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CV/DOJ style joints have a lot of sliding friction components and as such do best with moly grease. GD

Each time that I have bought a replacement rubber-boot, it came with replacement grease and replacement mounting-bands.

On 2009 and earlier axles: Clicking while accelerating has been inner joint 100% of the time IME. Ive regreased a number of OEM and MWE (no longer an option) axles with 100% success rate. They were always dry or the grease pours out like water. A guy I know pulls both axles and swaps the joints left to right since load and wear shift “to the other side”. Though I wonder how much of that “success” is the clean and regrease required to swap guts

Thanks! The pedal seems firm and the transmission is a little sloppy in general but I figure that is normal for the age. Third is a little tough to downshift into though, is that what you mean? I've done a little work on it and (when it is running good) I really like driving it. I hate newer cars with all the sensors, computers, and screens. There are still a lot of little things I want to do on it (like refurbishing the bumpers and wiring up the lights up top), but since I got the big stuff done I'm kind of happy just driving it as is. In a couple months I'm moving out of the country and I'm probably going to be selling it.

Yes, exactly because it was loose. Tighten to 133ft-lb, treat the procedure like headbolts. Oil up the bolt, clean out crankcase threads, try to torque in big 60 degree sweeps and avoid creaking.

About the head bolts: Even though people in the business of selling them say that they have to be replaced, they don't. Re-use them unless they're obviously damaged (e.g. corroded threads).

I would get OEM. I installed the FelPro MLS on my 02 251 about 60k ago and have had no problems, but FelPro supposedly has some issues with Japanese vehicles. I also used FelPro intake, exhaust, and valve cover gaskets. The valve cover gaskets failed, everything else has been solid. Go OEM for the water pump gasket, tubing belt, tensioner, and idler pulleys. I just did the timing kit, it ran me about $500