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View Full Version : Ticking Valve Lifters on my Miata? Should I buy new ones?



mx54life
03-07-2014, 09:23 AM
So I gave her a good warm up last night as we are going on a 4 day vacation and the stupid lifters made some irritating ticking noise again but this time it did not go away. I am convinced that I should replace them now as I have thoroughly cleaned them last time. The least price I've seen are in Ebay.

1. Are they any good, anybody here have personal experience with them?

2. Does 1.6 and 1.8 lifters the same?

3. They are listed for different cars including Kia's??? I'm still new to miatas, am I missing something here?

4. Of should I just buy a rebuild/remanufactured 1999 head?

Sorry I can't stand ticking noise.

Thanks

Phatmiata
03-07-2014, 09:33 AM
The lifters always make that noise if your oil is overdue for a change, or if the engine is cold. You can try using a thicker viscosity oil, but honestly that noise will most likely always be there with the older NA cars.

mx54life
03-07-2014, 09:39 AM
The lifters always make that noise if your oil is overdue for a change, or if the engine is cold. You can try using a thicker viscosity oil, but honestly that noise will most likely always be there with the older NA cars.

Even with new lifters? It was so nice without the ticks lol.

Phatmiata
03-07-2014, 09:44 AM
how many miles are on the engine? I generally stay out of the engine unless it needs something serious.

mx54life
03-07-2014, 09:52 AM
how many miles are on the engine? I generally stay out of the engine unless it needs something serious.

80K and I will not stay out coz' the last time I stayed out I sold my S2000 for a very small mechanical problem Lol. Hence the name.....MX54life

Ticking sound is serious especially when you start the car in an underground parking.....

kung fu jesus
03-07-2014, 11:35 AM
So I gave her a good warm up last night as we are going on a 4 day vacation and the stupid lifters made some irritating ticking noise again but this time it did not go away. I am convinced that I should replace them now as I have thoroughly cleaned them last time. The least price I've seen are in Ebay.

1. Are they any good, anybody here have personal experience with them?

2. Does 1.6 and 1.8 lifters the same?

3. They are listed for different cars including Kia's??? I'm still new to miatas, am I missing something here?

4. Of should I just buy a rebuild/remanufactured 1999 head?

Sorry I can't stand ticking noise.

Thanks


Should still be good. They will be worse after sitting a while, or if the oil is low/needs changing. What oil and weight do you use?

HLAs were the same, between 1.6 and 1.8 (B6 and BP respectively). Somewhere in 95 or 96 the HLAs came with a large oil hole, which is now the one used across the board, I believe (succeeding design).

Kia uses (used) Mazda BPs for quite a while, inlding a stroked 2.0 which some people use for stroking their BP Miatas.

jux
03-07-2014, 11:40 AM
There is a Kia lifter that's the same, though much less expensive. If you want to replace 'em, have at it. Is try thicker oil first. I've heard of a very few Miatas that like as high as 20w50. Ugh

For a nice, permanent fix, swap to the NB top end. Better flow and no ticks ever.

Rogue
03-07-2014, 12:24 PM
Make sure you are using a good filter too….I use a WIX/Napa Gold 51356.

I had a customer call with the tic…suggested an oil change with a WIX.
He comes out to the shop pissed off, because its still ticking…..I spun his cheapo Jiffy filter off and put a Wix356 and no tic.
all he could say was "I Be Gotdamn".
I have run up to 20w50, but never had a tic issue unless I needed an oil change.

ibid
03-07-2014, 01:35 PM
After a rebuild on our former 1.6, the lifters made a ton of noise until they settled in (just how it is with a fresh new engine build). And the Miata we just bought sat for about a year or 2 not being started so we had lifter noise for about 7-8 minutes and then it settled down to getting quiet.

We also notice lifter noise at the track (1st start up after parking hot) that lasts less than a minute or so (just part of the 1.6 Miata sounds).

My concern would be if the lifter noise gets louder and never going away... then I'd be looking more into replacement, but until that happens (constant really loud noise), you are fine IMHO

isleeptill12
03-15-2014, 12:38 AM
If the car has been sitting for a while, the oil might have drained out of the lifters.

This happened to me while replacing the timing belt on my '91. I freaked out, thinking I developed rod knock or some other engine problem, as the ticking was very loud. After I did some research online, it seems like this is a common issue. Only thing is you need to drive the car around for about 10-15 minutes to pump the lifters full of oil. Just having the car sit and idle won't fix the problem.

Hope it helps!

BoBo
03-15-2014, 03:08 AM
That ticking is normal for the early models. It usually happens on start up or if you are low on oil. You can disassemble and clean the lifters and that would take care of the noise. Some times switching to thicker or thinner oil does the trick for a bit. I had that ticking noise on my early 1.6 and current 1.8 and it sucks.

vampireboy
03-15-2014, 04:10 AM
my advice from personal experience, the noise wont go away if you just get new parts or remanufactured parts.
i use oil additive something like the bg products ,http://www.bgprod.com/catalog/engine/bg-moa/#bg-product-1
this is not exactly what i use , i cant remember the name i get it from my buddys oil supplier.
or just look for an oil additive with detergents in it.
it did the job for me engine runs smooth. you do have to add it every oil change though.
hope this helps

riefdaddy
03-15-2014, 07:00 AM
Do an oil change and replace with Shell Rotella T6 5w40 synthetic oil. It has been known for many to resolve the ticking lifters, due to the detergents in it. I know it worked on mine. I won't use another oil anymore with my Miata.

mx54life
03-15-2014, 01:47 PM
Thank you again guys. Yes I just did an oil change and voila the stupid ticks are gone.

ibid
03-15-2014, 04:28 PM
YAY! Glad to hear it!

WASABI
03-15-2014, 05:00 PM
Thank you again guys. Yes I just did an oil change and voila the stupid ticks are gone.

I might add, that a tank or two of injector cleaner, and taking her to the redline a couple of times a week seem to work for me to! Glad you got it fixed.

theothersawyer
03-17-2014, 07:32 PM
I take mine to redline every time I take the car out, but it still ticks! It's just a Miata thing! I'm used to it by now though!