I recently purchased a 2014 MX5 from a Mazda dealer, who is some distance away. It’s only done 18,900 miles on the clock with one owner and full Mazda service history. Yesterday I am sure the thrust bearing started to rumble when in neutral. Does anyone know this a warranty item.
Hi, its very unlikely to be the thrust bearing at such a low mileage …it is normal on the these box’s to have a small amount of noise when the gear oil gets hot with the clutch pedal released if you push the pedal down it goes away . That is how it is , if it should get really noisey then it will need looking at but I really should not worry . Try and listen to another hot [temp. wise]gearbox and compare . Cheers for now . Andrew
Agree - being rwd the box is right under you so it is possibly louder than a fwd car where the box/clutch is in the engine bay. There is also very little soundproofing so everything is amplified.
The box in the NC is also not particularly quiet and refined either. Mine makes more thrust bearing noise than other cars and my previous 2013 NC did too.
My previous MK3 and my present MK3.5 does the same, the noise goes away when I depress the clutch pedal.
My MK3 covered 60,000 miles before I sold it and there was never a problem with the clutch, my MK3.5 has done 22,000 miles, the noise has been present from new. Its nothing to worry about.
I think that the noise is a gearbox roll-over noise rather than release bearing, I wouldn’t worry about it.
The thrust bearing is only in use with the clutch depressed and in gear, i.e. Moving off from parked. Out of gear with foot off the clutch the bearing is not turning. The gearbox primary shaft is revolving at engine speed. These boxes are noisy in neutral when warm.
Inclined to agree - mine has given out what sounds to be a thrust bearing noise (as I remember it from the old Herald/Spitfire/Marina days) since I bought it with 13.5k on the clock. It went back to the dealers and came back No Fault Found (I simply took it in so if there were any issues just out of warranty I could argue the toss if push came to shove).
ADDENDUM - Mine is a whirring noise that disappears when I press the pedal - I guess copper red Brian’s sounds like this!
7 years and 80k later it still sounds the same. I’m currently not losing any sleep over it.
However if the car is under warranty take it back and flag it up with the dealer so that at least they know you have a concern. And there’s no harm in getting it looked at independently - not sure if the RAC still do inspections?