Rocinante, my '85 GM LS

[Big Rectangular Car]

Oh yes, and my son and I just finished giving Rocinante a fresh coat of wax. Also gave the vinyl top a good scrub. Our detailing, which pretty much started when we first got the car, is now complete.

[85crownHPP]

so - any thoughts of acessorizing or modifying????

very nice wax btw

[Big Rectangular Car]

I'm too poor for that, LOL!
Keeping two cars on the road is about all I can do... :violin:
I just noticed the rear axle is leaking a little oil. It was whining while I was driving, this morning, so I should get it looked at.
The oil was changed about 3 weeks ago, and I don't know if they checked the axle oil.
I'm considering going on a road trip this summer, and I want to make sure nothing is going to fail on me while driving up to WA.
It's a 1700 mile round trip. I'd like to think I should be able to do this with a high degree of confidence.

[zwack88]

Looks really clean, I like it! Where is it leaking diff oil at, the cover or at the axle seals? I would top it off in the mean time so you don't screw your rear end over if it runs dry.

[85crownHPP]

if you have a 3/8" drive ratchet and extention, you can check the rear gear oil yourself! You could even get your son to do it

Just get underneath so you can acess the passenger side front of the axle housing. You should see a plug to remove - turn that out and dunk your finger in the the hole. If your finger comes out ripping with stinky gear oil, your ok! If you cant get any on it with a slight dip, its needs some.

[Big Rectangular Car]

Looks really clean, I like it! Where is it leaking diff oil at, the cover or at the axle seals? I would top it off in the mean time so you don't screw your rear end over if it runs dry.

Thanks!

It seems to be leaking at the seal, along the bottom. A couple of drips are on the driveway from where I parked the car last. I only just noticed the noise today, too.
Mm, nah. I don't do well with being under cars.... too difficult for my ol' bones, heh. Never did like going under there anyway, too small a space.
I'll have somebody look at it tomorrow.

[Big Rectangular Car]

if you have a 3/8" drive ratchet and extention, you can check the rear gear oil yourself! You could even get your son to do it

Just get underneath so you can acess the passenger side front of the axle housing. You should see a plug to remove - turn that out and dunk your finger in the the hole. If your finger comes out ripping with stinky gear oil, your ok! If you cant get any on it with a slight dip, its needs some.

Hmm, I wonder how much I'd have to bribe him...
I'm bummed I can't do this myself, I don't have enough tools yet. I need a decent set of jackstands, the ones I have I use for the Golf, but I don't think I want to put the GM on them.

[85crownHPP]

there is also the option of backing up over a curb that gives enough room to get under there. I did a transmission service this way hehe

[Big Rectangular Car]

No curbs around here, but I did set it up with the jack and jackstands. I also ended up removing the rear wheel for easier access to the plug. I'm just not as skinny as I used to be. XD
Turns out the plug was really hard to find, because of all the crud around it. I cleaned it up with some grease remover, and it looks like it needs a hex wrench to open the plug.

[zwack88]

For the differential? You are looking on top of the "pumkin" right? Mine used a 3/8" drive ratchet with an extention just like 85hpp said.

[Big Rectangular Car]

Updates on Rocinante...

Had some more stuff done of late, finally got the valve cover gaskets replaced. No more oil leak... yes, pretty boring compared to what some of you do with your rides, I'm just quietly preserving mine with OE parts.
Original engine miles is over 190K, and going strong. Sure, people zip past me in their plastic disposable razors on wheels, I just wonder if theirs will last for 22 years.

And somebody dinged my car while it was in a parking lot!!
You can barely notice it, it's on the lower side of the rear fender, but believe me, *I* noticed it.

Well, the scratch will buff out, but the crease won't. Bah...

[Lincolnmania]

maintenance is what keeps these beasts alive, and keeping them clean, and i dont mean just the paint and interior. i hoped they didnt use cork valve cover gaskets on your engine, or you'll be getting them done again in 2-3 yrs.

those bastards....dinging your car.......my towncar is in hibernation, till all traces of salt and ice are gone for the yr.......the poor vic covered in salt and coal ashes and ice and snow.

[Big Rectangular Car]

Nope, they said the same thing you did, and used the better ones.
One reason I stay with this garage, besides not having any complaints so far with them, is that they really respect my car. The mechanic who was test driving the car to check the u-joints, and while on a freeway interchange, got cut off by a ricer. He muttered, "Oh yeah, this car can eat that piece of crap for breakfast." Heh, I like these people at this place...
He also told me the body was built by Fisher, in the US, and not Canada, after all. And how sturdy it was, overall. He used to own an LTD and worked on them back in the 80s. The more I know about this car, the better it gets!

Yeah, salt is nasty stuff. I live near the ocean, and when it storms we get a lot of salt spray drifting up the road. It can eat up a car as fast as winter driving. Have to rinse it down and re-wax the exterior every few weeks.
My Golf OTOH is a rust bucket from the salt air.

[boXman]

I thought Fisher was a Chevy thing.... '85, yea that was made in Canada for sure.

[Big Rectangular Car]

I thought Fisher was a Chevy thing.... '85, yea that was made in Canada for sure.

That's what I thought too, but I have no idea. It doesn't really matter to me where it was built and by whom, just that I know the car's not made of tinfoil and who knows, it could be good for another 20 years.