Clunk in the rear between first and second gear - '93 Miata

Apr 02, 2004 2 Replies
W

The subject says it all - I get a clunk in the rear portion of my red '93 Miata while shifting between first and second gear. I can minimize it by shifting slowly - deliberately pausing in neutral for a short time and then moving into second. This just started in the last few weeks. The car has about 92,000 miles on it, 32,000 of which I've accumulated in the last three years or so, having acquired my car used.



The clunk is gently audible, and it seems like I can feel it too, from the back section.



Any ideas what this is, whether it is harmful and/or dangerous, and how expensive this will be to fix?



Thanks.



William Asher


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T

Where to begin? Could be loading/unloading of the suspension components - take a look at the various bushings in the rear and see if any of them are obviously MIA. Check the CV boots to each rear and to the diff. Have the shocks been changed, differential oil changed, trans oil changed? I do know that after eleven years, you're bushings are getting old and brittle and once some wear starts, it accelerates the deterioriation of the component until it has pretty much mashed itself into nothingness. If you've never replaced the shocks, now would be a good time to do so and replace all the bushings while you're at it. Not a particularly hard process, just time consuming.

Tom

92 Red

William Asher wrote:

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W

Thanks Tom. I may try replacing the shocks at some point soon. I've never replaced them, and I don't know if the previous owner (from year

0 to about year 7) ever did.

As it happens, I took my Miata in for service, and after "exhaustive" testing by the mechanic and by the customer service advisor, they think the noise was just the jack banging around in the trunk. They secured the jack and are convinced the sound has gone away.

William Asher

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