Richard,
Is the noise constant? Then it is likely a wheel bearing. What I find
really helps is to find a hill with a slow slant and minimal traffic. Get
the car up to a reasonable speed and then shut the engine off (thankfully
the Tiger steering column doesn't lock). As you coast weave side to side.
Often loading and unloading the wheel bearings in this way will be helpful
in isolating noise.
If the noise varies with accelerating and then backing off the throttle
then the gears might be at issue. The rearend bearings are more difficult to
detect. However, if you are willing, pulling the rear cover might give some
insight. One thing you can do without pulling the cover is to grab the
driveshaft flange and see if it wiggles. This would indicate bad pinion
bearings. Sadly this is how I found out how thrashed my rearend was. Both
the pinion and differential bearing are supposed to be under load (no play).
In my case there was .035 of side play in the diff. bearings, the carrier
had also spun one of the bearings and rather than a press fit it was .010
loose. The pinion was loose in similar fashion. There was as much water as
there was gear oil when I pulled the cover. Hopefully your situation will be
less sever. Ironically the previous owner drove it for years in this
condition. I guess it brings new meaning to the term "floating rearend".
Tom
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