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I need some tips on how to shut my ticking up under the hood. I was due for an oil change so I got that done yesterday but it didn't help. I know why it's ticking but i'd like to know how often this happens with MX3 (standard 4)and what's been done in the past to shut it up. I'll get it fixed eventually but right now I'm short on cash... thanks

Mazda's official cure was to use lighter oil (5w30 if I remember correctly). Personally, I found using heavier (Mobil 1 15w50) worked great (in warmer months). The ticking on mine came and went, I would go months without it, and go days with it.

The ultimate cure is to replace the HLA's. Its incredibly expensive to have someone do it, you can do it yourself if you have the inclination to save yourself the labor charges, but the parts themselves are super expensive too. If you're not using 5w30, try it. If you already are, then fire up your wallet, its going to be smokin' by the time you get done.

thanks for the response... I got 10W-40 put in. My engine does the same thing can go a month w/o ticking then boom it's ticking again. Right now it just seemed to have gotten louder.

Ah! I know this one..the mazda "noisy lifters" issue. Happenned with my mom's MPV. She got of fixed by adding something into the fuel...let me see....damn, I'll call her and ask.

It is a pretty simple something to add to the fuel that makes it go away for a while.

Originally posted by chadiator:
thanks for the response... I got 10W-40 put in. My engine does the same thing can go a month w/o ticking then boom it's ticking again. Right now it just seemed to have gotten louder.

hey dont use that oil in your mx3 engine dude, thats for high compression engines 10.5:1 and up and isnt ment for import engines. use lighter oil 5w

I thought I read somewhere that we could use the solid lifters from the Miata that eliminate the noise.
I'll look around and see if I can find and post it here.

Mine has done the same thing, usually because it was a little low on oil. Now, another engine does it all the time. I have Lucas Oil Stabilizer with Mobil1 synthetic 10W30, and the ticking is nuts, goes away now and then, but always comes back. I thought it may be the lighter synthetic oil not getting/keeping the upper end lubricated. I can't help you, but I have a similar problem. Let us know what can fix this up!

the car manual says to use only 5w30 in cold weather... 10w30 in normal to hot weather?

yah, HLA noise is a notorious early-mid 90's problem in all mazda engines. My KLZE has crappy tapping too.

I was reading a thread on probetalk about how you can remove your HLA's and clean them with kerosene (leave them in a vat of it for a couple of days) to clean the crap out of the passages. And you are supposed to "bleed" the air out of the HLA too so it fully pumps up. After doing that, there isn't a noise, but some ppl on PT said that air will still get in there and cause the ticking no matter what.


You guys with BP's can get the miata solid lifters from mazda direct. A full set costs about 220 dollars and will also allow you to rev your engine higher (about 7900 as opposed to 7000 stock limit). They are great if you have a camshaft or something that affects the powerband.

yeah mine does the same thing, it will and then it wont i get ragged on for it but then again i just take them to the "track" in wax them its funny because as they see an MX go by them but i think i will try the oil thing thanks

MY k8 taps alot..i guess its normal? its freom the rear head, anywho as for the 4 cyl engine. My 1.8 was ticking alot. The timing belt snapped so I had to rebuild the head for around 120 dlls. The ticking went away. They told me it was the lifters and valve springs. but now the engine sounds like new. to bad I broke a vacum line by accident under the intake but it drives fine. it purrs. Oh the dealership wanted 1200 to rebuild the head..HA they full of it. o.0

why you guys keep saying that you can't rev over 7000?
I can go as high as I want
1.6 sohc

cuz theres a revlimiter i know this cuz i wanted to see....Dont worry the b6t will be in really really really soon