Tranny noise

[GuardianLlama]

alright, so i just had an sr20det blacktop along with trans swapped into my 1990 hatch. when i first got it back it was making a grinding noise in 4th gear at around 2500 rpm. now it seems to be getting worse and doing it more and more. in the other gears now as well...
chassis has 240k on it. swapped motor and trans had approx 80k.

Have been trying not to drive the car too frequently due to the noise. went to change the tranny fluid with redline mt90 and when i went to remove the drain plug it was only finger tight! just stuck my index finger in and twisted it right out. my guess is that whoever changed the transmission fluid last never tightened the bolt back up and the fluid slowly leaked out. thus wearing out my input bearing and starting this noise???

Edit:went to the tranny guy today and he said it was the input bearing but he couldnt just change the bearing because he would be held liable if the transmission continued to fail. wants 1500 for rebuild.

any way to change it myself? if so would my transmission continue to fail? please help.

[LA_phantom_240]

Yeah, definitely look at the rear end, especially if it hasn't been replaced int eh car's life, or has had poor service intervals.

[GuardianLlama]

best way to check it?

if i pull the diff. cover, and the car is in neutral will i be able to feel play?

[racepar1]

It could be almost anything man. You have to try to give a better description of the noise and narrow down when it happens and when it happens the loudest. A differential or the center support bearing would make noise all the time and would increase in volume or frequency (as in sound waves) as you go faster. If this is not what yours is doing then I would say that it is more likely in the transmission. I wrote up a trans noise FAQ not too long ago, search for it as it may help to point you in the right direction.

[GuardianLlama]

Bumpity bump bump

[GuardianLlama]

Someone?......Anyone?

[tanks13]

my car had the same thing the problem was id dint have enough oil them like two weeks later my car had a blown tranny so you better check your fuild level before its too late

[GuardianLlama]

ive already changed my tranny fluid with Redline Mt90

[emperor_that]

Mine is like that now. On my second tranny. Just advoid shifting to 4th gear in the rpm for the time being. Its cheaper to get another tranny and test your luck on that or swap with ka trans. If you can find a place that sell the sr tranny part I would like to know.

[GuardianLlama]

a fellow zilvian is selling a redtop sr tranny. i wouldn't have any problems bolting that up would i?