Okay...so this noise coming from the engine/tranny compartment is a repetitive almost squeaking sound at higher speeds but a rattling sound at low speeds. It's frequency is in direct relationship to the speed of the vehicle. It only occurs when the car is in gear. It is less prevalent almost in audible when the engine is under load. It is most audible when the car is coasting in gear, any gear and even more so when the car is traversing a right hand curve. If I take the car out of gear and coast there is no noise at all. I'm suspecting it is a noisy differential? Doc?

Could be your differential or maybe wheel bearings or both. I had the same problem with my MGB. I had the differential rebuilt and all was quiet.

Check your gear oil.

throw out bearing.

brand new throw out bearing 500 miles ago along with new clutch

check tranny oil level. Just below fill plug threads. Although it sure had a lot of air entrapped in the oil after sitting over night.

Not TOB. Check gear oil. This is inside the gear box. Could be diff, could be a bearing in the intermediate plate has given up. Dont let this go too long. Time = money.

Thanks Doc. I'll come up with a plan. I'll try to drain the tranny oil this weeked to see if there are indications of metal in the oil?

You will have metal in the oil at baseline. It is hard to tell if it indicates anything unless chunks come out as well. Whether or not you have oil, that is the question.

I have lots of oil...I checked it before I reinstalled the engine/tranny 500 miles ago and then checked it again last weekend. I will drain it tomorrow...see what I have and if no metal, put in new. It made some minor sounds this morning when it was cold out and then driving home tonight I couldn't hear it at all when the temp was in the 50-60 deg F outside.

When my 6 had the same symptom I pulled the trans and took it to the good DR.'s clinic at McMarks and my main pinion bearing fell out when I loosend the nut!

McMarks Original Customs Trans Clinic Thread

So...I'm assuming I would have to pull the engine/tranny to get to the intermediate plate?

You can remove the tranny without dropping the engine.

I never remove the engine unless it needs to come out for something else.

Yes, you need to gut the transmission to fix the bearings.

does it come out any easier that way? Or is it easier to pull the engine and tranny as one piece? I eventually wanted to put the 1.7l with dome top pistons and the original rear shift tranny in this car since those came out of it originally and the 1.7l with the dome top pistons should put out about the same HP as the 2.0l 76 with all the smog stuff on it.

Where do I get one kit with all the rear shift linkage bushings in one package?

Leave the engine in place. Pull the trans on its own. Not that hard to do. Watched Mike do it dozens of times.

Zach

Other than the bolts, you only have to disconect the starter wires, ground strap, clutch and speedo cable when you pull the trans! The engine requires more wires and such!

Also, what wheel seals and input shaft seal do I need for the rear shift?

NICE! thanks!

You will need to get a transmission gasket kit. It includes everything for both the side shift and the rear shift!

where do I get a transmission gasket kit? You are saying it includes the two axle seals and the front input shaft seal? AND the shifter bushings?

I got two kits, one for the 76 side shifter making the noise and one for the 72 tail shifter that I will be putting back in the 72 along with the original 1.7l with an upgrade to the dome top pistons.

got two kits. one for the rear shifter and one for the side shifter. Now I just need a shifter bushing kit for the rear shifter

Those should be fine!

Not the bushings! It includes all of the seals for a "sealed free standing" transmission!

You will still need the bushings for the shifter if yours are bad! If you plan on using gaskets on the CV's (some people don't use gaskets) you will need some of those also!

are there 4 bushings for the rear shifter and two bushings for the side shifter?

Here is a link to a kit that the bird sells!
Pelican Parts Tail Shift Bushing Kit

Ordered this morning. Thanks!

I changed the transmission old last weekend and there were no metal chunks or parts or any indication of adverse wear in the transmission oil that I drained. ???

The lack of crap in the oil is not a sure sign that all is well. Especially in the face of the new noise you are hearing which is very diagnostic of an internal, and urgent problem. The brass of the bearings does not leave chunks, it turns the oil goldish color whilst the gears pulverize it. Also, the pinion bearing in the intermediate plate does not ususally give off particles when it breaks, it just has major slop in it and causes the wear off the pinion and other parts on the shaft.

When I opened mine it didn't fall apart until I loosend the nut holding the shaft tight!

There was nothing in the oil when it was drained!

Okay...my gasket kits for both trannys came in yesterday so I think I'll be working on trannys this weekend. I suppose if I discover that I need bearings and bushings...I will have to order those? I don't suppose the local auto shops carry anything to that effect? Will the tail shifter fit to the 2.0l 76 engine? I guess it won't kill me to be out of commission for a couple of weeks. I'd really like to put new pistons and cylinders on the 1.7l and mate it to its factory tail shifter and put that all back in the 72. Then fix the side shifter and put it along with the 2.0l back in the 76 that it came out of. I guess if the 1.7l is still tight I could put it back together as is without the new pistons and jugs and have her back up and running before the end of the weekend. I wanted to change the P/C with the dome top P's. Get a minor compression boost.

You can convert the tail shift to a side shift using the parts from the side shift and work on the side shift while you drive and repair!!

Is there a link that explains and shows me how to convert?
j

Do a search "convert +tail +shift +to +side"

yep, a lot of those tail shifters have some nice gears and syncros in 'em.