Recently purchased a 2001 '51 plate MX-5. 87k on the clock and full service history, recently MOT’d with no advisories. Only issue I have which wasn’t picked up on the test drive is that every now and then when I accelerate there’s a slight grinding noise coming from the engine/gearbox. Not being a mechanic I have absolutely no idea what this could be.
It’s quite a loose sounding noise and the only way I can describe the sound is when a chain is dragged over a metal plate, it’s not a sustained noise and usually occurs once I’ve changed gear and/or driving in a high gear at relatively low speed.
Any ideas? a friend seems to think it could be a worn bearing but I’d like to see if any other MX5 owners have had the same issue and how to rectify it.
Is it right under the gear stick? If so it could just be plate covering the gear stick tower come loose. Mine did that at a specific rev. More of a rattle than a grind?
Spot on. I took it to a local garage this afternoon and they think it could be a band that attaches the exhaust to the chassis that may have come loose. Or it could be that the heat sink has a fault. I’m due to take it back tomorrow for it to be put on the ramp to have a good look at.
Had my car in the garage today, turns out that the heat sheild on the downpipe from the engine had corroded. Had it removed and she’s now back to normal.
Just need to search a well known online shop to find me a replacement
I have the same issue, my downpipe heat shield is hanging off pretty much! Only half attatched at one end haha.
I have been trying to find the time to take an angle grinder to the heat shield. But at the end of the month, I will be buying a stainless steel manifold and downpipe.
Had the heat shield removed, thought it had cured the problem but not so. Still hearing the really annoying rattling sound on acceleration/deceleration. It was ok for a few days after the garage looked at it but it now seems to have returned. Oddly enough it’s not so much when the engine is cold, it can happen at any point.
Any other ideas what this may be? I’m starting to think of changing the whole exhaust system to get it done out of the way and have the garage check the welds to make sure nothing is loose, or maybe slip them a few quid and get them to strip it down and re fit everything. Apart from that I’m out of ideas.
The trouble with rattles is it can be anything, anywhere, one loose nut or something just touching something it should’nt. Get a definate on when it occurs. Is is a partucular rev range, gear, speed, clutch in, clutch out. Try and work out if its chassis or power train. You can break it down to Engine, gearbox or exhaust or body, suspension, brakes etc., etc.
Then get it on axle stands and go over the whole area you suspect and check everything for tightness, clearance etc. If that dont cure it go to the next bit. If you do an area at a time you can then pinpoint what it was when you get it.
Mega annoying are rattles. I still think its worth looking at the gear lever turret and checking the lower lever boot. Only reason is it was rattling away on mine when I got it because the bolts were loose. But then again with rattles I’m probably wrong.
I managed to pin point it to when the engine reaches 3,000 revs. Any acceleration at this range would cause the rattle sound. Car has been in the garage all day and what they have found is that after removing nearly everything one of the brackets holding the exhaust to the chassis had corroded, , part of it actually missing. They have kindly agreed to sort this out for me free of charge
I hope this the last of it! All I need to do now is locate a replacement heat shield, get it fitted and she should be sorted.
Mine rattles at exactly 3k too. It is the manifold heatshield split-weld issue…I’m gonna try to find an aluminium welder to tack it together when I can be bothered…
