Miata Mailing List: March 1995, Message #150
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   From: "k.w. tanner" 
Subject: High Beam Squeal solved, and HSD adjustment
   Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 11:18:51 -0500

> I recently noticed that for 10-15 seconds after switching to high beams, I
> frequently have a faint squeal seemingly emanating from the dashboard. 

This noise is given off by your headlight hampster.  Unbeknownst to many
Miataphiles, the headlights are powered by a generator run by a hampster
in a wheel (this saves weight).  When you switch to high beams, the
hampster is given more food, and thus runs faster.  This puts more power
to the lights, and they get brighter.  The reason your hampster is
squealing is that there is some slack in your hampster sustenance
distributor (HSD), and the food is not arriving until 10-15 seconds after
the HSD flap opens.  Your hampster knows the food is coming and runs faster, 
but it squeals in disgust until the food arrives.  Take your car in to a 
certified mechanic and tell him the HSD regulator needs adjusting.
	If you wish higher power headlights, the easiest upgrade is a 
hampster change, or put sugar in with the HSD storage.
	Re the case of the fast white Miata, they need to be faster,
because they spend so much more time getting washed.  Thus the average
speed over time of ownership is equivalent.  Either that or the rabbit in
your red car is lazy, and doesn't want to hop on the treadmill when you
ask.
				Keith Tanner and Baby