'71 198 swap to a '76 225 - help identifying noise?

inertia said

Front tin dust cover on bellhousing rubbing on crank/converter.

While running, touch cover and you should feel it.

Those covers can be very challenging to straighten, - many end up frisbees across the yard.
Good luck !

Click to expand...

Yup, when first started it was making a terrible racket and I suspected the bellhousing cover. Removed it and that noise disappeared, leaving this other less severe noise.

So is the bellhousing cover even necessary? I don’t drive it a ton - rarely in the rain and never in the winter.