Well the Miata needs a diff rebuild...

"for Michigan" (formichigan)
01/25/2017 at 11:28 • Filed to: Mazda MX-5 Miata, road trip, kinja'd

Was hoping to get the Miata back from the shop today so I could leave for Colorado tomorrow. Got a call from the shop this morning that went something like this:

Shop: We’ve diagnosed the whining noise you thought was coming from the front-right wheel well. The sound is coming from your diff, which is going to need a rebuild. It’s only early-mid stage, so it doesn’t need to be rebuilt immediately.

for Michigan: How long do I have before it needs to be rebuilt?

S: We would like you to bring it back in about 100 miles.

M: I’m driving the car from Ohio to Colorado as soon as I get it back.

S: Let me get back to you with an estimate...

DISCUSSION (21)

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 11:34

NC?

for Michigan > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
01/25/2017 at 11:34

01 NB SE.

Bytemite > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 11:36

You sure they aren’t pulling one on you? That’s a big difference in location of sound. And I don’t think this applies to your Miata but I know all NA6 Miatas have the heatshield buzzing sound when coasting in 3rd gear.

Scary__goongala! > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 11:39

Is fixing it better cost wise than just replacing it? Its not like Miata parts are rare or expensive.

for Michigan > Bytemite
01/25/2017 at 11:39

I have a long history with the shop and I trust them.

The sound is unrelated to RPM or gear, it’s directly related to wheel speed. At 25 mph around town, it’s barely even noticeable. By 35 mph, it makes itself known. At 60 mph, it’s downright obnoxious.

And I’m terrible at judging where sounds are coming from. I had a clunking noise in the front end of my Mazda3 that turned out to be the cargo tray in the hatch area.

for Michigan > Scary__goongala!
01/25/2017 at 11:42

I don’t know. It’s an LSD, so that makes it rarer/more expensive relative to an open diff, but that’s as much as I know.

Bytemite > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 11:43

And I’m terrible at judging where sounds are coming from. I had a clunking noise in the front end of my Mazda3 that turned out to be the cargo tray in the hatch area.

O.O wow. Yeah then trust the shop and I hope it doesn’t cost too much for you.

for Michigan > Bytemite
01/25/2017 at 11:45

Yeah, my ears are all kinds of messed up.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 11:48

Oh fun. Never heard of a dif going bad on an NB like that. How many miles?

for Michigan > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
01/25/2017 at 11:51

152K-ish miles.

It has not been well cared for at all.

Needmoargarage > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 12:10

If it’s the early 1.6 Viscous LSD it can probably go quite a long time before replacement. I think one of mine whined for over 10k miles before I eventually sold the car. Symptoms were a whine when on power, went away when off power.

for Michigan > Needmoargarage
01/25/2017 at 12:12

It’s an 01 NB SE. It wines if the wheels are moving, whether accelerating or coasting.

Needmoargarage > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 12:23

Ouch. Torsen diffs are expensive now.

Roadster Man > Scary__goongala!
01/25/2017 at 12:27

Every Miata part EXCEPT the damn Torsen. The Torsen LSD used in Miatas is getting seriously pricey, most guys on forums are asking $600+ for one with low mileage. That’s half a Miata turbo kit!

Boosted2k - I Make Videos and Put Them on YouTube > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 12:29

I’m still trying to figure out what your GIF is. Was it a crash test or a bunch of rednecks didn’t like their flatdeck anymore?

Scary__goongala! > Roadster Man
01/25/2017 at 12:30

Well I hope mine never kicks the bucket then.

for Michigan > Needmoargarage
01/25/2017 at 12:31

That’s what I hear. :/

for Michigan > Boosted2k - I Make Videos and Put Them on YouTube
01/25/2017 at 12:32

Given all of the cables attached to the truck, I’m guessing crash test.

Roadster Man > Scary__goongala!
01/25/2017 at 12:38

Everything I’ve read about the Torsen LSD says that it’s a tank. If you aren’t drifting or doing hard launches all the time, then most guys say a Torsen will last about 300,000 miles.

daender > for Michigan
01/25/2017 at 20:25

You sure it doesn’t need fluid flush? I’m not sure how you could damage a Torsen enough to require a replacement.

for Michigan > daender
01/25/2017 at 21:14

The dealership my brother bought it from changed the fluid at around 130K miles. I would be surprised if that wasn’t the first time it had been changed.

Also, my brother has a seemingly supernatural knack for putting an absurd amount of wear on things in an impossibly short period of time.