Maybe check the slip joint to see if it need grease. That was the problem when I had a clunking noise, and thought I had a bad u-joint.
2nd vote for what
@toypaseo said - especially since it's a cheap and easy
maintenance item on a 25 year old Ex.
Yes, this is a maintenance item if you are planning to be a long term owner and drive 'till it drops - every three years or so is a good schedule.
We're talking about maybe half an hour, start to finish.
Not doing so will create a condition where the splines eventually wear to the point to where you'll get a driveline "thunk" BOTH forwards and backwards. Then you're scrambling for a good/NOS driveshaft for a 25 year old vehicle....
When I first serviced my Ex's driveshaft after my Ex was only 7 years old, the driveshaft splines were BONE DRY...
The reason I serviced it was because when I had the drivers side window open I was hearing a slight "tink" when moving forward from a complete stop.
This "tink" sound when moving forward from a complete stop was was quite the popular subject back on this forum in the early part of 2000 as 2nd Gens were passed on to their 2nd owner.
Now - not so much on the subject - but toypaso obviously remembers and probably experienced it himself. He's probably in my age group
OK - so slide underneath with a pair of snips and a grease gun (preferred) OR container of grease, and look for the rubber bellows on the rear drive shaft.
Cut off ONLY the rear clamp strap, and push the bellows forward, towards the front of your Ex.
With a grease gun, pump Mobil 1 synthetic grease onto the exposed splines, and slather & spread it around with a metal safe implement such as a wood or plastic chopstick (we get 'em free at take-out restaurants here in the PRK).
Don't be afraid to add too much grease because when done, as you drive your Ex and the driveshaft expands and contracts, the grease will properly spread over all of the exposed splines.
When done greasing, pull the rubber bellows back towards you, get two high strength zip ties, and fasten them so the locks are 180 degrees opposite each other so as to balance them out, and cinch them down.
I like using zip ties because it allows you to "balance" them out, they aren't "hard" on the rubber bellows material, and every few years you can cut them off, service the driveshaft, and put on a new set. Also, by using 2 zip ties, and evening out the contact points, I never had an issue with grease leaking past them.
Hope that helps -
