2X2KOB

That buck cover charge keeps the tourists out.

Factory service manual.

Is that a rubber or metal part that failed? How old was it?

Did you say "ricer"? Or "racer"? Or "nicer"? My eyes ain't so good anymore.

More leverage is the answer. I would hesitate to use heat on that bolt. It is a standard thread. I guess an air impact wrench is not in the picture. Seems to me with the engine out of the car you could put a pretty long pipe on the breaker bar and get plenty of leverage, I've got a six foot long piece of 2" steel pipe laying around just for days like this. The hard part is keeping the engine from moving around, or the crank from turning. Which piece of this are you having difficulty with?

First choice would be your local you-wrench-it junkyard, if that fails try http://www.car-part.com or equivalent. Good luck (and there's nothing wrong with telling the truth)

That's something I've been meaning to ask about - overcooling an automatic trans. I was going to put a cooler on mine just for grins and a good feeling but if it's going to overcool the fluid in the winter then I won't. That is, if overcooling is really a bad thing. Opinions?

I think that is designed backwards. Electrical power on: disengaged, no risk of damage. Electrical power off: 100% engaged, potential risk of damage if front & back don't spin at the same rate. Seems that if those two conditions were reversed, we'd have a more "fail-safe" design. Just sayin'. Or maybe I'm totally wrong! If so tell me.

I'd do it! Probably I'd do a fluid change to synthetic, and add an external cooler though. Actually I'd recommend those two things to any auto trans, anywhere.

There's lots of accounts of this code being caused by a bad front oxygen sensor. Try that before you spring for a cat convertor. In fact that front O2 sensor was the subject of a recall on that car, wasn't it? Might check it out, call a dealer with your VIN, they can tell you, possibly even for free.

My first question was, "What's a DOJ?" This page answered it, and has lots more info about CV type joints, if you're interested. http://www.aa1car.com/library/cvjoint1.htm

The stabilizer bar is a torsion spring; it twists as the car body rolls in relation to the tires. Since it twists in both directions, is normally at rest (unloaded) and doesn't permanently deform or take a "set" the way a spring under constant unidirectional load can, I'd have to say that it will not weaken with time. Worn or soft bushings at the four stabilizer bar mounting points is a more likely condition.

It comes to mind that it really shouldn't be necessary for the person working on your car to hold it hostage waiting for air conditioner parts. There's no reason you couldn't be driving it, even with the condensor removed.

Junkyard's always an option!

Did you install it so the fluid went through the radiator cooler first and then the aftermarket cooler, or the other way around?

I think the LSD was part of the cold weather package on some cars. http://www.cars101.com has lots of good info too.

From the FSM: 1) Install knock sensor to cylinder block. Tightening torque: 23.5± 2.9 N·m (2.4± 0.3 kg-m, 17.4± 2.2 ft-lb) NOTE: The extraction area of the knock sensor cord must be positioned at a 45° angle relative to the engine rear. 2) Connect knock sensor connector. 3) Install air cleaner case. Translation: I guess the "extraction area of the knock sensor cord" means the connector. See picture.

Since it's been running good, reset the code and give it a week or two. It may not come back. Sometimes codes set just because they feel like it.

Buy the wagon - when you go camping and it rains, you can sleep in it.

Mine broke, 00 OBW, left side right where the sharp bend is where it goes into the bushing. It was Friday, we needed the car that weekend, no replacement available, so I welded it with Mr. Lincoln the Arc Welder, and some 6011 rods. That would not have been my first choice as a fix, but it's held up OK for several years now and I have ceased to be concerned about it. This is another known weak point of that generation car style, but it's not particularly critical, costly or prevalent.

Helicoil kits should be available wherever fine auto parts are sold. If you haven't done this before it's not too difficult really. Drill it (not too deep), tap it, install the helicoil. The right size drill and tap are included with the kit. Then use a new threaded fastener of the appropriate type to go into the hole. Some OEM's install helicoils in some threaded holes to increase reliability as part of the initial manufacturing process. Mostly I've seen this done in aluminum, and mostly on airplane parts.

How's that happen? I understand that it's important to the AWD system to run equal tires, but I don't see how not doing it could lead to a dead spot between 1000 and 3000 RPM.

So, is that pretty much a solid rule of thumb: don't change boots, change axle shafts instead?

Would it be possible? Sure, anything is possible, given enough money. Is there any point to doing this? Absolutely none. The reason intercoolers exist is to remove heat generated by compressing the intake air. No turbo, no heat. All that doing this would accomplish is add further maintenance complications and flow restrictions you don't need.

I got a couple at a salvage yard, so we could have full size spare tires instead of the sillly baby temp spare. I think they were $75 or $100 each depending on condition for the 16" 10 spoke alloys which isn't exactly cheap. Another option is http://www.tirerack.com I think they have new steel wheels for most cars, as well as 82 different kinds of new alloys.