Noisy Tranny

[DangerRanger]

Hey everyone,
I've got a Mazda 5-speed in a '90 Ranger and it has become noisy. As soon as I take off from a stop and get just a little bit of speed(5-10MPH) a "rattly" sound starts. Yes, it has plenty of fluid and has not been ran low. The noise really never seems to change frequency no matter what speed or gear. I put it up on jackstands today and that is how I pinpointed the noise to the tranny, but I also noticed that it didn't seem to make the noise when in reverse even at high RPM's.
I know that "rattly" isn't much to go on, but does anyone have any ideas???

 

[grnrngr]

You're sure it's really the trans and not the heat shield on the muffler or cat? If it's not a heat shield, I'd just start wiggling things and look for looseness...

 

[DangerRanger]

It's not a heat shield type of noise, it's deeper toned. I put the back end of the truck on jackstands and started it up and put it in 3'rd gear and just let it idle along like it was going down the road. I crawled under it and it is definitly in the tranny. I changed the fluid in it last night just for the hell of it and of course, no change.

 

[Dusty_Ranger]

main bearing in the bell housing the name slips my mind at the moment but mine dose it to

 

[Insanejughead]

Dusty, input shaft bearing? That what you're thinking of?

 

[MAKG]

Does it make the noise in 4th gear? Is it different?

 

[Evan]

Since I bought my truck 3 years ago, my M5OD has always made a "ratty" sound. It sounds almost like two pool balls clacking together over and over. It happens in all gears except reverse and is usually worse at low RPM.

When I had my tranny out last time I noticed some play in the input shaft...

 

[DangerRanger]

It makes the sound in all forward gears. Sounds kinda like a huge sprocket and chain clicking. I know there is a chain it the transfer case(duh), but it really sounds like the transmission. By the way, what does a worn out chain sound like?
I think I'm going to go home tonight and start taking it out. I'll find the problem one way or the other. Since putting a clutch in it and then taking it back out because of a leaky slave cylinder(thanks Autozone!), it should almost come out by itself, hehe. At least the bolts should come out easy.