Chirping noise with clutch out

Are you perhaps thinking of the pilot bearing/bushing? That could easily squeak/chirp/otherwise "sound off" in the circumstances you state. But it wouldn't be a question of "greasing it" - More one of "replacing it", and even if it were just a matter of "greasing", would still require dropping the tranny to get to it to perform the procedure, same as replacing it would. Might as well put a new one in while you're in there, rather than band-aiding it and having to go in again later.

The only other thing I can think of that might be involved that would respond to (and be even slightly accessible for, without dropping the tranny) greasing would be the pivot-point for the clutch throwout lever.

Sounds to me like you've probably got a transmission R&R in your not-too-distant future. Not a horribly difficult project for a RWD car, just tedious and a bit "grunty".

Those Miatas *ARE* RWD, right? I wouldn't know for sure, since I've never had much interest in them (because of their looks) or messed with one in any capacity - I just hang out around here for the occasional "other Mazda cars" snippets that happen through due to a lack of any more specific forum for them. (Apologies in advance to the "macho guys" here who drive them, but to me, just looking at a Miata positively screams "Poofter-mobile!!!" at me - About on a par with the looks of the original Dodge Neon. They may very well be a classic example of "a wolf in sheep's clothing", and if you want to tell me that's exactly what they are, fine, but realize that the look of the "clothing" puts me right off 'em, regardless of how "macho" they might actually be under the surface.)

Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with your transmission or clutch.

It's squeaking where the clutch slave cylinder rod touches the throwout arm. There's probably a little rust there, too. Slide a piece of emery cloth into the gap and clean off as much rust as you can without taking things apart, then squirt a little white lithium grease where the rod bears against the arm. If you do this at every oil change, you should never hear it again.

Throw out bearing.

Don't worry, Don, you can fit lots of dancing barbarians in a Miata. I've even had an ogre named Tristaan in mine. ;-D (ABML jokes, folks)

And, yes, they *are* wolves in sheep's clothing to some extent. You should try driving one sometime - there's nothing quite like downshifting through the twisties with the motor screaming and the wind blowing through your hair. Of course, you have to buy lots of toothpaste when you own a Miata - to make sure you get all the bugs out of your teeth!

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

In article , "Iva" wrote:

You say that like fitting an ogre into a ragtop is an accomplishment of some sort! :) Try shoehorning him into my '82 626 hardtop... THEN you'll have accomplished something worth bragging about! :)

Erm... With the exception of the wind and bugs, I get that every time I go to town or come home - In my 626 :)

Got some *REAL* sweet "twisties" in the highway leading to my turnoff, and my 626 goes through 'em like it's on rails even when I'm hammer down and balls to the wall. Had a chuckle the other day... Normally, if I end up behind somebody on that stretch, I'm stuck with the "OK, granny can't get past 30" syndrome, and have to grit my teeth in frustration for the last couple-three miles before my turnoff - This section of road quite obviously terrifies the "mundanes" - It's not too unusual to see folks nursing minivans, explorers, and similar "all looks, no handling" vehicles through it at 40 or below, and behaving like they're trying to keep from crapping in their pants the whole way. I've pretty much resigned myself to the idea that "if there's somebody ahead, and you can't get in a pass on the bridge, you're doomed to taking the twisties at a snail's pace". Well, I came around the bend that would give me a view of who/what was on the bridge the other day, and spotted a car ahead. Came across the bridge at a speed I refuse to specify, but to my surprise, the vehicle ahead was still pretty near matching me - I'd gained barely anything on him during the bridge crossing. *MAJOR* surprise, as the typical driver on this road is riding the brakes in preparation for the curved bridge approach by the halfway point of the bridge. Not this one... Not a sign of brake lights, and clipping right along. I sez to myself "self, this guy has driven this stretch of road once or twice. No fear in 'im at all. Maybe it's gonna be a good run after all." Self sez back to me "Yeah, but wait until he hits the third turn. Betcha he's showing brake lights and heading for the turnout when you come out of the second."

Nope... Second turn - no brake lights. Third turn. No brake lights and no dive for the turnout. "Self," I sez, "you lost." He did slow

*SOMEWHAT* for the fourth turn, but even I have to do the same, and that let me catch up enough to *ALMOST* make out what he was driving - Looked somewhat chevette-ish, but I'm lousy at IDing even make, let alone model, by sight alone. 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th turns go by without incident, flying along at about 50-55 (legal for this stretch, but not recommended for anyone who isn't a good driver in a decent car), and 8th turn opens up the view so I can see my turnoff. By now, I'm curious what this guy is driving, so I blow by the turnoff and follow him further up the line to see if I can get close enough to read his badging. (into some *REALLY* hairy twisties) He takes the twisties like I do - As if on rails. Finally, on the approach to the second bridge, I'm close enough to see his badges and figure out just what it is he's driving...

It's a Mazda 323!

As I hooked a U-ey at the turnout on the far end of the bridge, I'm mentally shaking my head and chuckling as I think to myself "Only another Mazda driver has balls big enough to take this stretch of road that way."

Hey, you cribbed that from bikers! :)

Don, I'm sure your 626 is real nice, but I suspect you have no concept of how much better the Miata handles, how much it feels like an extension of your will, anticipating what you'll need from it next, then delivering and asking for more. It's not even a higher plateau--it's the difference between the Adirondacks and the Andes. On the track, good RX-7 drivers ask if it's turbocharged (it's not), because they fall behind in the esses.

People who love to drive sports cars don't care what it looks like, or what others think of it (though a rollbar and stripes go a long way). It's the Real Deal. And it can be made even better with moderate suspension improvements. You know those yellow "SAFE SPEED" signs? Their calibration varies by jurisdiction, of course, but on backroads around here a Miata can double the recommended number without breathing hard, and without crossing the center stripe. If the road is clean, the tires are worthy, the driver is trained, and you can see through the whole turn for safety, X2+10 mph is fun. That means 80 mph in a turn marked 35.

Don't try that in no steenking FWD sedan. :-)

Oh, Lanny, PLEASE!!!! Gimme *SOME* credit!!!

I *KNOW* this thing is just a fun bomber, and nothing even approaching a "true" sports car, but even so, it's actually *VERY* impressive in its handling, particularly when you consider what it was INTENDED to be: A quasi-sporty economy car.

That reminds me to ask - What's a typical power plant in them? 1.8 liter? 2 liter? More? Less? 4 banger, presumably? 5, maybe even 6 speed stick behind, I would assume? Do they even come with automatics as an option? (Seems to me that putting a slushbox in them would be sacrilege on just about the same level as making a set of pigshit earrings as a gift for an orthodox Rabbi, if you take my meaning)

And side-note to nowhere: Wankel engine... MMMMMmmmmmmmm :) I've got my eye on a late-80's vintge RX-7 that scoots around town here. Haven't managed to figure out who belongs to it, or how bad they want to keep it, but man, THOSE are what a sports car SHOULD look like. "Zoom-zoom" personified, y'might say! :)

Like I said when I "took that swipe that wasn't really intended to be a swipe" at 'em - Maybe they are "the real deal". But the looks... My gawd... I'm sorry, Lanny, but dammit, the things have got "girlie car" written all over them in 10 foot tall, flaming neon letters! Just like the first edition of the Neon - They're too damned cute for me to take them seriously. I'm not disputing that they're spiffy little cars that handle like a dream - I'm just reporting my "gut reaction" to seeing one.

Agreed - Got one of those on my run for home. Nice double ess-turn, marked with the yellow advisory speed sign for 25, right after a posted

55 coming off a roughly 3/4 mile downhill. There's been an occasion here and there where rumor has it that someone we both know has shot those curves at 80+ without so much as a squeal, getting anywhere near crossing the centerline, or otherwise seeing even the slightest hint of "losing it". But, as you say, only on a clear, dry day when the tires are known to be good, and everything else is "correct" for such a procedure... And only in a Mazda! :) (shudders at the thought of trying to do that in any of the other vehicles I've driven on that stretch of road...)

Indeed - There are a couple of shot-up, stripped-out "K-car" type carcasses, what's left of what looks like might have been an old chevy pickup, and at least one pile of scrap that used to be a riced-out Honda partway down the near-vertical dropoff those curves go around...

Obviously, SOME part of the equation was wrong for those guys... No way for me to know for sure whether it was the driver (or what he had in him...?) the vehicle, the road conditions, or a combination, but it's quite clear that *SOMETHING* in the mix turned out to be a weak link.

No, Lanny, I'm not saying the Miata is a bad car. Or that my 626 is a better one. Just commenting that for a "sensible sedan", my 626 will hold its own against anything I've thrown at it, and come up roses when it's done. (And let's not get into just how "tough" it is in the "can't kill it without wrecking it" department...)

My '90 MX-6 does the same thing. Barely noticeable. I think it's the throw-out bearing also, but Larry's assessment is as plausible as any. Hell, after 240,000 miles I don't mind ANY of the parts giving me "lip". Just replaced all of the HLA's (Hydraulic Lash Adjusters) and all 4 struts. Saved about $1500 doing it myself. Doesn't drive like new, but close enough. Here's to getting at least another 100 grand out of her.

Al