Rattle in automatic transmission

["Walter" <Whalt@xxxx>]

David T,

What I'm saying is that when the car is rolling forward, the transmission
rattles. When I hit the breaks, the rattle stops. That is when the car is
on the ground.

When I pick up the rear of the car and try the same thing, the transmission
still rattles when rotating the wheels by hand. When running the engine at
idle with transmission in drive, the transmission clacks when I push the
break peddle. Is this normal from a Delorean?

The mounting bolts look fine.
The c-v boots look good and the joints 'feel' okay as they turn.
The transmission fluid level looks normal and not burnt. Shouldn't there be
an o-ring or gasket around the top of the dip stick or tube? Sand from my
dirt driveway is getting in there even though the dip stick was seated
properly.
I don't know how to check the fluid in the final drive, so I'll look into
that.
I haven't removed the cover on the torque converter, but this is not where
the rattle is coming from. It sounds like it is coming from the front of
the transmission.
I looked at the trailing arm bolts, and I'm not really sure which ones those
are. I suppose they are the ones going through a large rubber
grommet/spacer with some shims? Those look fine.

I went to high school with a guy who has turned into a transmission expert.
I've had him rebuild transmissions before, and he has worked on Deloreans
before, too. I discussed it with him, and he (of cour$e) says to bring it
in. But first he is going to order a filter & gasket. He says that he
shouldn't have any problem getting a filter even though people on the DML
say otherwise.

Once this noise started, I was about 1000 feet from home, so I just drove
gently the rest of the way home.

I'm wondering if I should have the car towed to the transmission shop. I
don't want to cause more damage by driving it.

So transmission noises are definitely bad? (sigh)

Walt Tampa, FL