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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / March 2006Transmission/clutch/ shifting questions
I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" that seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about 4000rpm or over. vehicle hesitates ever so slightly at the same time as the "chirp". Does anyone else experience this? Shifting the 6-speed transmission seems a little rough at times, especially before it has warmed up. Almost feels as though I can't push the clutch in quite far enough. Is this a clutch problem, or does anyone have any ideas? I'm new to sports cars. Is there anything out there on how and when to shift, at what rpm's, etc. How do you know when you're cornering too fast? Are there any warning signs? Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to learn a little more about driving it! > I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a > "chirp" that seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > can't push the clutch in quite far enough. Is this a clutch > problem, or does anyone have any ideas? Dunno, if it were me, I'd take the car to a shop you trust and ask them to drive it or find another Miata owner and ask him/her/it to drive it and give you an opinion. > I'm new to sports cars. Is there anything out there on how and > when to shift, at what rpm's, etc. Check your local library. There's several books that will help, here's one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0760306036/sr=8- 4/qid=1140977172/ref=pd_bbs_4/002-9140878-4028012?%5Fencoding=UTF8 (Watch out for the line wrap!) Shifting... don't exceed the red line on the tach, don't let the car run under 2,000 rpm. If you're just driving in town and in no particular rush you might be shifting around 3,000 or so, if you're racing some guy in a Honda Civic you might want to shift near redline, if you're racing some guy in a new Viper you might want to not do that..... > How do you know when you're cornering too fast? Are there any > warning signs? Yes, tires will squeal when you're a little too fast, if car slides off road and flips over you're WAAAAY too fast! ;-) Practice will help you get faster in the turns. Slow as you approach and shift down if need be, accelerate gently through the curve and see if that works for you. > Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to learn > a little more about driving it! You don't sound stupid, you sound unusually intelligent because you're willing to ask..... or.... wait a minute, do you stop and ask directions when you're lost? Maybe you're female? ;-) Time is the best way to learn, I'm not sure usenet is in the top 1 billion methods but we're willing to help as much as we can. >Shifting... don't exceed the red line on the tach, don't let the car >run under 2,000 rpm. If you're just driving in town and in no >particular rush you might be shifting around 3,000 or so, if you're >racing some guy in a Honda Civic you might want to shift near redline, >if you're racing some guy in a new Viper you might want to not do >that..... :) Leon  SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) <snippage> > > Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to learn > > a little more about driving it! > > You don't sound stupid, you sound unusually intelligent because > you're willing to ask..... or.... wait a minute, do you stop and ask > directions when you're lost? Maybe you're female? ;-) And the problem with female Miata drivers is? <G> Another way to maximize your Miata fun is to find a local club. There's always folks willing to help out a new owner, whether it be tech related or driving related. Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata > <snippage> >> > Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > And the problem with female Miata drivers is? <G> They ask directions. That's totally unsporting! >I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" that >seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about 4000rpm or over. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to learn a little >more about driving it! The chirp might be clutch slipping, it's hard to say over the internet. The "can't push the clutch in far enough" sounds like classic clutch slave cylinder failure. For some reason Miata clutch slave cylinders fail first. Pull off the little rubber boot. If you see fluid it's time for a new cylinder. Something else to consider on the chirping issue, is could it be the ac compressor kicking in. Try driving for a period of time w/o the ac on and see if you hear the chirp or feel the hesitation. If you're not used to small 4cyl engines, you might not be accustomed to that feeling but, when you've got somewhat minimal horsepower, the ac compressor sapping the ones it needs does cause a temporary drag followed by a somewhat noticeable (although level) reduced power while on. The chirping is common if the belt is somewhat loose and sometimes even hard to get rid of when properly tensioned. Many people say that replacing the transmission fluid with synthetic (Redline or Royal Purple or...) makes a measured improvement in shifting, especially when the tranny is cold. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, these are very simple things to check / do. If you're not or haven't been, keep in mind that the miata is built wonderfully simple which makes it a good candidate if you're ready to jump in for the first time. There's lots of help available here and it really does feel good! On handling there are lots of good books, lots of performance driving schools available thru local miata clubs or the Porsche and BMW clubs are always active in this too. You'll be amazed at the level of respect the miata has from these guys, the ones who really do understand handling and such. On the clutch issue, once you change the fluid (do the differential too) you might find that you have NO clutch issue. Good luck, and enjoy! Chris 99BBB >>I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" that >>seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about 4000rpm or over. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > fail first. Pull off the little rubber boot. If you see fluid it's > time for a new cylinder. > I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" that > seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about 4000rpm or over. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to learn a little > more about driving it! You might want to see if your VIN falls within this range, iirc a lot of the 2001 miatas had clutch issues. http://miata.net/garage/tsb/sb05-001.03.html Pat wasn't that more a problem with 'shuddering' though? Chris 99BBB >> I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" >> that [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Pat >I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" that >seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about 4000rpm or over. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >shift, at what rpm's, etc. How do you know when you're cornering too >fast? Are there any warning signs? The amount of warning mainly depends on your tires and on the trickiness of the curve, I would think. Suppose you go too fast into a curve that you do not know too well and its curvature keeps increasing. If you do the thing that comes naturally and brake strongly, you will spin out. The braking takes weight, hence traction, from the rear tires, which then lose grip. Spinning out on a mountain road or a road with deep sand or clay next to it, or obstacles, can be bad for your health. Very gently reducing speed or alternatively steering straight and strongly reducing speed might be better options for your health, but bad on the nerves. Mountain roads that you do not know often have an opposite nasty curve following the one you are on, and you tend to get loose while suddenly shifting the weight of the car from one side to the next. > Not to sound stupid, but this car is fun, and I'd like to learn a little >more about driving it! Your best option is to look whether there is a local Solo II autocross near your location. Try www.scca.com. In an solo II autocross you can get familiar with the limits of your car in a relatively safe way, as far as they come. You will be surprised how easy it is to get over the limit. Track days give a somewhat different perspective, though they are much more expensive, and seem less safe in my experience. Speeds on the track are higher, so you will be exploring a somewhat different regime. Safe driver schools and slip schools are another relatively expensive option, but I have no experience. Either I did not see any nearby or they refused my entry on the suspicion I would give them a bad name. :) Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > I'm a new Miata (2001 LS)owner with some questions. I hear a "chirp" that > seems to be a clutch or transmission issue at about 4000rpm or over. > vehicle hesitates ever so slightly at the same time as the "chirp". Does > anyone else experience this? Yes, although in my case it was more like 5000rpm. It was just the alternator belt, and a new one cured it. > Shifting the 6-speed transmission seems a little rough at times, > especially before it has warmed up. Almost feels as though I can't push > the clutch in quite far enough. Is this a clutch problem, or does anyone > have any ideas? They're all pretty much like that. Better oil in the gearbox helps, but as long as it's OK when warm, there isn't anything wrong. > I'm new to sports cars. Is there anything out there on how and when to > shift, at what rpm's, etc. How do you know when you're cornering too > fast? Are there any warning signs? For maximum acceleration, you should shift up at about 6000rpm, which is just after the torque peak. If the gearing has been worked out properly by the engineers, the next highest gear should still be in a strong torque range. Shift too early, and you'll be floundering because the engine won't pull hard in the next gear. For general cruising around, just stay above 2000rpm so the engine pulls cleanly. No MX-5 really starts to rip until 4000rpm, though. In terms of cornering too fast, I get scared well before the car, so I can't tell you the danger signs ;-) > In terms of cornering too fast, I get scared well before the car, so I > can't tell you the danger signs ;-) If you're married, listen for shrieks of terror coming from the general direction of the passenger seat, often accompanied by sharp pains in your upper arm. If you're alone in the car, coming to rest facing the wrong direction is a good early warning sign, especially if the car is completely off the roadway. Waking up in a hospital bed--in handcuffs--is a dead giveaway. Regarding shifting: if you're not accelerating at a satisfactory rate, downshift. Enter a corner in the gear you'll need coming out of it. There's no meaningful rule about shifting, other than the minimum speeds in gears noted in the owner's manual, and not downshifting if it would cause the engine to exceed redline. SignatureLanny Chambers '94C, St. Louis http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html >Is there anything out there on how and when to >shift, at what rpm's, etc. For best acceleration, shift at redline, or better, past it and just before the rev limiter kicks in (about 7,200 rpm; you will definitely know it when it kicks in.) Ideally speaking you want to shift when the lower rpm point that you are shifting into has reached the same power as the high rpm point that you are shifting out of. Unfortunately, on a Miata the rev limiter kicks in before you get there. For best fuel economy, shift to the next higher gear at about 2,500 rpm or so. You will be an instant traffic jam and disgrace the good reputation of the Miata owners worldwide. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
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