Help! 4kq hissing sound in 1st, 3rd, 5th.

[Luis Marques <marques@ti.com>]

Ok, this is a weird problem I just discovered on my '87 4kcsq this
morning and need the colective wisdom of the list to help me figure it
out.  Whenever the car is moving and the shift lever is in any of the
forward positions (1st, 3rd, or 5th gear) there is a hissing sound
comming from what I think is the transmission.  It almost sounds like
there is sandpaper or something rubbing against a rotating shaft.  It
may be transmitted thru the selector shaft because whenever I remove the
ashtray the sound becomes a lot louder.  However, the car is absolutely
silent in 2nd or 4th gear.  All gears are easy to shift into or out
off.  Also, lately I have noticed that the ashtray gets unussually hot
and the heat source seems to be the selector shaft.  Could it be bad 
engine/trany mounts? (please let it be that)  Has anybody else
experienced these symptoms?  From what I have heard, the transmission in
these cars is bulletproof so here I'm hoping the problem is external.

TIA

Luis Marques
'87 4kcsq