1989 Rialto SE Hatch - my very first Reliant (and I've still got it)

Hi everyone,

I decided to finally replace my SE's (half working) Tudor volt meter for a brand new Smiths one that actually works:-




I also added an extra earth strap from the timing cover to the chassis as the dashboard's earth wires were too short:-




I also found out the cause of the "leak". I think it was caused by the knackered plastic sheets inside the front doors (which I plan to replace tomorrow), which formed a lot of condensation (I originally thought that the windscreen rubber was leaking from the top edge).

Replaced door's inner plastic sheets

Hi everyone,

I decided to get my Rialto SE into the garage and replaced it's knackered inner door plastic sheets earlier today. Here's what the driver's one looks like (I didn't take any other pics):-

Replaced the igntion coil and fitted a front mud flap

Old ignition coil (that was covered in oil, especially on it's base) that was well past it:-










New Lucas DLB110 ballast sports ignition coil fitted:-




The difference between the two igniti0n coils was immediately obvious. The car started up straight away unlike it's old ignition coil.


I also fitted a front mud flap to my Rialto SE as it didn't have one since I've owned it.

The remains of the front mud flap's mounting plate (there were no remains of the old mud flap):-




New mud flap (from AzzY) fitted:-

Replaced my blue Rialto SE's thermostat and short length of vacuum hose

Hi eveyrone,

I decided to replace my blue Rialto SE's blank 88˚C "thermostat" (the coolant temp barely crept beyond "C" on it's temperature gauge) with a new 88˚C thermostat with a bypass valve.   The coolant temp is now consistent and the temp gauge now reads just under half way.

I also replaced it's short length of vacuum hose (distributor vacuum pipe to "flame trap") with a short length of 2.5mm nitrile hose as I was able to move the old vacuum hose with one finger with the engine running.

Anyway, I'll let the pics do the talking....


Old blank 88˚C thermostat (with a tiny bypass hole)






New 88˚C thermostat with they bypass valve






Old vacuum hose