All of the snow and ice that covered my non-turbo RX-7 has finally melted/been shoveled/been chiseled away. I popped in a new battery and it started up and idled just fine. However, when I revved the engine after it settled into idle, it set off a high-pitched noise that sounds electrical in nature. It's not the "shift up" or "low coolant" buzzer. It sounds like it is coming from somewhere in the engine bay and it is even louder than the engine at idle. The noise gets drowned out when the engine is revved but the pitch remains the same no matter how the engine is revved. I don't think it's the alternator because the pitch is steady and the alternator tested good at a FLAPS before I parked the car. I didn't get a chance to drive the car today, but I will tomorrow.
This sucks because I need to sell this FC soon and I already have a couple of interested buyers. I would like to track the noise down and fix it, since the car (so far) seems to run fine otherwise.
Wow, not even a joke about the annoying noise being the rotary itself...
thats becuse it's not annoying!
Is it possible you could post an audio clip of the noise? Without hearing it, I'm not sure where to start.
Did you hit the pulleys with some sort of lube? Are you running the clutch fan or an electric? Is your power steering pump full (that'll make a whine)?
I had a similar problem.
My water pump froze! I had some glycol in there, but not enough.
The engine survived, but the water pump wouldn't turn and made a horrible sound that I couldn't figure out at first. It was the belt on the waterpump.
It made a high-pitched "buzzing" type noise.
Also, check to make sure youre power steering computer isn't the thing buzzing. It is a slightly different buzz than the oil or water buzzer. It could be your power steering belt is messed up, or the pump itself.
That's all I got.
Rob
Gearheadotaku wrote:
thats becuse it's not annoying!
Preemptive strike for the rotor-haters. Haters gonna hate.
As for the noise, I'm 99.9% sure it's electrical. The water pump is a reman from Mazdaspeed Motorsports and was installed recently. The noise doesn't start until after I rev the engine after startup. Plus, as I mentioned, the pitch and volume of the noise remains constant even when I rev the engine. I'll check the power steering fluid, but I don't think that is the culprit.
NINJAEDIT: I just thought of something. Could the cold-start system be the culprit?
I don't know, my cold start assist was gone about 10 minutes after I pulled each of my cars into the driveway.
When I mentioned the power steering system I was refering to the computer which is under the steering wheel. I didn't mean anything mechanical would make the noise.
If there is ANY problem with the power steering or steering wheel, the power steering computer will make a buzzing sound which sounds eerily similar to the oil / water buzzer. This buzzing is only SLIGHTLY different.
Put your ear down near the steering wheel and see if the noise gets louder.
Which old start system? The "sub zero" cold start system which Mazda suggests eliminating? or the high idle, run rich cold start system?
If you are talking about the high idle cold start system, then you can start the car IN GEAR (clutch pushed in) and it will not go through the high idle run rich computer program.
Rob
by the way, all of my "advice" has been for an S4 NA RX7. What year and model is your car?
The car is a 1987. I know of the power steering sensor issue since I once had a JDM Mazdaspeed wheel installed and it damaged the sensor because the adapter doesn't fit right. I replaced that too once I reinstalled the old steering wheel and the beeping stopped.
I'm not sure which cold-start system you're referring to. Is it the one that is filled with antifreeze and is attached to the firewall?
is there any chance it is a vacuum leak?
RexSeven wrote:
I'm not sure which cold-start system you're referring to. Is it the one that is filled with antifreeze and is attached to the firewall?
That's the one to remove, yes.
