My car makes a bunch of weird noises!

BlackCherry

Member
:
2002 Mazda Protege 5
Around two rpm, for example a low rpm shift, or start up from first gear, causes some section of the exhaust pipe to touch somewhere, it sounds like it's below the rear seats, but it's hardly noticable from the outside, it's easily heard from the inside though, it started after i installed my corksport hangers. I have a RacingBeat

Between 2 and 3 rpm (2 1/2) something buzzes on the dashboard passenger side it becomes apparent as it hit's 2 1/2 then does down till it's no longer noticeable.

And finally when I put the fan on, it makes some kind of humming noise as if there something wrong with the passenger side fan. The higher of a number I go the more apparent it becomes.

I'm probably going to bring it to my mechanic, but I was curious if you guys had any input first
 
Between 2 and 3 rpm (2 1/2) something buzzes on the dashboard passenger side it becomes apparent as it hit's 2 1/2 then does down till it's no longer noticeable.

I have this same rattle sound at 2.5k rpms, but only when the car is cold; it seems to go away as it warms up.
 
for me its like i have a rattle from the drunk at all times, not below the car but literally from the drunk so confused :(
 
Around two rpm, for example a low rpm shift, or start up from first gear, causes some section of the exhaust pipe to touch somewhere, it sounds like it's below the rear seats, but it's hardly noticable from the outside, it's easily heard from the inside though, it started after i installed my corksport hangers.

I get the same sound! Except I have the stock hangers so it's probably not that. I'd love to know what's causing that rattle.

I also have a rattle in the engine compartment around 1.5k RPM. It turns out it was the exhaust manifold/header heat-shield that was bouncing around (the metal around 2 of the 3 bolts holding it in rusted away).
 
yeah i have that same noise when its cold it almost sounds like a rod knocking i wonder what it could be maybe my heat shield its annoying though the bad thing about the p5 is u can hear every little squeak and suspension noise
 
Last edited:
yeah i have that same noise when its cold it almost sounds like a rod knocking i wonder what it could be maybe my heat shield its annoying though the bad thing about the p5 is u can hear every little squeak and suspension noise

Yup :/ it's kind of embarrassing, cause it looks like such a nice car till you get in it. Then all you hear are obnoxious noises
 
Check the heat shield that covers the exhaust header in the engine compartment. Metal fatigue will cause the areas around the bolts to crack and break away. Once loose, it rattles against the exhaust system so the sound can seem to be coming from anywhere along the exhaust system. Some over-sized stainless steel fender washers on both sides of the shield solve the problem (unless you want to pay for a whole new shield).

The fan noise is either some foreign object in the fan housing or a bad bearing in the fan motor.

Passenger side rattle could be anything - even some loose stuff in the glove box (that's where I found one of mine). The other was the Pass. side seat belt buckle next to the center console. It sounded like it came from the glove box , but that was just the acoustics of the car interior. Only way to track down rattles is to have a passenger ride along and help you locate the source. Placing a hand or finger on a rattling part will stop the rattle and identify the source. The passenger could also use a crude stethoscope made out of 3/8 " tubing. Hold one end near an ear and pass the other end over the suspected rattle source. It acts like a highly directional microphone and you will hear the rattle when the end of the tube is over the source. (note: don't try doing this while driving the car. unless you have four hands it is really difficult and dangerous to try and hold both ends of a tube steer and shift gears at the same time.)
 
It covers the exhaust header on the front of the engine. It's just a piece of stamped sheet metal.
 
BC - I have the same rattles around 2.5K rpm from passenger dash location. Thought it was the A-pillar cover retaining clips, but turns out that wasn't it. I also have the fan noise from the passenger side, specifically when the fan is set on "4". These noises are driving me crazy.
 
I'd really like to know what's causing these noises :P. I started getting a new one the other day. Ever since I installed my TWM short throw my resonator heat shields been buzzing in all of my odd gears (especially 3rd) since the rods facing the shield (yes I installed the spacers) can I just take the shield off? Or is that rubber boot at the base of the rod going to melt? :P

Edit: Also when I wiggle the shifter i can hear the base scraping on the shield
 
I'd really like to know what's causing these noises :P. I started getting a new one the other day. Ever since I installed my TWM short throw my resonator heat shields been buzzing in all of my odd gears (especially 3rd) since the rods facing the shield (yes I installed the spacers) can I just take the shield off? Or is that rubber boot at the base of the rod going to melt? :P

Edit: Also when I wiggle the shifter i can hear the base scraping on the shield

I dunno if it's my shifter that's scraping the heat shield, but i definitely get the same sound. Sounds quite scary as it is a grinding noise that occurs before you get into gear. Is it really the shield or is it the tranny needing some more fluid? I just topped it off!
 
I'm gonna go with bend or dent the heatshields out the effin way to stop the sounds around the shifter. Mine is sportauto so don't have that particular issue. Now, the corksport hangers will bring the exhaust pipe closer up towards the car and make the s bend under the back seat touch near the gas tank shield if it isn't aligned just right. Chased that s*** for awhile. I ended up using the corksprot hangers on the muffler end but not up by the cat. Also put hose clamps of the muffler hanger rods to keep it from swinging back and forth from turning. Another noise making hidden bunch of s*** would be a rock getting between the heatshield and the car body, above the exh pipe between the cat and s bend, like right under where the console ends inside the car. That s*** drove me crazy trying to find it, but I did, lol.
 
I'm gonna go with bend or dent the heatshields out the effin way to stop the sounds around the shifter. Mine is sportauto so don't have that particular issue. Now, the corksport hangers will bring the exhaust pipe closer up towards the car and make the s bend under the back seat touch near the gas tank shield if it isn't aligned just right. Chased that s*** for awhile. I ended up using the corksprot hangers on the muffler end but not up by the cat. Also put hose clamps of the muffler hanger rods to keep it from swinging back and forth from turning. Another noise making hidden bunch of s*** would be a rock getting between the heatshield and the car body, above the exh pipe between the cat and s bend, like right under where the console ends inside the car. That s*** drove me crazy trying to find it, but I did, lol.

You used to stock hangers on the cat? Cause I think it's buzzing on my gas tank or something cause I get some kind of buzz from around there at low rpms, I think that that might be that.

As for the heat shield issue I think I'm just gonna rip the whole thing off and wrap the exhaust pipe in header wrap
 

New Threads and Articles

Back