Nate (ETKA+Scumbag)

without breaking my back or having crap fall into my face.

I noticed a couple of things I need to fix: The rubber boot around the transmission valve body harness is torn wide open and that faces directly forward, making it a prime target to catch all kind of road debris. Need to figure out how to seal that back up.

Also while looking at the transmission, I came across something that took me by surprise: no security Torx bit. There was a small hex drain bolt and a monster hex bolt for the fill plug. When I say monster, I mean like 20-24mm monster. How would you ever get that out?

Secondly, I notice my right lower straight CA where the bolt goes through supporting the shock looks pretty worn and squished. The driver's side looks still very new and not cracked/worn. Something I should wait on until it starts to clunk?

The source of my exhaust rattle was also discovered and it's a bolt that sticks out of the body to which you screw a nut on that holds the heat shield on by the downpipe. No fixing that one anytime soon. I also put on the exhaust hanger that broke years ago that mounts to the rear diff support. That had been in my trunk forever and just remember that I should probably put that on.

Other the that, there was nothing that really stood out. The car uderside looks a lot better at 170k then my wife's at 103k miles. Not a lot of rust, worn parts, or otherwise on mine.

Kind of sad that after four years of ownership, I've never had lift access to do this myself.

Anarchy_4play

The drain had the giant torx.the fill plug was the hex. The replacements were both 17mm hex.

cbkenison

17mm on mine IIRC