Hey guys I'm an apprentice tech and I've been doing alot of work on my car lately. About 4 months ago I started hearing a grinding noise on the front driver side of my car, I diagnossed it and changed the wheel barring. The noise went away but not too long after came back so I changed the tie rod and the lower ball joint as they needed to be replaced anyway, the noise quieted but returned in full force a couple days later. Not only is it driving me nutz It's embarassing. My teachers cant pin point it either, we lifted the wheels and put it in gear but the noise only comes about when there is weight on the suspension. PLEASE PLEASE can someone help me OUT!!! if you can send a response to my inbox, thanks alot.

 

Hi!
I've had a similar problem with my MX3. I've heard a rattle/grinding noise from the front right side of the car. After changing the tie rod ends, the lower ball joints and the complete right cv axle, I've found that the O ring inside the left hand side CV joint which keeps the CV axle in was broken. It only had a noise when I was accelerating in a left turn and it took a month to find it out but since I've replaced the ring there are no problems.
Regards
Norb

There is a new mx3 page with some guides and instructions it might help:
mazda-mx-3.info

 

Hopefully qattman had the solution for you. If not, I would just double check in the engine bay and wheel well that there is no pieces of plastic covers/guards that are rubbing causing the sound, if it keeps coming back it sounds like you move the offender everytime you work on it, and it slowly moves back into place, causing the noise.