Noise when turning at low speeds! Help!

[SpeedMak]

So for a short time now I've been hearing a noise when I turn either elect or right at low speeds; usually from take off or even say turning into the timmies drive thru bend. I had taken the. At into Erin Mills Mazda last year and I was told that it was due to the car needing an alignment. So I did the alignment. The noise was still there so I was told it was tires. I waited for winter and put the winter tires on and heaven behold the noise was still there. Can anyone guess what I was told then? Yep! Now it was because of the winters. Well, winters are gone and now I I just mounted balanced and install a set of brand new tires and the sound is still there! It's driving me INSANE!!!!! I have no clue what it can be. I want to lower the car this week, but the last thing I want is the dealer to turnaround and now tell me it's a result of the lowering of the vehicle.

The noise kinda sounds like my car is moaning a "wah wah wah wah". Best way I could describe a noise with words instead of just saying a moan.

Has anyone experienced this sound? If anyone. An shed some light it would be a great help!!

[SpeedMak]

BTW. Forgot to say its a 2010 MazdaSpeed 3

[rzapata]

Did you recently change your tranny fluid? If it's a hum..hum..hum sound while turning but, goes away, it's the LSD..

[SpeedMak]

I've had the fluid change twice in about 35k. The first time at about 18k and that was because I was having a hard shift between 3rd and 4th. John at Buddsmazda' wa able to help me with it under warranty. The second time was when it went back in for the same issue and they're placed some internals in the trams as there was some sort of a service bulletin. I was reading online that LSD transmissions require some sort of an additive. I'm not completely certain that this will fix the issue but I agree with you that it seems to have something to do with the LSD.

It is a kind of hum hum hum. It's driving me up the bend! It really only started happening a short while after the first trams fluid change from what I can remember. But I have. Bad memory. Lol.

[rzapata]

Yes, the tranny fluid needed a friction modifier (if not OEM).. Don't know for sure what that was, Elusivellama knows what that is.. However, if they used OEM fluid, I don't see a reason why the LSD will whine.

So, does the whine go away after the car had warmed up?

[SpeedMak]

No. Hot or cold. The noise is there but only when I take up from stop and turn at the wheel at te same time. It's pretty loud in the cabin. Don't know about standing outside. Doesn't happen at driving speed. Only when you take off say at parking lot speeds.

[rzapata]

Yup, sounds like what an aftermarket tranny fluid will do. Do you feel any difference in shifting now? If the tranny's been fixed before, I would assume that it's working fine now and that there's no damage or anything. but yeah, it does point to the fluid used.

Check out these 2 links. Good for some background reading about our transmission.

LINK 1 (http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/f10/transmission-cured-45288/)

LINK 2 (http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/f10/friction-modifier-45470/)

[SpeedMak]

Yes. I'm gonna do this. Andrew the parts manager at Budds' Mazda has suggested the same thin to me. Do you believe that I still should add a friction modifier with this oil?

[Elusivellama]

The friction modifier is Ford XL3, it comes in a small 6 oz bottle and stinks like fish oil. I changed my transmission fluid to Ford XT-M5-QS 75W-90 synthetic but I did not use the friction modifier. Yes, I have the LSD whine when turning at parking lot speeds (and only when turning completely to the left or right) but it doesn't bother me anymore. From what I've been reading on mazdaspeedforums.org (known around here as msf) people are divided on the friction modifier. Some people add half a bottle or more, some don't use it because they think it damages the synchros on our car (see below)


this is actually normal LSD whine. the reason you have it is because you didn't add friction modifier to the fomoco fluid. it's fine. many of us have run like this for years, and it's never been an issue. it should lessen when the trans gets up the temp and whine its loudest when it's cold.

this happens because our trans fluid is used to lube both the gears and the LSD. the tricky part is that if you make it go away by adding friction modifier, the fluid will become too slippery, and your synchros won't grip tightly enough when you shift, and then you go back to the grinding 3rd gear crap that caused you to change trans fluid in the first place...

[rzapata]

Well, I have it in my car now, without any friction modifier. There's a slight whine whenever I take off while the wheel is turned but it's liveable and not really loud. I would stay away from the friction modifier as apparently, it can render the fluid almost useless and not perform to what it's suppose to be. Don't know exactly how it does that, will have to look into the properties of the stuff and how it reacts with the fluid if I somehow manage to gather energy to do that. :chuckle

And +1 to what Elusivellama said above. :)

[BIRDFLU]

I usually just turn the volume up and the sound goes away.

[Kris"Speed3"CWP]

I have 2010 and John at budds had fluid replaced under warranty with my Amsoil instead of the Mazda synthetic to resolve 2-3rd issue solved all problems. I have Lower transmission mount and only when that was put on did I get the humm. Ford friction modifier will solve noise, this is ford power train including tranny. Noise Does not bother me but good luck.

[horto]

The friction modifier is Ford XL3, it comes in a small 6 oz bottle and stinks like fish oil. I changed my transmission fluid to Ford XT-M5-QS 75W-90 synthetic but I did not use the friction modifier. Yes, I have the LSD whine when turning at parking lot speeds...

Oh, shit. I thought the XT-M5-QS was magic unicorn piss that would eliminate LSD whine (without friction modifiers required!), as compared to my existing whiny Red Line fluid. At least, that was my understanding based on previous research...

[rzapata]

Oh, shit. I thought the XT-M5-QS was magic unicorn piss that would eliminate LSD whine (without friction modifiers required!), as compared to my existing whiny Red Line fluid. At least, that was my understanding based on previous research...

The whining is not that bad though.. It's just when the wheel is turned. It's not like you'll be able to hear it from 10ft away. Just inside the cabin..