Really bad sound
 

ok so something somewhere in my car is causing it to make this really bad squeaking sound as if you had wet shoes on a basketball court and its not the brakes and i think its coming from the transmission because it gets louder and faster as the rpms climb and after around 4k it goes silent, or after i hit a certain speed. also it only happens at night and i have no idea how to create the sound. any idea on this?

i have a 10th anniversary miata with 90k miles

I really wish that last sentence hadn't have been there.

This is classic speedometer cable whine.

Except that NBs don't have speedometer cables.

Since you said it's not the brakes, I assume that you completely removed all 8 brake pads from the four corners of the car, drove the pistons fully back into the calipers, and went for a test drive with no brakes at all.

Since it only happens at night, and you indicate no correlation to the phase of the moon, I conclude that you are being stalked by a vampire. Garlic-flavored bubble gum is available from several sources, and is generally understood to repel vampires.






(also, replace your alternator belt.)

ok well i assume its not the brakes because it still whines slightly when the car is parked.

hmm not sure about the vampires, could be zombies though

Belts are the first thing to check. After that, I'd assume idler on the timing belt.

Does the sound change if you ride the clutch a little? That's throwout bearing.

The sound will slow down when i ride the clutch but gets louder as i speed up, if i throw the car in neutral and roll for a while it still leaves a faint whistle

So, this squealing sound:

• Changes with RPM, and
• Happens only at night.

Here's a riddle:

What makes a squealing noise under the hood which rises with RPM, is affected by changes in electrical load (such as operating the headlights, which is something I assume you do at night), and is shaped like an alternator belt?

Cat stuck in the pulleys?

A very vocal snake?

Harbor Freight stethoscope.....hit the alternator and water pump.....but I think Joe hit it on the head, check your belt! I will be in Monroe tomorrow afternoon if you want me to have a look see PM me.

BTW, I love my 10AE.....will love it more real soon!

Years ago, a neighbor of mine actually had this happen. Apparently on a cold night, stray cats find a warm engine compartment to be an appealing place to sleep. Unfortunately, as soon as the engine was started, the cat attempted to violate the Pauli exclusion principle by occupying the space between the serpentine belt and one of its pulleys.

This caused the entropy of the cat to increase significantly.