seven1997

iTrader: (2)

Anyone got an audio of cabin road noise for a stock FD? Mine is a stock 94 with only the Cheap Bastard air box mod. I have never road in another FD so I was just wondering if they all have the same insane cabin road noise mine seems to have! I only drive it about 500 to 600 miles a year but the cabin noise drives me nuts, have to turn the radio way up and when talking to a passenger it seems like we are yelling at each other!

Are the FD none for its bad cabin noise?

HiWire

It shouldn't be that deafening. Are you driving on dirt roads? I would suspect something is wrong – either with your tires or your suspension. I'm assuming you mean noise from the road and not the engine bay or exhaust, for example.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

Some tires are really load. I would look at that first.

SA3R

My FD was stock when I first got it, and yes, the road noise in the FDs can be elevated over what you would find in other cars. My other daily driver car at the time was a 2001 BMW E39 M5 sedan. The M5 was so soft and wallowy and quiet compared to the stock FD.

I think people forget that the cabin size in the FD (in cubic feet) is very small compared to other cars, and they sit so low to the ground, you really get all the road noise from being in a small enclosed space, sitting just off the road surface.

Also coupled with the fact that Mazda did not use very much sound deadening tar/matting in the FD, in an effort to reduce weight as much as humanly possible (they even went to the aluminum hood and drilled aluminum pedals to get as much weight out as they could).

All this adds up to heaps more road noise compared to modern cars which are heavy and bloated with modern electronic systems and sound deadened to the hilt in order to give a nice plush quiet ride.
The FD has none of that.

seven1997

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the replies!
I guess it could be the tires, the noise seems to change on different road surfaces. I did jack the car up and checked 12 and 6 Oclock for wheel movement but didn't seem to detect any. Also let tires spin in gear when jacked up but didn't hear any abnormal noises. I do have a lot of slop when letting out the clutch which I can't tell if it is from the trans or differential.
I put new tires on the car when I purchased it and drove it from California for the 900+ mile trip home so I have never had any different tires on it since I have owned it.
Tires are Goodyear FIERCE INSTINCT VR .

BLUE TII

iTrader: (9)

I do have a lot of slop when letting out the clutch which I can't tell if it is from the trans or differential.

There you go!

Very common on FD is broken motor mounts and or broken Power Plant Frame where it mounts to the front of the differential. Somewhat less common is broken rear differential mounts.

One of the aluminum driveline tunnel braces passes through the PPF with close tolerance, so when an engine mount goes out or the power plant frame cracks around the mounting holes to the differential or the rear differential bushings go out-
the PPF rubs on the aluminum brace and transmits a racket of noise into the chassis from the rear end/ tires.

I would check out engine mounts, the PPF where it mounts to the differential and the rear differential mounts as well as looking at the aluminum brace I mention to see if it has been rubbing on the PPF.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

I agree, check the stuff Blue TII mentioned. But if your tires are 14 yrs old as you're join date suggests, you need new tires regardless of tread left. They're likely as hard as honeymoon groom and causing some of that noise too. Not to mention safety.

HiWire

Tire rubber gets old no matter what mileage... I learned that the hard way. I wouldn't keep tires older than 5-6 years on my car now.