Mazda 3 making strange noise when accelerating

[aphex]

2005 Mazda 3s w/ 197k miles

Noticed it faintly 3-4 weeks ago, but didn't think much of it. Past week its gotten louder to the point i can easily hear it when speeding up, though it seems to go away after driving for a bit (maybe 5-10 minutes). Its in the background a bit as i'm speeding up about halfway through, to me it sounds a bit like its sputtering/unsteady grinding.

http://f.cl.ly/items/1y2F3O3T3p2j0l1e0v3W/Car.mp3

Any ideas what this might be? My first thought is transmission, but not sure.

EDIT: Each time i speed up, its the noise you hear. I never used to hear that inside the car. Like as i'm speeding up, baaaa baaba ba ba baaaaaa ba ba baaaa (3 seconds into the recording, as well as 10 seconds in). Much much noise than usual, and it seems to sound like its got junk in its throat. Seems to me to be coming from the passenger side of the engine to my untrained ears inside the car.

EDIT #2: She's dead jim. Tried to start up the car today after leaving it in the driveway for 2 weeks unused and it cranks but wont turn over, lights flash, makes a strange noise. Looks like i'll be towing it the mechanic tomm

 

[DaTT]

I listened to the audio 3 times and can't hear any bizarre noises.

 

[amdhunter]

Maybe a pulley? Get a friend to hit the gas pedal while you listen under the hood. Have some WD40 handy...lol

 

[aphex]

I listened to the audio 3 times and can't hear any bizarre noises.

Each time i speed up, its the noise you hear. I never used to hear that inside the car. Like as i'm speeding up, baaaa baaba ba ba baaaaaa ba ba baaaa (3 seconds into the recording, as well as 10 seconds in). Much much noise than usual, and it seems to sound like its got junk in its throat.

 

[DaTT]

I don't have the greatest hearing, but all it sounds like to me is the engine. Sorry. Keep us posted though.

 

[HeXen]

i think i hear it, slightly at first acceleration, the lower RPM's sound rough, then it smooths out to what sounds like normal engine accel, then i thought i heard it when you let off?... but would help us if you made it longer. like accelerate, let off then do it again a few times.

To me its not sounding nice n smooth, like maybe a fuel injection issue or something? hard to tell without some better recordings.

 

[aphex]

i think i hear it, slightly at first acceleration, the lower RPM's sound rough, then it smooths out to what sounds like normal engine accel, then i thought i heard it when you let off?... but would help us if you made it longer. like accelerate, let off then do it again a few times.

To me its not sounding nice n smooth, like maybe a fuel injection issue or something? hard to tell without some better recordings.

Yep, thats it. I'll see if i can have my wife rev the engine while i record from the hood tomm.

 

[wirednuts]

sounds like a rattling exhaust. check it. check heat sheilds up by the headers too.

 

[phucheneh]

Need video so I can see what you're doing. I can guess, but it's much easier if I can see when you're hitting the gas/the movement of the tach, use of clutch, ect.

Does the noise have any rhythm to it? If so, does the frequency of the rhythm increase with engine speed? How about vehicle speed? What about general volume with regards to engine and vehicle speed?

Where does the noise APPEAR to be coming from? You don't have to be right- just guess. Is it just a general 'under the hood' noise that doesn't really seem to be projecting from any specific direction?

A lot of things come to mind, simply because your recording just isn't that great. It's like trying to see Jesus in burnt toast.

Things that come to my mind: Noisy drivetrain bearing (esp throwout or input shaft if manual). Rattling and/or leaking exhaust. Noisy pulley bearing on front of motor (usually idler or tensioner, occasionally an accessory itself).

If you're Jerry Seinfeld, perhaps you have sucked a muffin down your carburetor.

 

[HeXen]

What little i could hear, its definitely the engine, like a misfire or something. Kinda reminded me of like when you have the carburetor at half choke on your lawnmower a little bit but only when he accelerated up to like 2500 rpm's or so. Not sure if that would be like a timing issue, foul plug or injector issue.....i hate new cars, so much crap to them even a simple sensor problem can make it seem like the fault is elsewhere.
Listen to when he first accelerates, like a few seconds in, gotta crank the volume up though. Hopefully he'll provide much better recording

 

[Jinny]

i have a mazda 3 2.3s and it too makes a noise when i drive it (after it warms up), it sounds like a spoke card. i have no idea where it's coming from and have been driving it like this for a year. perhaps it'll blow up on me

 

[SkullWalker]

Well, frankly the speakers on my new Lenovo kinda sucks so I wasn't able to properly hear everything in the recording, but I didn't find anything strange in it.

I would only recommend to check the exhaust, if it isn't busted or loose.

 

[aphex]

Tried a better recording while driving today, http://cl.ly/JwKL

00:02 - Start accelerating
00:04 - Noisy/Sputtery part of acceleration kicks in as i speed up
00:07 - Chunky engine sputtering sound
00:15 - Noisy/Sputtery acceleration
00:20 to 00:22 - Sputtering
00:26 - Speedbump

 

[styrafoam]

Sounds like a misfire. No hesitation or stumbling as you accelerate? Does it make the same noise if you put the car in neutral and rev the engine through the same range of RPM's? If it is in fact a misfire you will probably get a check engine light in the near future.

 

[phucheneh]

Tried a better recording

Failed.

Even if the audio is mediocre (or awful), get video. I can't even hardly make anything out from that recording. If I can see your foot, the tach, ect while hearing noises, it would help a lot more.

Best I can tell, 'misfire' is my guess, too, but I am not AT ALL confident in saying that. Could be any kind of sensor or throttle malfunction, an exhaust restriction...way too broad a net, basically. Is the CEL on? Is it ever flashing?

You need to describe the SYMPTOM, in detail, as it occurs when you drive it. These recordings kind of blow.

 

[aphex]

looks like she may have died

 

[Arkaign]

looks like she may have died

What?

I wonder if it was the timing chain (if it totally won't run now).

What happened in detail? Maybe we can help you figure it out and save you some $.

If the car is in otherwise good shape and the engine itself is toast, it's probably still worth getting it rebuilt or swapped with a rebuilt/used motor. The 2.0 is also a drop-in and gets good fuel economy as well.

 

[power_hour]

This is why I traded my '04 3 sport w/ 2.3. I didn't trust that 2.3 to live much longer. Car was fun but pretty gutless. Lots of these cars at the junk yard. If body is ok drop in another. I even wonder if the old Protege engine would fit. Keep us posted.

 

[EjBen]

What was the verdict? I am/have been searching for this answer for quite some time now.

 

[Rjunior20]

I know this is old thread but I have a 07 Mazda 3s that started having same sound that's in your audio clip. Has anyone figured out the problem? It has gotten worse over past few weeks and I can't figure out where it's coming from. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[master_shake_]

i've had 2 of those mazda 3's with 2.3's in for the a rattling noise under the hood...

it's not good...rod bearings.

 

[Rjunior20]

No I already blew the motor into pieces and put factory crateltlr back in and noise still there somewhere in the suspension or transmission. There no noise with car in neutral and reved up only under load when accerlating.

Please let this die in peace and start a new thread...

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