MrT

.72 vs .80 would most likely be within the accuracy range of your meter unless it's very nice (fluke?). If you've taken care of spark I'd move to fuel and then look for a vacuum leak.

You need a new starter. I got mine from napa. Fairly cheap and it's been problem free for the last 3 years.

Key-rist. My thoughts exactly. At that price it might be worth getting a transmission jack, doing the clutch myself and taking the trans to be rebuilt

Well, if you've got a harbor freight near by pick em up. They're all kinds of useful and it's the best way to tell if your rotor is actually warped. Although if it was literally smoking it was either ungodly hot and probably warped now or you're dripping break fluid somewhere.

Got a magnetic base and dial indicator?

You'd have lost money then. It's had MT90 in it since I got it 80k miles ago. And I have serious doubts it was ever changed before that. It also has been a little more quiet since I "topped it off" but still a little noisy.

So I crawled under today and checked the fluid. Unfortunately it wasn't that low. Topped it off and it didn't really make that much of a difference.

So I have 178k on my 96 with an MT and lately it's been sounding a little like rough, not grinding but kind of like Chewbacca in all gears but 4th. Time for a rebuild? How much should I expect to pay if this is the case?

The radio chassis is almost always grounded. So it will ground through the chassis. Wouldn't bother running a separate ground. Easy way to get a ground loop which will give you a nasty hummmmmmmmmm

I have the Bose system and skipped the whole converter thing. Not really a big deal. Just keep the volume a little lower.

If you want to take the time you might be able to file it back into shape. It's a little more precise than a grinder.

I'm guessing you don't have access to a good bearing puller? But I'd second a lot of PB blaster let it soak and then a little heat.

It's worth about $2k IMO. But if you put the work into it it's about worth it.

Check to see if the VIN numbers match.

Well... changing my oil turned in to a hunt for an oil leak turned in to needing a new camshaft seal turned in to finding a water pump leak. Looks like antother fun day tomorrow...