sewebster

Cool. How do they find them like this? Do they just go around running all the plates they see to check?

The wheel bearings are outside the diff, near the wheels, but I think you just mean the bearings in the diff... those could be responsible, or something else in there I guess. If you jack the rear end you can check for play in your wheel bearings by grabbing the tires and trying to wiggle them around. If they are tight (no play) then it probably isn't your wheel bearings. I assume you're sure it's not some exhaust tone or something... It changes with vehicle speed only, not engine speed, right?

What is supposed to bad about the R51, functionality wise?

You said your code was a bad o2 sensor, not a cat... The most basic operation of an o2 sensor is to control the fuel/air mixture, and if you have that wrong, it can cause problems, or make other problems worse...

Theoretically all of the seals should be outside the timing belt cover (the cam seals are behind the rear cover plate for instance), but still, the more fluids that are flying around, the more chance they get inside...

They can be pretty tight. You might need to: crank the tool harder, hit it with a hammer, or use a different type of tool. I had one type of tool that sucked so I took it back and got another that worked way better... just the shape of it let me get it seated much better. I think mine were on there tight enough that the tool was deforming the threaded part before it popped off with a loud bang. Just be thankful you aren't removing your pitman arm.

Moving the front bumper out of the way of the frame where it bolts on up front. It doesn't use the same bolt locations as stock. I would go look at my truck, but I'm on vacation across the country.

It can take some doing to get the rotor off the hub assembly too, might need to use a hammer etc.

Measure the new lifters with a micrometer. If they are out of the spec in the FSM don't install them. I learned the hard way and destroyed my camshafts. I went through three sets before I found good ones. Sealed Power 4 out of 12 were bad, Beck Arnley 10 out of 12 were bad, Clevite all were good. I needed to replace my rocker shafts and rockers too. I'm not super satisfied with the sound now though, I still think I'm hearing valve noise of some sort. I used ZDDP (RP break in oil) and did the procedure. You could also measure the ID of the bores in the lifter guide plate... you might be able to get new ones from the wreckers or whatever if necessary. The main thing is that the lifters aren't too big and get stuck in the plate.

Does this work well if you don't have a body lift? Looks like it might be annoying to attach the front bolts?

Which S-piece? Is it in my pic above? Doesn't look like it?

When I first got my truck I was pretty clueless and it was super noisy and shaky. Turned out that I basically needed to replace all my shocks (not only were they 20 years old, but the bushings were gone, so they were super clunky) and a bunch of suspension bushings. It's way better now. Still, worth getting the diff figured out. You should also try to make sure you aren't stuck in 4wd somehow. I'm trying to think of a good way that doesn't involve jacking the front of the truck. If you have a jack and jackstands then you could jack up and support the front and then go under and try to turn the front driveshaft. If you can turn it, (at least until the hubs lock) then you aren't in 4wd. If you can't turn it at all, then you could be stuck in 4wd (you wouldn't be able to turn it then because to do so you'd have to also turn the rear wheels and they are stuck on the ground). Regarding the 4wd shifter... there has been some confusion in the past from some people (there is a thread on it somewhere). You should try to familiarize yourself with all the positions. You have to push down on the knob to get in and out of 4-lo. Hopefully you aren't driving around in 4-lo

Yeah, if you suspect the fluid could be a problem, then drain it out and put in new stuff for an LSD. The plugs are 1/2" but they can be stuck pretty good... The drain plug is on the bottom. the fill/check plug is on the rear side. Make sure you can get the fill plug out before you take out the drain plug or else you might be stuck unable to fill it up and drive

The rear diff has separate gear oil in it. It has a check port on the back.. you remove the plug and see if the oil level is up to the hole.

Here is a poor picture of the tube I got. It isn't pinched off, but you're right, it is sealed inside the left side (in the photo, passenger side on the truck). I only got one tube... anyway, maybe I'll put it on and see how it changes the sound. Seems like it might make it a bit harder for water to get into the air box by sealing off that low hole, but I don't think the main port is much higher.

I think our O2 sensors only have two wires? So quite possibly you don't need that other wire connected. Hopefully you have the correct two wires connected at least Check at the connector you found in the engine bay? How many wires does it have? This thread makes me glad I bought the "custom fit" O2 sensor

You could try disconnecting the AAC valve (it's the valve in the idle control body that the ECU uses to control the air going in and therefore idle speed). WIth it disconnected the idle should drop to 700 RPM. With it unplugged the ECU will be unable to use any strange sensor information to adjust the idle speed. If the idle is unstable with it unplugged you know you are looking at a certain set of issues. If the idle is good with it unplugged, then you know that the ECU is messing this up, either because it is bad, or because it is being fed bad information by a sensor (e.g. crank angle sensor). You can unplug the AAC valve at the valve itself, which is inconvenient because it's under the plenum, or at the connection on top of the passenger valve cover. It should be the only connector with only two wires there.

Instructions are in the FSM in the brake section. It tells you which part of the ABS is causing the problems. FSM is available online. Follow the links in the garage section. The basic instructions are posted above in this thread of course too... maybe I'm not sure what you're asking.

Didn't look like it. When I bought my (aftermarket) boot kit to re-do one of my CVs it came with less than half the amount of grease specified by the FSM. I had to use other grease. Maybe if you don't use enough grease they die sooner and you have to buy more...

Yeah, you have to take the nut off. It's big... I forget the size, 30 mm? I brought my 3/4" drive ratchet and sockets and used that. I had to reinstall the e-brake lever on the junked truck and then used that to keep things from turning. Real brakes would work better, but they had been removed. The e-brake was barely enough to hold it. Impact would be better. After the nut was off we used a mini-sledge to knock the next flange thing off... it was really stuck on there. It contains the rotor for the sensor, so if you need that part (I can't see how it would break?) then you might want to take it easy... Then you just unbolt and remove the sensor. But I'm still wondering if you can change the actual sensor part itself without removing the ring it is mounted in. There isn't anything in the ring itself... the sensor just sticks through it and "looks" at the toothed rotor that is attached to the other flange. Doesn't help you change your oil seal though.

Unfortunately it looks like the hubs I picked up are 26 spline. So probably I'm just out $60. I guess that's why they were still there. Probably no-one will want these since they are only for really old hardbodies. I believe I can get the internal splined part I need from the dealer, but looks like $85 each at courtesy parts, so, more than mile markers. I guess if my auto hubs bust I might shell out for that though, since they are supposed to be stronger.

Ugh, flexalite 180 is $340 here... anyone seen it much cheaper?

Yeah, follow the wires the other direction to the o2 sensor on the exhaust?

Pick a part: -hardbody manual hubs (hope they have the right number of splines and work properly) -hood cowl -rear window trim -ash tray -lego hub caps -door sill trim -antenna -4wd light switch -reverse lights switch -abs speed sensor (forgot my multimeter, so don't know if it works yet) -rear bumper end -throttle cable -cruise cable -fan + clutch -windshield trim -egr valve (2 for 1) -egr solenoid -seat belt -driver door armrest -rear taillight assembly -2 tow hooks -strange air tube that attaches to the air box and goes over the fan shroud... do I need this? -lower fan shroud piece -lots of little interior trim fasteners -probably some other stuff I forgot $250 Seems a bit steep, but I picked up a ton of junk. The hubs were $30 each.

Do you mean the oil pan? Unfortunately it's a pain, because (if you have 4wd) you have to remove the front diff to take it off. Probably a full day of work for a do-it-yourselfer (unless you have a lift). Dunno what a shop charges for that... There isn't much that is particularly complicated about it though... grunt work.