Mk3 Vibration sound from under 2.0 Sport RC

Technical Area Engine, Transmission, Exhaust etc
2

Hi, I posted as below a couple of weeks back and have an update. Notifications to my threads don’t seem to be working since site upgrade so I have started this new one.

I am suspecting the vibrating/rattling sound is transmission related. When car is stationary and in neutral I blip the throttle and the vibrating/rattling sound is there (from underneath middle of the car, forward from rear wheels). If I dip the clutch and do the same there is no sound. Could it be that some sort of vibration is being transmitted down the propshaft when the clutch is engaged (and therefore gearbox also)? I can’t see how dipping the clutch would affect the exhaust or heat shields with same engine revs. This may also explain why the sound is loudest when accelerating from low revs in 2nd gear if transmission related. Does this sound plausible? Someone said before the MX-5 transmission is not the quietest. Just wonder if this needs looking at or if I just put up with the noise. Don’t think the prop is unbalanced, just noisy at low revs in 1st and particularly 2nd gear.

Any thoughts welcome please as the noise is starting to irritate me Smile

 

 

Rank: Newbie
Groups: Registered
Joined: 23/07/2013 Posts: 22
Hi, I have a 2007 Mk3 2.0 Sport that has a rattle/vibration from under the car when accelerating hard from low revs (1500 to 2000), particualrly 2nd gear. Sounds like exhaust baffles or maybe heat shield? Exhaust system is all original parts. Sound is coming from just in front of rear wheels, so not back box related. Can also make this happen when stationary and giving throttle a slight blip to make it rattle. Any ideas, is this a common issue? Really starting to annoy me, car has done this since I bought it a couple of weeks ago. Dealer has just said "some of them do this" but I'm not happy with that as an answer
3

I think you are experiencing transmission noise as I get a similar noise on mine (also 2.0sport ), it is particularly obvious at low revs in 2nd gear and moreso if you are in a confined space e.g narrow street surrounded by buildings. What is peculiar is that it seems to very so much from car to car.

4

Thanks for the quick reply. The car is 6 yrs old  (33000 miles) but has a warrantly as I bought from a Mazda dealer. Do you think they would look at this under warranty or not consider it a fault? I don’t expect they would want to change the prop shaft if they can avoid it. I do think it’s louder that it should be and not a very flattering sound when accelerating past bystanders. Makes the car sound defective in some way. I am fussy, but if they don’t all do it then I believe mine shouldn’t! Wink