[some mech 3]

Ruth: I think your suggestion is quite possible. When I had the rear end and the transmission out of the car I checked the rotation without noise, and I never thought of the torque tube bearing. To all of you contributors: we all think this is a unique and puzzling noise problem in that the car runs very well except when I decelerate. The easy solution is not to decelerate while in first and second gears. I don't need to do this except when going down a very steep hill. Thanks.
Sam