'87 4kQ bad (?) tranny update, long, q's at end...

[Robert ExperimentalError]

  Whooowee, I spent a lot of time under that car this weekend.  Got the
halfshafts and propshaft off, burned my arm with flaming CV joint grease,
and wondered at the power of german loctite.  And I still know nothing!

   Sincere thanks to those that responded in detail to my earlier inquiry-
many people opined that I should just get a boneyard tranny if it comes to
that, pointing out that $150 plus frieght is way better than $1k plus
2*freight.  Hard to disagree :).

   Running with no shafts connected, I detected no noise or vibration.

   Running with one halfshaft connected, I got no noise/vibration.

   Running with both halfshafts connected, all quiet.  Must be the
propshaft, right?  Peter Lines sent me a long reply about the problem he had
with his propshaft (as well as gently pointing out that the center diff
would be super loud with the back wheels locked by the parking brake) so I
figured I had it.  Before I tried hooking that back up to prove it though I
locked the center diff.  Had to do it by hand as the actuator is broken.
Still quiet.

   Hooked up the propshaft and it was _still_ quiet.  What the hell?!  Then
the noise suddenly came back, but a quick look at the dash showed that the
center diff was no longer locked.  Lock it back up, no noise, pops out, bad
whine/howl.

   Now I wonder if the noise I hear in the garage is the same noise I feel
when driving?

   Where is a good place to get parts which would normall be dealer-only?  I
need a new propshaft fixing bolt and one of those washer plates that go
under the bolt, and I should probably just get a new center difflock
actuator.

   If you were me, what other experiments would you perform to get a handle
on this problem?

  I'm fixing the leaky actuator with JB weld so I can test all
configurations with the diff locked and not, and may take a testdrive with
the center locked and propshaft out.  What else should I try?

  Thanks,
Robert

  PS-  JPinkowski asked where I live that I could find an '87 4000Q with
only 67k miles on it:  Detroit!  I actually won it at auction off ebay from
the second owner, paid $1550.  Picked it up in Philadelphia, changed the
oil, topped off the tranny and rear diff and drove it home :).

_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com