Got the front four out with the two box wrenches this morning, and worked on the backs, open ended wrench on one side and was able to brake loos one of the four by hand. The rest I used the 18v ryobie impact to get off. Shaft is out and the double joint has almost no articulation in this one axis. Look at old to new pic. U can see the new one has much more movement.

 

i know i asked about torque specs before, but being under the car now and noticing there probably is no room to use a torque wrench. whats ur other method of tightening the 8 lock nuts down? when they start to tighten give it another 1/8th of a turn? 1/4 by hand?

 

just called Oriellys to see if they had a crush washer for the oil drain plug, they didn't have it. anyone know the size off hand for this? as i don't notice a washer on my drain plug currently.

 

Engine oil about:
14.5mm ID, 22mm OD.
0.57" ID, 0.86" OD.
......

 

the slight vibration at 35 to 50 mph is gone now. drives nice and smooth and no slight clunks when the torque converter is locked on the high way and i step on and let off the gas. so the front drive shaft fixed a few things. just picked up some 2ft vacuum hose tonight at pep boys and a grease gun and some grease. hopefully some new vacuum line on the cruise control will bring it back to life. should i have greased the fittings on the lucky8 drive shaft before i took it out for a 20m test drive tonight?

got some crush washers for the oil drain plug, will change the oil tomorrow or Monday. the no crush washer seems to be the source of my major leek right now. good ol Firestone oil change .

now on to the radiator hoses and the brakes.

 

Sorry, I've been on the road the last 12 hours. Drove (my car) up to Colorado Springs visiting family.

Shaft should be pre-lubed but I gave each nipple some grease to double check.

 

When lubing the U-joints be sure to keep pumping grease until old grease comes out from around all four bearing caps.

It's a PIA and it's messy and a lot of new grease gets wasted in the process but it's the correct way. Just a couple of pumps won't get new grease to all the places it needs to be.

 

new vacuum line for the cruise control fixed that right up.

 

well looks like the good guys at Firestone left me with a stripped oil pan. pulled the plug today and normally ones u make it past the initial quarter or half turn to loosen the drain plug with the wrench, you should be able to un-thread it easily by hand. not the case with this plug, had to use the socket wrench to loosen the plug the rest of the way out of the pan.

Plug and the washer on the left was what they used and the washer on the right I got from a euro shop in North dallas. U can also see the partial metal thread on the paper towel that was on the tip of the drain plug. Second pic u can see the threads r missing at the end. And actually I was able to push those threads around in the hole.




so what fixes can you guys recommend? i was thinking of jb welding in one on of these (https://www.fumotooildrainvalve.com/...FQIcaQodLY4Nzw)

what have others done?



here is a neat option that the guys at Jeg's recommended (http://www.jegs.com/i/Dorman/326/092...FQqoaQod2kANHg) or they also told me to check out the local auto parts stores for a similar part.

 

Found this tonight at the local auto parts store. Maybe give it a try.