Rear whines/whirrs, especiallyu during decelleration. I've determined from searching the boards that this noise is probably a loose pinion nut in the rear end. This is a 3.08 Posi that I just got about 2 months ago used.

My questions -
(1)Does tightening this pinion nut solve the problem for a relatively good period of time (will it buy me a year?), or does tightening just buy a few weeks/months (a temporary fix to a permanent and real problem)?

(2)Also, I'm reading that this is maybe a delicate operation - as I have no rear end experience at all, I'm guessing I should have someone do it for me? What would a shop charge for that?

(3)Should I stop driving the car immediately because of this, or can it hold out another 500 miles (next paycheck)?

 

1. Impossible to guess. Might not do anything at all, might fix it more or less permanently, might ruin it.

2. Definitely stay on the delicate side. A breaker bar at least 2' long along with a yoke holding tool of equal or greater length, or an air impact capable of 350 ft-lbs or so. I'd avoid hammers though, much too delicate an operation for that.

3. It's real easy to check.... disconnect the drive shaft and see if you can move the yoke or the pinion gear around. If you can move it around, tighten it. If it seems tight, you have other problems.