I baby it. I have no idea if the prior owners did or not. It looks like it's never worked in it's life (no fleet/commerical ownership, all 3 prior owners were private individuals, one older gent, two college kids, both mechanics). It got it's first clutch at 130K miles, so that tells me it was probably treated well.
I just swapped the diff fluid with Royal Purple synthetic 75w90. Swapped the tranny with 85w90 Valvoline dino-juice (concerns about seals). No leaks after a few hundred miles from either place.
The motor's dry save one slightly moist spot (slightly greasy) near the front main. I get the idea it was swapped and the motor was never cleaned. The motor uses 1/2qt between 3000mi changes. V. good for a diesel. No black or white smoke (some white on startup, none on accelleration). Slight tapping in one cylinder (valve, getting adjusted next week), barely audible. It might even be that injector. I actually hope it's the valve.
Back to the transmission, it groans slightly when the clutch is depressed. It does not make this noise in neutral coasting. Given the low milage between the clutch job (when normally you'd do the throw-out bearing, or at least check it) and now I figure it was replaced and perhaps not done correctly. The groan may also be normal - I don't know yet. At least not doing it all the time means probably it isn't the input bearing.
She's got her issues. Probably needs new front wheel bearings and tie rod ends. Overall condition for an 84 is incredible! Seems she's had good care - the owners gave a crap enough to put Delvac in it. I have reciepts for it going back quite a while. Compression is good. Power is good (for a diesel). Gets 35+ mpg no sweat, and half of that last reading was hauling furniture.
