I raised the rear of the Sport and drained the differential, pulled the passenger side rear axle shaft and swapped it. I also installed the new differential girdle and cleaned the battery terminals (unrelated work in case you were wondering).. man what a difference that made. I think I need to get a dry cell battery when funds allow. No matter how much I have cleaned the terminals, the ground terminal corrodes. I cleaned them up, and this time I installed the felt pads under them, and sprayed some corrosion preventative on them. made a huge difference in the idle and overall performance. I still have to test drive the Sport to check and see if the axle shaft is better than what I pulled. We'll see. Anyway, that's the little bit of nothing I have to share today.
Dude contact corrosion just creeps up on you like no-one's business. I cant STAND that, you clean em up and "oh wow my battery and starter aren't both bad it just wasnt making a connection!!!!" Definitely save up and get an Optima red top, I think that's the biggest-baddest one they make. My friend can't believe he didn't get one for his vette long ago.
Was your rear end making noise Vinnie? Glad you go that done.
Had a vibration around 70 to 75mph. I still haven't hit the highway yet. As far as a battery, the Optima is what I'm hoping to get.
I heard they started making optima in Mexico now and quality has gone to (note I heard this from a guy who worked at a battery store that didnt sell them, so he might have just been biased)
I still want one.
my buddy uses nothing but optima and both his cars have HUGE systems (turbo stang has 2 15" CVX, and his honda has 4 cvx 15"s) and his work fine...so I think the guy at the battery shop might have been trying to sell me something else since I went in there specifically asking for optima.
When you do get one, let us know how it holds up.
I'll post up the results. It'll be a while. I have a lot about to happen. Body work,paint, window tinting, new rear tires. one step at a time.
What girdle did you use? Snap a pic sometime when you get a chance.
I'll grab a pic tomorrow. It's a nice piece,and it was super cheap (new).
I think battery terminal corrosion has to do with grounds. I've never had to clean corrosion from the battery terminals on the 88 T-bird. The 95 T-bird I used to own always had battery terminal corrosion until I went around and cleaned and reattached all the grounds in the engine bay. After that I never had a problem.
I sometimes wish I had stuff to tinker with on my T-bird. At this point all I ever do is start it and drive it, which, in its own way, is kind of nice too.
It's my battery. It checks fine, but it's a battery. I got it cheap just to get it running a long time ago and have never swapped it out. It's time to upgrade.
I've always had good luck with Motorcraft batteries in mine.
You getting the Sport repainted? I never realized it got damaged. So sorry to hear that, man. I know how you love that car. I don't look at the list every day... must have missed the news.
Hopefully the axle cured your 'bad vibe'. Some cars are harder to get the vibrations out of than others. I had a Merkur that I NEVER could get to run smooth after I did a T5 swap. Anyway, good luck with it.
The vibration was there through the other engine, AOD, T-5,two differentials and two drive shafts. The only things that have been the same are the two axle shafts. I still haven't had a chance to really test it. I'll take her out this evening or tomorrow.
The new paint is no issue. The hail beat on the Sport a little, but that gives me a chance to do some things for the body I didn't have a chance to do before.
Anytime you want to trade for awhile, you just give me a holler...mine has plenty that needs tinkered with lol.
Your car will be safe with me...about all I've got time to do is start it and drive it around my yard. lol
I think I'll keep mine ;).
My "tinkering" is cleaning the car. Waxing the body, detailing the engine bay, cleaning the interior.
I might end up picking up a Fox that needs some "tinkering" work done to it at some point. That way I'll also have one that I can bomb around in all summer, rain or shine. My T-bird only comes out on days when there is no chance of rain.