Transmission "rattle"

[clipper]

I've got a rattle in my G trans that's baffling me! Sounds just like a loose muffler clamp rattling, comes and goes and the pitch changes. It seems to be coming from the 5th gear cover but that may be because the tin cover transmits sound better. Checked the oil and there's no shiny stuff in it. Clutch is fine and the noise stops when it's dis-engaged. I'm running Red Line gear lube in it. This thing has me stumped!
thanks for any ideas

[therieldeal]

so it makes noise when you're just sitting there idling?

[redheddude222]

Sounds like possibly a bad throw-out bearing.

[jay]

Bad TO bearings usually get worse when you push the clutch in. Maybe more likely a bad pilot bearing, but without hearing it it's hard to tell. Use some manner of stethascope and try and find out where the noise is coming from. Whatever it is it ain't a good thing...

[MD323]

also check to make sure your starter is bolted in tightly. the roomates car made a similar noise when a starter bolt worked its way loose. we went on a wild goose chase trying to find it.

[jay]

Oh hell that applies to every bolt on the car! A noise in my car drove me outta my tree till I found one of the recessed bolts on a LCA that was juuuust loose enough to let the goldern thing do a harmonic buzz at certain rpm's...in this case yeah, a loose starter could do it, even down to going away when you push the clutch in; might just move things around enough to shut it up. I'd check that, and all the bellhousing bolts, just in case you get lucky and solve it that way instead of getting to replace a TO or pilot bearing, or the gearbox!

[clipper]

so it makes noise when you're just sitting there idling?

Thanks guys.
Yeh when it's idling in neutral and when it revs in gear. (as far as I can hear) Comes and goes, not RPM specific, changes pitch.
new clutch, pilot brg, and TO brg. Never thought of the starter....I can't imagine a blown roller bearing lasting these last three weeks without piling up totally. It sounds like something light and tinny like an oil slinger or...

[jay]

If your noise is *really* light and tinny, look for the thin metal bracket that the upper bellhousing bolt closest to the firewall is supposed to go through, iirc the thing holds up part of the wiring harness.