[V8] V8 maintenance questions

[Kneale Brownson]

With the tranny fluid "settled into the pan",  our V8s have an overfull
showing on the dipstick.  You don't have to run the car hard to get it warm
enough for a good check.  Just drive normally at highway speeds for half an
hour and park on a level spot, engine idling.

The "drain and fill" procedure is to open the drain on a warm tranny and
let it drip till it stops, then add four quarts.

I think you have to get the ball joint of the track control arm out of the
wheel bearing housing in order to extract the axle.  I couldn't do that
without disengaging the swaybar.  I just pulled the four bolts anchoring
the sway bar and then used a big, long (like 5 feet long) 1 1/4 inch steel
bar to pry out the ball joint.  There's sort of a depression in the
bodywork at the rear of the wheel well where you can lay one end of the pry
bar.  I sure was glad to be doing this with a hoist rather than trying to
crawl around on the ground with the car on jackstands.

I was replacing the right axle because of a bad boot.  I plan on replacing
the boot itself eventually so I have a spare handy.  With two autotrans
V8s, I'll probably need to replace that boot again sometime.

For taking out the six bolts to the tranny output, I used one of those 10mm
triple square tools that you have to put into a socket.  Real PITA.  I've
since acquired one that has an integral socket so I don't have to worry
about the tool coming out of the socket.  A long extension lets you work on
those bolts from outside the wheelwell, which also is easier.

At 10:39 AM 6/10/2005 -0400, Miller, Chris wrote:
>1:  Auto transmission; mine has the dipstick.  What is a typical reading
>on the dipstick when the transmission is off/cold?
>Reason I ask is that I recently purchased the car, and don't want to
>drive it hard to get it hot to see if it is overfilled; rather drain out
>a little, then do the run it hard and test while hot, then refill to
>spec.
>
>So, where is the fluid reading when cold?
>
>2:  Any tips on changing the outer CV boot?  Plan to loosen the outer
>bolt, raise the corner, pull the inner cv bolts.  Can the half shaft
>come out (driver's side) without removing the sway bar/ball joint etc.?
>I have a boot kit coming.