acclimate to the new fluid without slipping and frying.

The thermostat in the 1995 Buick Skylark 2.3-liter engine rests inside the engine intake located on the top of the engine. The thermostat regulates engine temperature by restricting the flow of coolant through the engine. When the thermostat fails, it fails in the open position, meaning that coolant flows unrestricted through the engine and the engine cannot heat up to proper levels. When this happens, you must replace the thermostat.

Instructions

1

Drain approximately 2 gallons of radiator fluid from the petcock located on the bottom of the radiator into a clean drain pan. Use a pair of pliers to open the petcock if you cannot open it by hand.

2

Follow the upper radiator hose to the thermostat housing located on the engine. Remove the hose clamp with a pair of pliers and pull the hose off the engine.

3

Remove the bolts that secure the housing to the engine with a socket and ratchet. Use the ratchet extension bar supplied with your socket set to avoid hitting any accessories located around the thermostat housing.

4

Remove the thermostat housing and housing gasket off the engine. Pull the old thermostat out of the engine.

5

Clean the surface of the engine and the bottom of the thermostat housing with a clean towel. Use a wire brush if you cannot get the old gasket material off the surfaces.

6

Place the new thermostat into the engine with the large spring submerged into the engine.

7

Place the gasket over the thermostat and then bolt the thermostat housing back onto the engine.

8

Place the hose back onto the thermostat and secure it with a hose clamp.

9

Pour the 2 gallons of fluid into the radiator filler cap located on the top of the radiator.

The timing chain on a 3.1L Buick engine turns the crankshaft in synchronization to the camshaft rotation. This engine is known for its reliability, but after tens of thousands of miles the timing chain can simply stretch and fail. This can seriously damage the engine and affect performance. Plan accordingly, as the timing chain replacement procedure can require a good part of a day.

Instructions

1

Remove the engine front cover. Rotate the crankshaft until the timing marks are aligned with the crankshaft sprocket, camshaft sprocket locator hole and the engine block. The number one cylinder should be at top dead center (TDC).

2

Unscrew the camshaft sprocket bolt. Remove the camshaft sprocket and the timing chain. Remove the timing chain. Use a crankshaft sprocket remover to remove the crankshaft sprocket. Remove the timing chain dampener bolts. Remove the timing chain dampener.

3

Replace the timing chain. Install the crankshaft sprocket using a crankshaft sprocket installer. Apply GM EOS P/N 1052367 or equivalent to the sprocket thrust surface. Install the timing chain dampener to the block. Tighten the timing chain dampener bolts to 15 foot-pounds.

4

Align the crankshaft timing mark to the timing mark on the bottom of the chain dampener. Hold the camshaft sprocket with the chain hanging down and install the chain to the crankshaft gear. Align the timing mark on the camshaft gear (center line of the locator hole) with the timing mark on the top of the chain damper.

5

Remove the Crankshaft Sprocket Installer. Align the dowel in the camshaft with the dowel hole in the camshaft sprocket. Draw the camshaft sprocket onto the camshaft using the mounting bolt. Coat the crankshaft and camshaft sprocket with engine oil. Install the camshaft sprocket bolt. Tighten the bolt to 81 foot-pounds. Install the engine front cover.