Some earlier posts on the "horrible screeching noise", all quite civilized.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=screeching
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=screeching
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=screeching
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=screeching

 

All that said, at some point I didn't remove the oscillator, but did pull the connector to disable it (easier as you don't even need to remove dash ) after I couldn't make the door switches work properly. However I'm used to check my instruments a lot and would immediately notice if a warning light came on, without need for the buzzer. And even if the lights would fail, a drop in oil pressure or raise in water temp would indicate a possible low level coolant and oil. But for those who are not constantly alert of gauges and such the buzzer can save lives, I mean engines.

 

I tried everything I could think of to dry/isolate mine before I finally gave up and removed it. It may add to the risk factor, but I religously watch my gauges and you will still have the idiot lights if anything goes wrong. Perhaps the "correct" thing to do would be replace the oscillator, but I tend to remove whatever doesn't absolutely have to be there anyway. Whatever your opinion on this is, your issue is still most likely related to the oscillator. To confirm this, just unplug it for a minute and see if the incredibly irritating noise goes away. Then plug it back in and correct it the right way if possible. Good luck.

 

Ahh, the classic newbie insult. Ouch! Thanks Jack, you made me laugh.

And trochoid, I overreacted a bit, but realize that my effort to simply give the guy something to investigate immediately became the target of your insult. Disagreement is fine, but I would have responded to a civilized discussion in a civilized manner.

rx7learner, sorry this thread has gotten so crazy. I know that you just want information.

I'll say it again nice and calmly because I think that this may your problem... Take a look at the suggested threads and decide for yourself. Others have given their advice against removing the oscillator. I disagree; it was the best remedy for my very similar buzzing issue.

Try unplugging the thing for a short time and see if your issue goes away. Someone might have mentioned it - it is a roughly 4.5"x1.5"x1.5" black component that is located just fore of the battery. Mine had barely legible white lettering on it identifying it as the oscillator.

If you choose to remove it, do the following and you, like millions of other car owners without buzzers, will have a very high degree of security about the health of your engine.

1. Make sure your oil and cooling systems are in a state of good repair.
2. Regularly check for leaks and proper fluid levels. Perform required maintenance.
3. When driving, use your senses and know your car. Pay attention to unusual noises, smells, vibrations, warning lights, gage readings, etc.

Doesn't sound like rocket science does it? That's because it isn't. People do it every day. I almost can't believe I wrote it up.

Just my opinion. Good luck.

 

Is it not more Ignorant to simply remove or disable a Component rather than properly diagnose and correct the underlying Problem?

(Ignorant, as a Course of Action)

 

Not necessarily. This forum is full of people removing 20+YO, no-longer-functioning things from their car - devising workarounds or totally eliminating them. Do we always fully repair our AC systems, PS systems, emission systems, stock exhausts, heat shields, etc? No, we understand the underlying problems, but we often choose to toss them out in favor of cheaper, lighter, more simplified solutions.

I know, I know, without the buzzer, the future of your engine is in grave danger and so on. But on this one, I happen to side with Kentetsu, above (although after today he might not like me aligning myself with him).

Bottom line on the question of oscillator removal... 1.) find a junk oscillator and potentially have the same issue in the near future, 2.) try to find a new one and if it's even available, spend big bucks to get it, or 3.) eliminate it, maintain your car, and move on.

Again, just my opinion.

 

XLNDRVR, you are redeeming yourself with a more thorough explaination. I personally have never had a problem with a faulty oscillator but I can understand how moisture and corrosion could cause false alarms.

Had you posted your experience in your 1st post, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I look at the warning buzzer as an adjunct to the gauges and none of us would intentionally remove the gauges, so why remove the buzzer? It is there to give us a precursor warning before the gauges do and will quickly get one's attention if they are not carefully monitoring the gauges. I know the buzzer has helped save my 2nd gen when I had that pinhole leak that took forever to find. Everytime I thought I had it fixed, it let me know that I had not.

Notveryhappyjack, while I appreciate you coming to my defense, name calling does not belong in the 1st gen forum. In the past year or so we have achieved a level civility that some of the other sub-forums can only wish they had and I make my best efforts to maintain that civility.

so...., let's all chill, get over it and be happy. Solutions for the buzzer problem have been cussed and discussed, options presented. While I still strongly believe a working oscillator needs to remain in the car, the final choice is up to the owner. I personally make sure mine is operational. I monitor my gauges as best I can, but I'm realistic enough about myself to know that I don't alway check them as often as I could. And fwiw, all of my gauges are aftermarket except the speedo and tach.

 

In my first post, when I originally suggested doing a forum search, I was doing exactly that, referring him to my and others' experiences. Among others, the thread "Fricken buzzer!!!", from over a year ago, notes these experiences. I didn't feel the need to rehash, just to refer.

I completely agree with being civil and treating each other well. No hard feelings, here.

 

Awww let's all have a

 

BTW... Buzzer did not sound after parking in the garage... So as many suggested.... yes moisture related...

 

Yes I think that's why simply unplugging it for a while then plugging it back in can fix the problem. But cleaning it up in the mean time is a good idea. The main thing is unplugging it, after checking all your critical fluid levels, is the right approach to diagnosing the problem and providing a temporary fix so that you can drive the car again. I actually had to quit driving mine for a few weeks, the screech was so bad and I think it did permanent damage to my dog's ears, they still won't get in the car. Glad you got it figured out, hope we were of some help or amusement, at least.

Ray

 

Maybe you should just spray it up with some undercoating to help seal it up? Just a thought...

 

Mine was such a corroded mess inside that I would have been surprised if it actually did anything useful, even after cleaning it out. If you do rehab it, definitely seal it up. If I'd kept mine, I'd have considered relocating it, slightly, to a more accessible place for future access.

 

Here's a quesion about the ocillator. Does it actually make that god awful screech or does it just act as a control switch for some other ugly noise maker that lives up under the dash someplace?

On the couple of occasions that I've had trouble with mine (invariably in wet weather), the screech doesn't seem to be coming from the ocisllator but instead seems to be eminating from up under the dash somewhere. But the screech is so loud and piercing that you can't locate it by ear and I haven't been able to find it by feel reaching around for vibrations.

And here's another question, is the oscilator noise really the same noise as the warning buzzer noise? I don't think so. The buzzer noise, either from leaving the lights on, key in the ignition or overrevving, is actually a civilized, albeit annoying sound. A buzzing sound. The occillator screech is something else that could not possibly have been intentionally designed, a little like someone dragging their finger nails over a very long chalk board, only worse.

From what I've heard, the Mazda enigineers themselves don't really know what the ocilator does, they just put it in to meet import requirements back in the early '80s.

Despite a number of posts on the subject and lot's of suggestions on how to fix it, nobody has explained what it does. Anybody know?

Ray

 

back from the grave, well this problem happend to me again yesterday before work and I took a video, anyone know whats up with my car ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWMffAKa1q0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUk40l9Ibaw

 

Did you try unplugging the oscillator?

 

I don't know what an oscilator is ? I still want the redline buzzer to work, I redline the engine more often then this problem happends

 

You should probably start at the beginning of this thread and read through it. I believe that this information has already been stated, but here you go.

The oscillator does not trigger the redline buzzer.

It is a small black box (looks like a relay) located on the frame in front of the battery, next to the radiator, and has a plug with a few wires going into the bottom of it.

 

The redline buzzer is a unit on the backside of the tach, with a tiny speaker. Unplugging the oscillator should have no effect on the redline buzzer. As to where the oscillator noise emminates from, I don't know and am curious as to it's location myself.