Hello guys,

I posted this message in the Technical Forum, but I guess it might be much easier to get more feedbacks here in australia!

As many of you know that I am a newbie to manual cars, so I am quite inexperience on all the technical problems/ behaviours on manual cars!

I have got about 1600 kms on the clock at the moment, and lately, I've finally tried to drive my car with windows open (at night).... And I've noticed that there is a strange noise... sounds like something is loss (rotating) whenever I take off, but as soon as I give it more gas and release the clutch entirely, that noise is gone.... I cannot be able to hear it with windows close at any circumstances...

Here is how I normally drive...

Give it a bit of gas and release the clutch simultaneously to the friction point and hold the clutch there for a while (1 second or so) to allow a smooth take off... the rev is normally around 1250 to 1500 rpm when I take off

The noise appears after I hold the clutch at the friction point and ends right after I release the clutch entirely... is that normal to all manual cars?

Thanks for all the input guys!

cheers,

richie

 

I can imagine that the US guys wont be of much help with this question, because hardly any of them would fathom driving with open windows, unless they have polar bears in their family ancestry and don't mind icicles forming on their ears.

All joking aside, I have not driven with open windows yet either. Here in WA it's been 30+ C for the last few weeks, and I rather have my air con keep it cool inside, which usually means, windows closed.

I am tempted to give advice to the effect of "what I can't hear can't worry me", but on the other hand, the car should not make any strange noises, ever, period. The best solution is to drive with someone experienced in the passenger seat and ask for their opinion. They will be able to tell you whether it is your way of, erm, getting used to the manual transmission, or whether there is something seriously not right. I sure know that I occasionally make my gearbox make sounds that it is definitely not meant to do, but that's another story altogether.

Why not swing by at the dealership and ask them... there's no shame in not being used to manual transmission. Hell, I've driven manual all my life and I don't know whether I'm particularly good at it.

Obligatory humorous anecdote to finish this post: Today, after exactly three weeks of caning my Z around WA, I was once again about to drive my good ol' Maxima. I took off, thinking, hmm, the Maxima has a nice engine too actually, and when I switched into second gear, my passenger and I were all of a sudden thrown with full force into the seatbelts as the car came to an abrupt halt. What the...?! Yep you guessed right, my Maxima actually has automatic transmission. Whoopsies!

 

Well I am in the US but live in Florida so I have had a chace to drive with the windows done lately but not for much longer.

I also hear a noise right after taekeoff that sounds like pinging or little bell a few times in a row but stops after I get going, I was going to take it in soon for regular maintenance so I will ask if the can check. It sounds like there is something hitting as the driveshaft gets going and stops when it gets up in speed, make sense???

 

Yep I've heard it also, I drive with my window down alot. I think you'll find it's the design of the bell housing and gear box, being all aluminium casings it resonates as the the clutch takes up (bites/engauges). I have also noticed when shifting/changing gears at the higher rpm's (4000 plus)the exhaust also gives out a simular sound (a metallic ring)maybe the same source as the take off sound. To me it all sounds fine I think it's all part of the Z's characteristics.

That's my 2 cents worth.

David

 

David, westpak, pookiebear:

Thanks for all your useful feedback!!! You guys are really helpful and supportive!

Yeah... the noise was like what david and westpak were describing! Once it gets going (when I release the clutch entirely and the noise is gone!)... I will go ask dealer about this matter on Tuesday since I am going to on Tuesday to get the noisy fuel pump replaced under warranty... also will ask them to check out the brake squeal as well! I will keep you guys updated as soon as I have any more info from them!

cheers and thank you guys once again!

richie