Funny Miata Noise

I need your help GRM. My Miata makes a rocks-in-a-can noise when I let the clutch out in neutral. The clutch has roughly 60k on it and the car has 177k. There is no noise with the clutch in. What's wrong with my car?

Throwout bearing?

Wouldn't that only make noise while I had the clutch in? Or do I have my thowout bearing noise troubleshooting backwards?

The throwout bearing would make noise if the clutch is out in neutral. Unless I have it backwards. But I am fairly certain that is how it is.

A bad throwout bearing will clang around when your foot is off the clutch. When you step on the clutch it loads the bearing so it stops rattling, although you may feel the coarseness in the bearing through the pedal.

Ah, so I did have it backwards. This isn't something I really want to change however. Transmissions are heavy

Josh wrote: A bad throwout bearing will clang around when your foot is off the clutch. When you step on the clutch it loads the bearing so it stops rattling, although you may feel the coarseness in the bearing through the pedal.

the bad TO bearing in our challenge e30 was silent until you pressed on the clutch and loaded the bad bearing making all kinds of grumbling. i cant picture how a TO bearing would make a clanking noise unless it became dislodged from the release fork and spun around on the quill shaft. is this something youve heard/seen?

edit- i just found this on a mazda rx8 forum with roughly the same description... seems odd to me as ive never heard it from miatas ive known but they say its 'gear rollover' ...

TRANMISSION GEAR ROLL-OVER NOISE Applicable Models Model Starting S/N Ending S/N 2004 RX8 00000000 ZZZZZZZZ

Some customers may complain of a whirring noise from the transmission while at idle N in neutral. The noise may also be described as a light rattling when the AC compressor cycles on. This noise is normal N no repairs should be made. Confirm the gear rollover noise by depressing the clutch pedal, the noise should be eliminated. Compare noise to another vehicle to verify this is a normal characteristic. 1. No repairs should be attempted on vehicles with gear rollover noise.

Pilot bearing is shot.

Regardless of what it is, it's not getting fixed with the transmission still in place. And when you've got it out, you might as well change the bearings and maybe even the clutch.

Keith wrote: Regardless of what it is, it's not getting fixed with the transmission still in place. And when you've got it out, you might as well change the bearings and maybe even the clutch.

I'd change the rear main seal while you're at it.

Xceler8x wrote:

Keith wrote: Regardless of what it is, it's not getting fixed with the transmission still in place. And when you've got it out, you might as well change the bearings and maybe even the clutch.

I'd change the rear main seal while you're at it.

I'd change the motor out for an LSx while you're at it.

I had a similar noise in the same conditions as yours, although, I'd describe it as pebbles in a can rather than rocks. Turned out there wasn't enough grease between the end of the slave cylinder piston and the clutch fork. Hit up the end of the piston with some grease and see if it helps.

Honestly, to me, it sounds like a throw out bearing, but you can try this to see if it resolves the problem first because it's non-invasive. You don't have to remove anything other than maybe the right front wheel if you've got big or short arms.

93celicaGT2 wrote: I'd change the motor out for an LSx while you're at it.

agreed. it's the only way to be sure.

Is this a park the car till I can fix it kind of thing or what? I don't really have a whole lot of time at the moment.

Drove my Miata making those noises for over 10,000 miles. YMMV.