Clunking noise during hard cornering in autocross event

I have a 96 Miata with only 39K miles that I bought used a few months
back. I was at an autocross event the past weekend and heard a
clunking noise a few times during my earlier runs during hard
cornering. I didn't notice anything in my later runs, but I wasn't as
jerky in my later runs either. I've also heard this noise in another
autocross earlier in the month. What could be causing this noise? Is
something loose?

Thanks

Check to see if the rear sway bar has shifted in it's bushings and is
hitting something.

"G. Mack" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have a 96 Miata with only 39K miles that I bought used a few months
> back. I was at an autocross event the past weekend and heard a
> clunking noise a few times during my earlier runs during hard
> cornering. I didn't notice anything in my later runs, but I wasn't as
> jerky in my later runs either. I've also heard this noise in another
> autocross earlier in the month. What could be causing this noise? Is
> something loose?
>
> Thanks
>

On Jun 18, 8:45 pm, "G. Mack" > wrote:
> I have a 96 Miata with only 39K miles that I bought used a few months
> back. I was at an autocross event the past weekend and heard a
> clunking noise a few times during my earlier runs during hard
> cornering. I didn't notice anything in my later runs, but I wasn't as
> jerky in my later runs either. I've also heard this noise in another
> autocross earlier in the month. What could be causing this noise? Is
> something loose?
>
> Thanks

Absolutely a sway bar problem (one hopes). One example in Mazda's
category...there was a run of Protege MP3s with messed up sways that
*always* clunked. I would get underneath and torque all that nonsense
down, and see if the noise goes away.

-r0ll

"G. Mack" > wrote:

>I have a 96 Miata with only 39K miles that I bought used a few months
>back. I was at an autocross event the past weekend and heard a
>clunking noise a few times during my earlier runs during hard
>cornering. I didn't notice anything in my later runs, but I wasn't as
>jerky in my later runs either. I've also heard this noise in another
>autocross earlier in the month. What could be causing this noise? Is
>something loose?

Also check whether the exhaust is hitting anything.

Leon
--
Leon van Dommelen Bess, the Miata Bozo, the Miata
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
The only thing better than a white Miata is two white Miatas

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out the sway bar and exhaust
this weekend.

Another related possibility if you get no relief from those excellent
suggestions, would be the possibility that the swaybar got installed w/o the
proper lubricant between it and the bushings. This could cause it to 'grab'
and 'let go' rather abruptly, possibly making a clunk sound. Easy enough to
remove the bars and check if need be.

You might also check torque on your shocks.

Chris
99BBB


"G. Mack" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out the sway bar and exhaust
> this weekend.
>

"G. Mack" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I have a 96 Miata with only 39K miles that I bought used a few months
> back. I was at an autocross event the past weekend and heard a
> clunking noise a few times during my earlier runs during hard
> cornering. I didn't notice anything in my later runs, but I wasn't as
> jerky in my later runs either. I've also heard this noise in another
> autocross earlier in the month. What could be causing this noise? Is
> something loose?

Remove and dispose of all corpses and body parts before beginning autocross
runs.

This is pretty much SOP.

>
> Remove and dispose of all corpses and body parts before beginning
> autocross runs.
>
This is also an excellent suggestion, isn't the newsgroup great! ;-)

Chris
99BBB

"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote in message
...
>
>>
>> Remove and dispose of all corpses and body parts before beginning
>> autocross runs.
>>
> This is also an excellent suggestion, isn't the newsgroup great! ;-)
>

Well, y'know, heads tend to roll around if not secured, and they make this
kind of hollow "thump" noise. It's kind of like putting one of those "icebox
watermelons" in the trunk.

It can be quite annoying.


.... or so I hear.