Alright, so, my 8 has 49,900 miles..or about there, anyhow. I bought it with 26,000 on it, and since the day I bought it, it has made a (loud)ish grinding noise when I have the clutch out, just sitting still in neutral. I took it to the dealer about this issue multiple times, each time they would just explain that all RX8's do this.

Well, the noise has gotten nothing but louder as the months have passed, and I'm finally just fed up with it. So I took it to the dealer this morning, and told them I don't want the car back until the problem is fixed. A few months ago, I got a dealer to replace the throw out bearing. This didn't help the problem at all, and I continue to believe that it is the pilot bearing. This is the same issue my old 2nd gen RX7 had..and I told this to the dealer.

Anyways, I got a call around closing time for my local dealer, and the service adviser told me...that the problem is most likely being caused by my short shifter. Wow. I couldn't believe my ears. Clutch in...no noise, clutch out...loud loud grinding. I installed my short shifter at around 40-45,000 miles. The fact that the mechanics there think the shifter could have anything to do with a problem that exists mainly in neutral is just amazing! So she said they're going to continue prodding at it on Monday, and she'll get back to me with how much it's going to cost me.

Any ideas on what I should do?

 

Why didn't you take the car to the dealer when it was having the problem _before_ you installed the short shifter?

 

I did..

 

That's their way of trying to get out of fixing it for free. Good luck.

 

Sorry, missed that line. That's crazy they claimed they all did it. You should have walked over to sales and asked to drive a new one to see if it made the noise.

Seriously though, if you don't have luck w/ the dealer contact Mazda North America. Since you have a record of taking it there when it was still under warranty (not sure if clutch issues covered by extended warranty to 5yr 60k) you should get it fixed for free.

 

With that many miles comming up, you may need a new clutch unless you baby it.


I've heard that dirt can get up there and a few mechanics squirt some lube to fix the bearing noise.

 

Mine when i put it into netrual makes a slight noise... but its not loud i can barely hear it... i usually notice it when i go through a drive through... :|

 

Definitely not. The clutch on these cars is VERY solid, and it still grabs like the day I bought it. I've never launched the car, so theres no chance it's the clutch.

The bearing noise is definitely the pilot bearing, as the only other possible answer would be the throw out bearing, which I've already had replaced..:|

 

I have an 04 GT that I purchased with 13,000 miles back in June of '06.
The car now has 23,600 miles.
Mine has always made a "whirling ... grinding" kind of sound when I put it in neutral.
More whirling than grinding though.
I wouldn't say it's loud. I really only notice it when the window is down.
Like at a drive through.
Not a big deal, but a little irritating.

I have mentioned this to my dealer in the past, and was assured it was nothing to be concerned about.
Having pressed the issue, the dealer checked it out and said it was "normal".
Not sure what "checking it out" involved though.

Please post if your dealer finds a problem.

 

Yep.. same problem here.. 2004 6MT 50,500 miles. Ive actually been posting threads about this very same thing over the past couple weeks...

The dealership I took my car too most recently (last thursday) told me it was my transmission, but they wouldnt know if it was a defect or caused by abuse until they tore it down and looked inside. Im trying this paid for and take care of by the place i bought it from, which is turning out to be a pain in the ***...

good luck

 

would dealerships replace a clutch under warranty?

 

same thing here man... 2005 rx-8 gt with 29300km on it... makes a whirling noise in netural...

 

My 05 mt makes the same sort of noise.. it sounds considerably louder with the clutch out than depressed in neutral. I didn't realize that wasn't supposed to be like that though, as this is my first stick shift car

 

According to "my dealer", it's normal ... nothing to worry about.
With so many people mentioning this whirling & grinding sound, it "probably" is normal.

If anyone hears anything different than that, please post.

 

a slight grinding type of noise in neutral is aparently normal, but not loud enough to hear with windows down or radio on.. anything more than that should be checked out. My trasmission is in need of repair, replacing the clutch didnt do ****.

 

...Something to note: If tons people report the same problem over and over, chances are it is a design defect, not just "normal". This manual transmission is no different than any other out there, infact, the internals of our transmission are directly out of the Nissan S15. The bellhousing is of course different, but this isn't exactly a "new" design. This problem doesn't exist in earlier RX cars, nor in the S15! So, whats the problem?

My FC had this same problem. Replaced pilot bearing ... problem is gone.

 

Check this:

'04 6speed with 9k on it. I got it at 7k miles and immediately told them to check it out. They said that it's normal and compared it to another rx8 making the same noise... but the sound has gotten louder.

wtf?

 

get used to it, my dealer is like that with me. Anything I find wrong they FIND a way to blame it on me. My warranty sheet is 2-3 pages long, and for those of u who have actually seen one and know how small the font is, will understand why I always claim I have a lemon.

 

My 05 makes a slight noise with the clutch out in neutral also. It isn't really that loud and the guy I work with says its normal.

 

My 8 makes a bit of noise in neutral, goes away when you step on the clutch. It doesn't sound at all like grinding though. it sounds like... well it sounds like the input shaft spinning.

I like to think that it's just purring.

 

it is normal guys. no need to worry. my 04 has done it since the day i bought it.

 

search gear rollover. or take out the short shifter and put the stock one back in and see what the dealer says..


beers

 

there is a TSB for the clutch in button making noise. . . Probably unrelated though, mine squeaks loudly when i push it and out. . .

It is an RX-8 it will start to fall apart right after the warranty runs out, kinda like mine is doing . . .

 

Lol..a little bit of noise is normal, sure. But please avoid making definitive statements like that when you haven't heard it in person..

Mine has gotten embarrassingly loud over the months. I used to only be able to hear it when next to a wall, which was fine and dandy. Now, even if I'm the lone car in a parking lot, the grinding is ridiculously audible.

Not to mention, now, if I leave it in neutral with my foot off the clutch for more than 5-15 seconds, a high-pitch squeal is emitted. Sort of like a loose belt...put my foot back on the clutch, noise goes away. Hmmm...now, I don't think that's normal? And, I could be wrong..but I don't think any of my (belt) are attached to the clutch pedal/transmission



Oh, and swoope, the dealer checked it WITH the short shifter in, and said it is 100% acceptable. +1 for anyone looking to buy an Axial Flow short shifter - the dealer recommends them!

 

Mine did it. I took it to the Duval Mazda and they fixed it along with 4th and 3rd gears. Throwout bearing related.