Thoughts on this noise

Before I go dropping the tranny I just wanted to get everyone else's take on this noise that's been around a while.

Since late summer my car has made a growling/rubbing noise mostly audible at idle. It can be heard inside the car without the radio on. It's about twice a second, comes and goes. A couple noises, a second or two pause, a few more noises. Not consistent, and not all the same number of noises each time. Back then (august) it only did it when it was warmed up. The freqency, and sound type, led me to believe it was the timing belt. I removed both drive belts, ran it, and the noise continued. The front main seal is slightly leaking and that gets oil on the belt. I can't see the belt walking though. Using a heater hose for listening it was louder at the front of the engine than at the transmission bellhousing. The belt and tensioner are 5 years, 20k miles old. The clutch operation doesn't affect the noise.

Over the winter I drove it very little and I noticed about January that sometimes it made the noise when cold. A March trip involved a ferry ride and here I heard more like a bearing sound echoing off the toll booth and inside the ferry as well. I don't know, now if I'm being over sensitive but I think I may feel the noise in the shifter. I'm leaning on the throwout bearing which is also 5 years old with a new fork, spec 2/3 clutch, and a resurfaced (not shimmed tho) flywheel.

I guess I have no choice but to drop the trans. I'm wondering if I can start the engine withough the transmission on it provided I made sure the bottle jack I will use to support the back of the motor stays put?

You can start the engine. I'd try to find a wider support than a bottle jack. Just be careful of the spinning flywheel, those teeth can be sharp.

Any chance the noise is coming from the tensioner wheel for the cam belt?

It didn't sound to be coming from the tensioner but it sure is a possibility. I think I will spring for a new belt first since it's the easiest of the two to do.

Spray some WD-40 or something at the cam belt tensioner pulley bearing. If it stops making noise (and if it does, it won't last long) you found it. Easier to change the tensioner than the belt. Depending on age, probably not a bad idea to change the belt and the tensioner. I've found the cause of noises this way, but like I said, it lasts about a minute or two. Long enough to see whats going on at least.

Thanks I'll try that.