Hello...
Great lurker here with a problem which is baffling. I wish I could
record the sound so you could hear it.
Its coming from the front of the car. It is not the engine. Might be
the brakes because the sound seems to go away when I apply them, though
it also could be that I am slowing down which effects the running gear.
Running gear meaning the drive line including the clutch assembly.
Clutch is not slipping but it is difficult to get into gear and every
now and then I get a distinct clang coming from the flywheel(?). I am
guessing here. What metal part in that area be free enough to ring
while meshing the 1st gear and sometimes 2nd gear. You can kind of feel
it clang through the gear shift. Short duration, no grinding per se.
Is it possible the clutch itself is loose? When it is in gear at very
slow speed, under 5 miles an hour on a very smooth surface you sometimes
and feel a beat coming through the steering wheel and the sound is like
a knock. Wheel bearing???
I know this is very sketchy information and you can see how ignorant I
am by my attempt to describe the symptoms. A competent mechanic
familiar with miata is over an hour away. I do not trust the local
wrenches to trouble shoot and repair the problem. I am hoping this is
something within my mechanical skill set. I have in recent history done
some work on the car with some success. Mostly regular maintenance
stuff. Replacing clutch slave cylinder, remove and replace front
calipers and brake pads, timing belt and water pump(which was exciting
for me cause the car actually ran perfectly the */second tim/e* I
aligned the timing belt to the timing marks on the cam sprockets), new
radiator(best thing I have ever done to improve cooling reliability)
which is of high dollar aluminum very well made, misc electrical
headaches like the headlight switch, etc etc etc.
One more piece of information. That garage an hour away did a engine
and transmission replacement about 30k ago. Low mileage engine and
tranny @ 46k. I did lose the ac compressor within about 2.5k after the
replacement because I believe its shaft was mis-aligned or the belt was
over tightened. Sitting in traffic one day all the refrigerant escaped
up through the hood. Looked like smoke..but wasn't. One thing that
happens now that didnt happen before the replacement is the headlights
mysteriously close underway but can reopen if I push the manual black
button on the center dash. What's up with that? And why would I have
to top off oil on an engine that young? I did replace the PCV valve.
Sorry to be so windy, just trying to give you as much background as you
might need. Please help if you can. This is my only transportation.
Thank you..
Tim
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