Why do I keep chirping the wheels?

"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
11/27/2015 at 13:47 • Filed to: None

Even when doing a normal start I seem to chirp the wheels off the line a little too frequently, bringing unnecessary attention to myself. I’ve been driving this car for over three years, and manuals for decades, yet I haven’t mastered the proper launch technique. Here are a few of the factors that I think may be contributing to the problem:

1) crap factory Bridgestones

2) my desire to minimize clutch slipping by getting off the pedal quickly

3) torquey 2.5l engine

4) less than ideal clutch feel; Mazda makes a great car, but it’s no BMW

5) rather short 4.11 final drive ratio

I don’t recall having this same problem on any other car I’ve owned, and wonder if it’s a Mazda thing or just me? I know I try to minimize time that the clutch is between engaged and disengaged in an effort to minimize wear; the clutch in the 525i lasted just over 231k miles before I let a friend drive the car.

What am I doing wrong?

DISCUSSION (8)

Berang > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 13:54

It’s probably mostly that darn hydraulic clutch linkage.

Are you sure the adjustment is set right?

davedave1111 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 13:55

You know it’s (2). Just slur your shift from first to second ever-so-slightly.

miadaman? yes please > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 14:07

Too much zoom zoom.

thebigbossyboss > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 14:20

It could be a flat tire actually. They have been known to chirp.

whoarder is tellurium > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 14:20

1 and 2 for sure.

You’re just gonna have to filter out the numb clutch engagement.

What you could do to learn the clutch engagement point a bit more:

In a clear area, put the handbrake on and raise the RPMS a little (or just use idle). Put it in first gear and then release the clutch pedal very, very slowly while the handbrake is holding the vehicle stopped.

When and where the RPMS start to bog is where you need to think about how far your foot has traveled and what that “feels” like. Repeat that at least 3-4 times without stalling the engine- just notate where the RPMS begin to fall in relation to your foot and feel through your leg.

Then, take the handbrake off and practice that same feel but add only enough gas to keep the engine from bogging/stalling and begin to move off from a stop.

Would also suggest trying a thinner soled shoe to really feel the clutch pedal.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 14:50

Welcome to the bane that is hydraulic master cylinders. I’m 5 years going and still have a hard time. It never stops as there is no way to “master” hydaulic anything. Cheers m8.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
11/27/2015 at 15:18

Could very easily be low tire pressure as well. Whenever it gets a little cold out I end up chirping by accident too.

Jayvincent > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
11/27/2015 at 21:14

Also possible, but less likely as the temperature drops, is over-inflated tires. Higher tire pressure = smaller contact patch and while it will increase your MPG, it will not improve your tire life. Moral of the story: check those pressures. If they are more than 5psi above or below factory recommendations, fix it and test drive. If you are close to factory spec (or you are running a non-stock tire size), go up two pounds and test drive. Then go down four pounds (the two you added plus two more) and test drive again. Go another two pounds in whichever direction you liked better from test drive #1 and #2. Repeat. If this were NASCAR or NHRA, you would keep tuning to the nearest 1/4 pound of air pressure, but nearest two is sufficient for daily driving. Remember that whatever gets you off the line with minimum tire chirp may not be optimal for cornering, so remember to include some curves in your test drive. And pay attention to front/rear bias, as you may need lower air pressure at one or the other for the best handling.