Mazdaspeed 6 Front End Noises

[prdracing]

I've been trying to figure out two sounds I'm having that I believe are related. The car is a 2006 MS6 with about 60k on it. All stock steering, brakes, and suspension.

1: A clunking-type sound coming from the front passenger side somewhere. This only happens when the weather is cold, and it goes away after a few minutes (once the engine starts warming up). It cannot be heard when it's warm. It occurs during the application or removal of throttle. My guess was PMM, but it looks intact and all the bolts are tight.

2: There is a constant sound from the front passenger side that sounds like a tire rubbing. I guess it's like a low frequency humming kind of sound that is almost non-existent in a straight line or when the car is turned right. When I even move the wheel a slight amount to make the car move left (even a gradual lane change), the sound gets a lot louder. I have checked for wheel bearing tolerance and it doesn't seem to have any play. I had the car at the dealer for a freebie oil change and they did a free alignment check and supposedly inspected all the steering and sspension components in the front end and found everything to be in spec, so they didn't have any input except a shoulder shrug. And the tire sidewalls (inner and outer) don't seem to show any symptoms of rubbing on anything.

Both of these sounds drive me nuts . Can anyone offer some input?

[oh_yeams6]

Search for some more info, but:

1. Passenger Motor Mount (see my thread for a cheap replacement and how to diagnose)
2. Most likely a wheel bearing (again, see my thread for details) - this can become dangerous if left

[IamJamen]

My MS6 has been making sound numero uno since I purchased the slut @38K. 10K later and it still makes the noise despite me hoping it would just magically mute itself.

[prdracing]

My first thought was wheel bearing for the sound #2 as well, but it has no noticeable play when tested. Plus, the sound is more of a rubbing sound and not so much of the typical wheel bearing gritty kind of sound. The tech said his basic inspection of the wheel bearing came up clean as well. As he so aptly stated: "yeah it could be the bearing, but I don't think it is. It's your car though, you can start just throwing money at it if you want...". Gee, thanks for the insight.

[Final Impact]

^^ in the early stages of bearing failure you can't feel or see any radial free play so now its based upon sound when loaded. When it gets to point of having play its going be VERY LOUD and likely cause wheel sensor errors.

Example; lets say the right front is going bad. While going straight you hear a hum, you turn right and nothing really changes, but when you steer left, weight shifts to the right front and you hear a hum or a growl get louder. That says something is up in the right front.

Next bearing test; which is best performed on a four post lift with rails up and down the center so the car can be lifted by the lower control arms.
REMOVE all four wheels blocking the suspension such that the control arms take the weight so as to load the suspension. NOT doing so, leaves the CV joints are sharp angles and induces extra noise which is not normally present. THIS IS DANGEROUS, REQUIRES AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE; One with a stethoscope and one in the car. place the car in LOW or 2nd and obtain a speed of about 30 mph. Using a stethoscope carefully probe each of the wheel bearings. Probe differential housing to eliminate other sounds.

The good: you have a stethoscope and can hear well. The bad: there is no load so the bearing will not be as noisy.

** BE CAREFUL ** Keep the speeds as low as possible so as not vibrate the car off the lift. OR replace the suspect bearing if the road test makes the noise more audible.

[6xer]

Originally Posted by prdracing

I've been trying to figure out two sounds I'm having that I believe are related. The car is a 2006 MS6 with about 60k on it. All stock steering, brakes, and suspension.

1: A clunking-type sound coming from the front passenger side somewhere. This only happens when the weather is cold, and it goes away after a few minutes (once the engine starts warming up). It cannot be heard when it's warm. It occurs during the application or removal of throttle. My guess was PMM, but it looks intact and all the bolts are tight.

2: There is a constant sound from the front passenger side that sounds like a tire rubbing. I guess it's like a low frequency humming kind of sound that is almost non-existent in a straight line or when the car is turned right. When I even move the wheel a slight amount to make the car move left (even a gradual lane change), the sound gets a lot louder. I have checked for wheel bearing tolerance and it doesn't seem to have any play. I had the car at the dealer for a freebie oil change and they did a free alignment check and supposedly inspected all the steering and sspension components in the front end and found everything to be in spec, so they didn't have any input except a shoulder shrug. And the tire sidewalls (inner and outer) don't seem to show any symptoms of rubbing on anything.

Both of these sounds drive me nuts . Can anyone offer some input?

For the 1st problem I have this same damn thing. I replaced my RMM due to people on the forums. And it's still there. Some said the pass MM and to feel if the fluid was still in it. And it's still full.
My next thing is to replace the PMM and go from there.

[oh_yeams6]

Agree, wheel bearings will not show play when bad, stethoscope to the hubs with all 4 wheels off the ground/ car in 1st gear spinning is how to check.

PMM has failed without the gel pack breaking. If the rod moves like in the video I uploaded, it has failed. I have not heard of a single person who has ha the gel break, even on high HP cars

[zoomspeed91]

I agree with everyone else on the wheel bearings being the cause of the situation, I just had my front passenger replaced and it was making the same exact sounds you're talking about. Have someone else look at it since you can only use the "tire" test when the bearing is in its last stages before it fails. It only was gonna cost me around $120 for them to install but since I just bought the car from them they did it for free. I get the general consensus that the bearings on these cars go out around 60-80K or sooner. The sound went away immediately after the install.

[djmarkian]

If you guys have searched way back, a lot of MS6 owners have had this issue. It's the passenger side engine mount. It only happens when the car is cold and goes away as the car warms up. You may not see a leak but it is broken, you can check if the bolts are tight as you want, but you will never know it's the mount. Many have asked this question and this is what I have experienced and told them.

As for the humming sound, check the wheel bearings or the shock mounts. The shock mount may have worned out and it's transferring road noise into the car. It could also be the hub/bearing...

[highwayrun]

Originally Posted by djmarkian

If you guys have searched way back, a lot of MS6 owners have had this issue. It's the passenger side engine mount. It only happens when the car is cold and goes away as the car warms up. You may not see a leak but it is broken, you can check if the bolts are tight as you want, but you will never know it's the mount.

Yup, this is true. Mine had no leak at all, but it was toast.