Impending Trans Doom...

[Cm452]

...Came back from a 3 month Euro-trip and after a quick run to town and back I noticed a somewhat quiet metallic, rattling/rotating-contact sound emanating from the wheel-well. Thinking the worst(TOB), I put pressure on the clutch pedal-no change in noise-so then put the pedal to the floor. Upon doing so, the noise disappeared. In hoping for an easy answer I checked the trans fluid level, which is new MTF0063. Full.
Only does it at idle, in neutral. Given these symptoms I believe it could be one of two things; a bad pilot bearing (crap) or gear slop in the gear pack/lay-shaft brought on by 400+lb-ft tq. The gear slop issue is notorious for Aisin transmissions, especially on Mustangs and Mazda's. What say you? And how long have I got? New noise...
Thanks,
-Cm

[jonathans]

check the engine mounts first. i have a slowly dying transmission as well, but the rattling i was hearing under similar conditions was alleviated instantly by replacing both the transmission mount and the passenger side mount, which is a nice easy job. the trans mount rubber was cracked through and through.

i can only imagine that the gear slop is made worse when the clutch plate can jump away from the flywheel because the mounts aren't forcing the case/block together properly.

[Cm452]

Car has new Poly/urethane everything. I also can't believe that the gearbox should rely on the mount to be held together....
-Cm

[Demusku]

My 93 does the same thing. I was told its the throw out bearing, though i've yet to look into it.