MX-5 OC Forum

As my insurance policy just started, I took the car out for the first time, mainly to investigate the 'cambelt' whine that I was worrying about in other threads. It turned out that the the belt noise is actually quite silent, the real whine starts whine i put it into 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear. It changes with rpm and becomes louder when under load.  When I slow down in first with engine brake and suddenly take it out from gear, the noise suddenly dissapears as well. 

My only guess would be that the tansmission oil has not been changed..but I really don't know as I'm a newbie. It has 49k with FSH i really hope it is not somme horroristic transmission failure.. :( 

Any advise is very welcome!

My 1990 mk1 does it mate. sounds like whine/ rattle noise when I lift off. Fine when I accelerate. I've heard all sorts of probable causes but I do 50 miles a day to work and we're on 220 000 km so if was going to go pop it would have by now! Not really advice but more reassurance! Does it snick or catch in 1st 2nd from cold? 

ok, i'm back from another run now. In 1,2,3 there is a whine when the engine is on load, when i lift off it's much more silent. It's exactly like the sound of reverse, 

Also in 4 and 5 it does a completely different kind of sound, more like a mechanical rattle (a much more worrying sound). 

I love this car so much, would be so less stressful now without the whine.

Ps. It has the sound when cold as well

 Hi

Check the oil level in the G/box isnt low , none in, or years old and thin as water

Ah mine when you lift of in gear. Strange. What year is the car? Worse case scenario there's mk1 5speed 'boxes on eBay for about £200 hold fire a moment tho. There's much more experienced people on here that'll know more. I'm new to mx5s myself but everything I've heard is they're bullet proof . I had an oil leak on mine I didn't notice and drove with near to no oil for 2 days! Still runs perfectly. Thank god!

could it be that as you searched so long for THE ONE, now you have her your still looking for pre purchase faults? Im not doubting theres a noise, i sat in a friends jap box 4/4 thingy yesterday and it whined,it happens. 

I mean youve bought it, relax and enjoy her. 

The noise may be something or indeed a whole lot of nothing, what you gona done, return it= stress or buy another= more searching?

Drive and enjoy her, sure ask advice and im sure someone will help soon.

in the mean time

IMO DRIVE HER

Mrjogray:

Ah mine when you lift of in gear. Strange. What year is the car? Worse case scenario there's mk1 5speed 'boxes on eBay for about £200 hold fire a moment tho. There's much more experienced people on here that'll know more. I'm new to mx5s myself but everything I've heard is they're bullet proof . I had an oil leak on mine I didn't notice and drove with near to no oil for 2 days! Still runs perfectly. Thank god!

 

Treat yourself, if needed, to a new pilot bearing, front and rear seals, rear crank seal, gearstick gator (s) and clutch slave cylinder while you are at it 

All in all, not that serious...

Dr. Eunos

 Agreed with the others, my own pick of possibilities is,

you're sitting nearer the transmission than you're used to

the gear lever gaiter may be split

you have the roof up

On a 5 speed box 1, 2 and 3 step down and will all whine to some degree. 4th is direct 1:1 straight through and may whine if the input or tail bearings are tired. 5th is step up and may whine less and differently. 4th and 5th may let the drive train chatter if they're on a lighter load, perhaps you ease off a bit going into them, noise level drops, and you can hear this.

I'd change the gear oil as a sensible matter of course anyway, check the gaiter, and get someone familiar with these cars to have a listen. When I was 19 my first MGB had an obvious diff noise which worried me. A friendly mechanic had a drive, said all was good and that it would "sing forever". It did and I was happy :) 

excellent. thanks for all the advices, i will change the gearbox oil and if it still singS, i will live with it then :)

  Change the diff oil as well!

   Regards  Geoff Peace. 

Okay!

Also, I've been to the mechanic today, he said the oil change might solve it, if not, then I should just use it until it completely brakes.. "can be a week, can be years".

Well we will see on Saturday. I bought Castrol 75-90w full syntethic transmission oil, as I read it's often used on problematic transmissions. fingers crossed.

Geoff Peace:

  Change the diff oil as well!

   Regards  Geoff Peace. 

Make sure you can get the filler plug out BEFORE you drain the oil on the diff. They can be a pig to get off.

Pollyanna:

Make sure you can get the filler plug out BEFORE you drain the oil on the diff. They can be a pig to get off.

Diff's ok, 24mm or 15/16" socket for fill and drain, it's the taper plug on the 5 speed g'box that can sometimes be tight I gather...

there is also a bit of smell (not exhaust) coming to the interior, if i rev it (above 4k).. 'hope' it's the gearbox and not some additional problem

Yes, the tight filler plug problem. After I broke a spanner trying to shift mine, I gently heated the gearbox casing around the plug with a blowtorch and then sprayed Frostbite (clever freezing spray) on the plug. After that it shifted. Just be careful not to set your car on fire...

John