ignition

[Blystan]

Anyone that know how the ignition system are on the V6.
I sudenly got this ticking sound in my engine. Since it came at low and high rpm, i think its pre ignition. Do you think it can be the sensor, registry or whAT?

[maryus]

It could be this famous HLA thick. I just noticed mine has to. I heard people here in the forum, doing an engine flush + adding synthetic oil 5w-30 or 10w-30 or even 0w-30,depends where you live .. it can be something else its just my opinion for now.

[V8KOMX3]

the ticking in 99% of MX-3's is the HLA's not much you can do about it except keep good maintenace on your vehicle. you can do some seaching on HLA and you will get alot of info on it. If you provide more info on where the ticking is located and if you have recently changed anything on your vehicle it could help us in diagnosing as well.

[Blystan]

The ticking sound came wery suddenly and are were high in sound. Its more like an nocking sound. So its either pre ignition (do not know the english word for it) or the bearings in the bottom om the engine. Still pore english.. Hehe.
Thats why I would like to know how my ignition system are. For is it the bearings Ill swap. hehe

[JM1EC-V6]

On a V6, check the friction gear springs (cam gears). The sound will appear near Cyl.1 and or 2 (no.2: just at the left of the ''MAZDA'' valve cover), at the top left of the engine when you pop the hood.


rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr like sound.

[fowljesse]

If you could get or make a stethoscope that you could touch the engine with, you could pinpoint where it's coming from. I know it's not easy, but maybe you happen to have access...
Most likely the HLA's though. Mine started to really concern me, so I put in really thin synthetic oil, and drove very nicely, and it went away for a long time. Try flushing the engine, and running Syn. If it doesn't fix it, you'll have a much cleaner engine. anyway.

[Blystan]

But this knocking sound are so high that I can hear it inside my car (And I have a sports exhuast system, no cat og Greenstuf filter. Lots of noice from the engine (92dB @5000rpm))
I changed the oil for only 3000miles ago. And here in norway it's so cold that the engine have never had thicker oil that 0-50 that 5-40.

In norway we do not call anything in the engine for HLA. And cant find any good explenation on the net.
Are these the valves, the velve sealings, guidense rings or what is it?????

[V8KOMX3]

HLA (hydrolic lash adjuster)

[fowljesse]

Very basically, just after the cam pushes down on the valve to open it, there is a tiny gap as the valve spring pushes the valve closed. The HLA uses oil pressure to keep the gap to a minimum, so that when the lobe comes around again, it doesn't slap it. When it doesn't have enough pressure, usually from gummed up oil, it can't make up that gap, and the cam slaps the valve, causing the noise. As far as I know, this isn't a problem, and is just annoying. It's like pushing a door open quickly with your hand flat against it versus pushing it quickly with your hand starting 3 inches away. You'll hear a slap.

I have a very similar setup as you, plus I took out the sound deadening stuff from under my hood, and the gasket from the rear of the hood, and have Cold Air intake, making my engine pretty loud, and the HLA sound scared me! I thought it would surely throw a valve It's been fine for over 2 years.

If you're really concerned take it to a mechanic, and they'll probably listen with a stethascope for free.

You should flush the engine, though. It would do other good things for it, too.

[Blystan]

Ok. Have bin litening to my engine now and its clearly the valves. When you say flush the engine, do you meen add some stuff to my oil and let it work some houres whit the engine going, og something else? I was thinking about doing that, and if it dos'nt work, to remove my valve covers and clean the hydrolic valve lifters (what vi call it in norway), if its the same thing and se if it helps. If it dos'nt help I just have to open the complete engine and clean it all up..

[94mx3precidia]

Engine flush can actually harm your eninge. If you have high milage or you dont know the history of the maintenence that was done on your car i wouldnt recommend flushing the engine. You see, with neglected or high milage engines the cylinders develop scratches but these scratches become filled with carbon residue thus making the clylinders smooth again. Now if you use that engine flush, all the carbon that is filling in all the scratches in all the cylinders will be cleaned out and you will begin to burn emmense amounts of oil untill those scratches are once again filled.

But if you do know the matenence history and your milage isnt that high i recommend seafoam. That stuff cleans it inside out and you can see the results. Go to youtube.com and type in seafoam youll see what i mean.

This is only my theory about engine flushes and why i would staty away from them. i believe that an engine can never become too full of carbon. I think it eventually reaches and equalibrium.

my .02

[Blystan]

I see your point. But my car is a show car, and I CAN'T have this sound in it. So I just have to flush the engine. And if it uses twice as much oil for the next 10000 miles so be it. And the the engine breaks down because of this, ill just swap to a klze

[fowljesse]

Do a search.


There is a machine that you can have your car hooked up to that will flush it out without it running, and is the BEST way to flush it. Everyone that I've heard of who has done it is happier now. It won't do anything to your cylinders, and you won't have to run anything other than oil in your car.
Searching on this forum usually gets better results to questions from people new to the MX-3 than asking first.