Mystery Noise.

[Markjag12]

Any help would be appreciated.

I have a 2004 Mk2.5 MX-5 1.8. With 40k miles on it.

Over the last few months a noise has been getting progressively worse. Its a very mettalic scraping noise which gets louder as the revs climb. And louder the more you put your foot down. Is present when you lift off, again worse when the revs are high and there is alot of engine braking. But goes away completely when you press the clutch. If the clutch pedal is pressed you can rev the engine to the redline and there is no noise. There is no noise in neutral or at idle. The noise is not effected by turning left, right, or braking hard, at any speed.

You can also make the noise go away if you cruise along (at any revs) with a TINY bit of accelerator pressed. But if you push any further it comes back, and if you lift off it comes back.

If i had to describe it, its like someone holding a handful of coat hangers against a rusty spinning metal plate.

Ideas ?

[VladD]

Sounds like clutch or gearbox to me. My first guess would be a broken clutch.

Edited by VladD on Thursday 7th June 11:31

[NDA]

Worth jacking up and seeing if you can spin all 4 wheels freely? Might be worth checking before a garage is involved.

[Oldandslow]

Clutch release bearing.

[TVRees]

Oldandslow said:

Clutch release bearing.

Agree !

[drgoatboy]

I had a very similar thing years ago that turned out to be a dry CV joint in the driveshaft. Not sure this would be true as Revs rise but worth a look for any splits in gators just in case. I was worried for ages that the gearbox was about to die and more than one (so called) mechanics couldn't diagnose it.