These noises are driving me INSANE. 95 Mazda MX-3.

[Patass]

My car makes this super annoying Star Wars Pod Racer style whirring noise, especially once I hit 40-45. It started a couple months ago but I think it's gotten in my head and it's seriously just making me absolutely hate my car. I have to turn my radio WAY up to even have a hope of drowning it out. On top of that, when idling, if I turn the steering wheel in either direction the car makes this buzz saw sound. It literally sounds like a buzz saw, and it's really pissing me off. All I want is for my car to STFU so I can listen to my music. It was suggested that replacing the wheel bearing would fix it, but god damn that's hard to do. I've done all the maintenance on this car with my dad so far and I'm beginning to think about just getting rid of it and buying something newer, but I work a crappy retail job and make like 100 bucks a week so this is a bit out of my reach (I'm 20, and I plan on being out of retail by August for nothing other than sanity's sake, cut me some slack).

Suggestions? Is the wheel bearing worth a shot? I pumped a ton of grease in there because I read that could also be the problem and it did nothing. We've replaced almost everything on this car at this point and I'm tired of it giving me crap like this once every 3 or 4 months.

Edit - I guess I'll also throw out there that we recently replaced all the struts. The old ones literally had no gas/resistance anymore, and you could easily slide them in and out by hand.

[Sleeper6]

To start with any way you can post a video of the noise? That would be more helpfull. Second if it is a bearing pumping grease wont do anything for you as they are sealed bearings that will have to be pressed out/in if thats the problem. To narrow it down put the car in the air and spin the wheels freely and you should be able to tell which wheel is making the noise as well as it should have play if you grasp it at 10 and 4 oclock position and pull on it. As for the saw noise what condition is your PS fluid in? Ild check into that before I relied on the music to fix it as that only tends to let you put it off till it becomes to big to handle.

[Patass]

Thank you for the very quick reply. I hadn't thought of checking the power steering fluid because typically my wheel becomes hard to turn if I'm running low and that wasn't happening. Lo and behold, it was totally empty and filling it up stopped the saw noise. I'm much less pissed about the car now ha. I will post a video of this noise tonight or tomorrow. Here's hoping my Evo can pick it up, though it's so un-godly loud that I cant see why it wouldn't.

Also, I noticed earlier that the spring for the strut on the same side of the car I suspect is giving off this hellacious sound is broken. It cracked at the very bottom and I was actually able to take a piece of it off. It's a good 6 inches long if I had it straightened out.

[Sleeper6]

where do you live at? If you are in the upper states/ca you can take the car to the dealer and theyll fix said spring for free. Otherwise if you are near NY Ill be glad to relieve you off that horrible machinery so you can rest at ease

Also side note is the noise coming from the outside of the car or the audio system? Alot of aftermarket radios will pick up interference noise from the bad grounds in our cars and transmit them through the speakers.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

My car makes this super annoying Star Wars Pod Racer style whirring noise, especially once I hit 40-45.

Call Anakin Skywalker. He knows a lot about pod racers...

[BrandonM]

Its the bearing. Same thing happened to me. Its cheep anways if you do it your self. About 2 hours is all it takes.

[Patass]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w_GQD0f8so

Here's the video you requested, in HD at that.

[Patass]

where do you live at? If you are in the upper states/ca you can take the car to the dealer and theyll fix said spring for free. Otherwise if you are near NY Ill be glad to relieve you off that horrible machinery so you can rest at ease

Also side note is the noise coming from the outside of the car or the audio system? Alot of aftermarket radios will pick up interference noise from the bad grounds in our cars and transmit them through the speakers.

I'm in CT but I've calmed down considerably ha. It's definitely not the radio, it happens when it's off too.

[Patass]

Its the bearing. Same thing happened to me. Its cheep anways if you do it your self. About 2 hours is all it takes.

How'd you press it out/in? We got the bearing, it was only 30 bucks.

[whitete]

sounds like a bad wheel bearing for sure, almost like youre tire is completly oval moving up and down sounding, i had had this issue before, im not sure if there is a how to? but im sure it can be done for fairly cheap...

best of luck

[hgallegos915]

AHH a too familiar sound HAHHA..

I wear bearings dont last me but at 250 thousand miles I guess I cant complain. LOL


Yeah sounds like a bad bearing. I HATE that sound... HATE IT.... :/

You get it pressed at a shop. Remove the whole spindle / knucke assembly. Take them the bearing and have them press it. OR go to a junk yard and get the whole thing. I got one for like 15 dllrs.


Better to go with new tho, used may not last.


If you are a v6, make sure you check the center shaft while you are at it, that bearing can go out too which mine just did. Luckily I had a spare shaft.

[BrandonM]

"How'd you press it out/in? We got the bearing, it was only 30 bucks"
Lordco did it for me for free, 5 mins. he just said bye.

[Patass]

Ok, we started attempting to fix it today...having trouble getting the axel nut off. Any special way we're supposed to do this?


We were using an axel nut socket and breaking bar but the thing just wont move, we're gonna go pick up an impact wrench.

[Ryan]

Last time I did it I had a 5' pipe on it. I know that at least my mech puts them on as hard as his impact can do. Loose nuts cause premature wheel bearing failure.

[Patass]

the impact wrench we bought was defective, so we're trying again tomorrow I guess. Sigh. It's still lefty loosey on the front nuts right?