I have a typical stock 904 behind my slant. I removed the driveline, pulling the yoke out completely. Right now the car is parked backwards on my tilted driveway, so the rear of the car is higher then the front, and no fluid leaks out. I want to push my car to the street where it is level to measure how long I need my new driveline to be. Should I drop the pan and drain the fluid first so I don't make a mess on the street, or will no fluid leak?

I thought about stuffing a rag in there temporarily but I don't think that will be very effective.

Why not remove the speedometer drive ( note the position of it first) then you should lose enough fluid to keep down the mess on the street.

It sounds like you're going to make a new driveshaft anyway, so pop the yoke off of the old one and shove it back in.

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I thought of that sixinthehead but I'm not making a new shaft, just shortening it, and didn't plan on changing u-joints. Infact I was going to leave the yoke on it when taking it down to the driveshaft shop. Hmm they may want it with the yoke off, I'll have to give them a call.

Drats, they want the whole thing. I think I'll just drain the fluid.

Most driveshaft shops like to balance the shaft with the U-joints and yoke on. That way you get a total balance. Good time to put in some quality joints, keep the old ones as spares.

Cecil

I have some GMB (probably from kragen?) brand joints on there now that seem fine after, hmm, maybe 20,000 miles? What brand is considerd a quality joint? My first tought was moog but appears they don't make any u-joints.

I see some listings for regular, premium, superstrength, greaseable and nongreasable....

Sidenote: Even with a big container to catch the atf underneath when I droped the pan, I still managed to make a mess when the pan dropped and splashed everywhere. I think I'm going to get someone to weld a nut on the outside of it for me and use a oil pan drain plug incase I need to do this again. I guess manufacturers save a few pennies by not putting a plug there because tranny fluid isn't changed as often as engine oil.

hi, or you could just put a deep trans pan package P4007886 for a 904/999 and add 2 more qts of capacity and also has a nice drain plug. don't forget to use the new rigid "never leak" laminated silicone, multi-lip, steel-core, torque-limiting, reusable pan gasket. 4295875AC. toss those rubber or cork gaskets in the trash. ron

Thanks for giving me the tip about the gasket!

Long story short - Day 1: welded nut on, used aluminum washer, tightend drainplug, leaked from threads. Day 2: Removed plug, cleaned area up real well, put rtv around weld just as a precaution, teflon paste on plug threads, copper washer, still leaked.

Day 3: Me pulling my hair out I think my first mistake was using a coarse thread drainplug, but I didn't have any finethread bolts handy for the finethread drainplugs I had. And yes, it was a drainplug I got in an assortment of plugs, not an ordinary screw.

White teflon plumbers tape. Works like a charm...

I have used that before plenty of times kesteb but usually in my experience the teflon paste works better. Either way it should still seal on the washer. I have a feeling the surface of the nut isn't completely flat.

Drop the pan and drain it... Then before you put the pan back on slap a new filter on her! then refill after you get the shaft back. still use the rag you dont' want dirg getting in that expensive hydralic pump under your car!