Bad Shaft OR U-Joint ?

I've been noticing my car has been squeaking lately, in reverse when i let the clutch out its squeak.. squeak...squeak... squeak...

Or if i mash the gas and let off real quick and let the car jerk back i will sometimes hear a squeak, its more noticeable in reverse, i went under the car and lubricated both ends of the drive-shaft with wd-40 and it seemed to have NO Effect on making the squeak go away.

My Miata is a 99 with about 140,000 miles on it and is a 5 speed.

Does the sound related to the drive-shaft?, and does anyone local have one i can buy if so ?

Its embarrassing driving around squeaking everywhere

Drive shaft would cause vibrations. Have you checked the CV axles? Does the noise go away after you hit a specific speed or is it constant? Does it get fast as the car goes faster?

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Originally Posted by Strider

Drive shaft would cause vibrations. Have you checked the CV axles? Does the noise go away after you hit a specific speed or is it constant? Does it get fast as the car goes faster?

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I don't really notice the sound when the car is moving, only sometimes on gear changes and when taking off from 1st or reverse.

Maybe the slave cylinder is squeeking when you press the clutch? you would probably notice that though.

I'd first try to establish whether or not it is caused by the vehicle moving or is isolated to the drivetrain. Put the car on a lift/jack stands and see if you can replicate it without actually going anywhere. Then I'd start looking for the source (need two people for this.) Might be early stages of a dry or dying throwout bearing.

FYI - WD40 isn't really a lube, and can actually loosen/wash out the real grease in your u-joint bearing caps. It has some lubricating properties, but is really intended to free stuck/rusty parts and dry wet parts.

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Originally Posted by OZMDD

I'd first try to establish whether or not it is caused by the vehicle moving or is isolated to the drivetrain. Put the car on a lift/jack stands and see if you can replicate it without actually going anywhere. Then I'd start looking for the source (need two people for this.) Might be early stages of a dry or dying throwout bearing.

FYI - WD40 isn't really a lube, and can actually loosen/wash out the real grease in your u-joint bearing caps. It has some lubricating properties, but is really intended to free stuck/rusty parts and dry wet parts.

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When i reverse, The squeak increases as my speed increases with the sound of the car.

With the car not in gear, (Neutral) the car will never make the squeak. Only when rolling in gear it will, most noticeable when taking off from 1st &, reversing.

Hmm. Still might try jacking up the rear tires ans trying to make the noise in reverse. At least you can get under the car (jack stands!!) and try to isolate the source.

So your moving in reverse and it is squeeking. You put the clutch in and the car is still moving and in gear. Does the noise go away?

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Originally Posted by OZMDD

Hmm. Still might try jacking up the rear tires ans trying to make the noise in reverse. At least you can get under the car (jack stands!!) and try to isolate the source.

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Agreed. I need to do the same for a whisking noise. I put all four on jackstands for something like this. Be very careful and easy on the throttle.

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Originally Posted by Strider

So your moving in reverse and it is squeeking. You put the clutch in and the car is still moving and in gear. Does the noise go away?

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As im releasing the clutch as its reversing it makes the noise.

When the clutch is out all the way, in gear, in reverse, while rolling, it does not squeak.

Is it more prominent on one side vs another, or is it center? Could it possibly be coming from a wheel? My minivan is making a squeak like that only in reverse and I think it's a loose brake spring letting the pad drag when rolling in reverse, haven't had a free minute to check.
Might get lucky, that's an easy / cheap fix.

Deja Vu times two

http://www.dfwmiata.com/threads/1836...l=1#post216817

http://www.dfwmiata.com/threads/2196...l=1#post257944

Hope this helps.

If it's the u-joint it would make the noise as long as the rear wheels are spinning. That is the only way it will be turning. The noise only happens when the clutch is engaged which means it's probably the slave sylinder squeeking when it moves or the clutch pedal I think. Grease the slave up and see if it goes away

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Originally Posted by Strider

Grease the slave up

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We like to call it The Gimp. ;)

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Originally Posted by jrj512

We like to call it The Gimp. ;)

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I doubt its the slave, i changed it last year

and it will still squeak in reverse when my clutch is let out.

it sounds like its coming the rear of the car on the driver-side, but for all i know it could be the middle.

Maybe your rear brake pads are too loose/missing the clips, so they have to shift a little when you reverse. Not likely, but possible.

Throwout bearing would sound the same in either fwd or reverse.

+1 on brake pads.. they may be just getting to the wear point that the tab starts rubbing.

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Originally Posted by patf

+1 on brake pads.. they may be just getting to the wear point that the tab starts rubbing.

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I changed them and the rear rotors like 6 months ago.

For such a reliable car, it seems every-time i fix something, two more things go wrong for me to fix.

Please watch video, got sound of what the car is doing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1A6P...JnIPKj7BMcTWk=

Sounds like the clutch friction surface. My spec metal clutch squeals on engagement but its a different sound, more like a tuning fork. It could also be a popped hub working on the plate finger springs.

Sounds like its coming from the rear, I need to get this addressed its annoying.

that is a weird noise. It's not shocks or anything? If you drive along side a fence the sound should be lauder from bouncing off the fence. Maybe try that to see if you can figure it out?::Shrug::

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Originally Posted by NissanFairladyZ32

When i reverse, The squeak increases as my speed increases with the sound of the car.

With the car not in gear, (Neutral) the car will never make the squeak. Only when rolling in gear it will, most noticeable when taking off from 1st &, reversing.

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Engine revs do not have a direct effect on the squeak. Wheel speed does have a direct effect on the squeak.

Place the vehicle on jack stands, engine off, in neutral. Assuming you have a torsen, open, or viscous diff, spin one wheel at a time by hand (all 4 wheels). Listen for noise. Remove the wheels and try to see if the backing plate for the brakes is rubbing the disk (common). Next, double and triple check that all of the retainer and alignment clips on the brake pads and calipers are seated and installed properly (common). Next check all the brake hoses for wear resulting from rubbing (less common, less noisy, bigger consequences). Look at the inside of your wheels to see if anything has been polished from rubbing (more common for wide aftermarket wheels). Look at the brake rotors to see if anything has been polishing them that wasn't a brake pad (both sides of the rotor).

It has been a while since I was inside a Miata brake. Remind me: do the pads have those little v-shaped springs that help return the pads to a resting open position? If so, check for the proper installation of those things (common).

Do your brakes ever squeal under light-moderate braking? Did you use OEM, Aftermarket OE equivalent, or high performance pads when you replaced?

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Originally Posted by boisking

Engine revs do not have a direct effect on the squeak. Wheel speed does have a direct effect on the squeak.

Place the vehicle on jack stands, engine off, in neutral. Assuming you have a torsen, open, or viscous diff, spin one wheel at a time by hand (all 4 wheels). Listen for noise. Remove the wheels and try to see if the backing plate for the brakes is rubbing the disk (common). Next, double and triple check that all of the retainer and alignment clips on the brake pads and calipers are seated and installed properly (common). Next check all the brake hoses for wear resulting from rubbing (less common, less noisy, bigger consequences). Look at the inside of your wheels to see if anything has been polished from rubbing (more common for wide aftermarket wheels). Look at the brake rotors to see if anything has been polishing them that wasn't a brake pad (both sides of the rotor).

It has been a while since I was inside a Miata brake. Remind me: do the pads have those little v-shaped springs that help return the pads to a resting open position? If so, check for the proper installation of those things (common).

Do your brakes ever squeal under light-moderate braking? Did you use OEM, Aftermarket OE equivalent, or high performance pads when you replaced?

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I used pads from the local oreilly's, brakes do not squeal under any kind of braking, i will put the car on stands tomorrow and check it out

Your description sounds like a u-joint or, less likely, a CV joint. When you're in reverse you're applying pressure to the "back" side of the u-joints, same as when you're engine braking. Could be some other rear end bearing, but it sounds like it needs to be something that's loaded differently when in reverse than when in a forward gear. When you check it on jack stands you may have to load the parking brake a bit to get the noise to show itself. Listening to the video it sounds like a dry u-joint - the frequency sounds too great to be a CV.

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Originally Posted by jakepkoe

Your description sounds like a u-joint or, less likely, a CV joint. When you're in reverse you're applying pressure to the "back" side of the u-joints, same as when you're engine braking. Could be some other rear end bearing, but it sounds like it needs to be something that's loaded differently when in reverse than when in a forward gear. When you check it on jack stands you may have to load the parking brake a bit to get the noise to show itself. Listening to the video it sounds like a dry u-joint - the frequency sounds too great to be a CV.

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Yeah i had it up on jack stands today and could not replicate the noise, turning the back wheels forward or reverse didn't give me a peep.

Im sure your correct about the sound being "loaded" because i could coast in neutral all day long with out a sound, but if i run the RPMs up and let off the gas quick enough for the car to shake back and forth it will squeek and upon reversing and taking off in 1st and 2nd, less noticeable in 3rd.