ticking noise! Pleas Help

[brealmp3]

Well tonight I noticed this ticking noise coming from under the hood. It does not do it at idle but once I hit like 2500 rpms it gets where you can hear it and then stays fairly loud till like 3500 but after that if you continue to accelerate it dies down. I checked the oil and I was a little low so I threw a quart in there but it does not seem to help and the oil is still golden brown. Do you think this could be a rod bearing? The acceleration seems to be fine and the car runs like normal but only with this damn ticking noise. Or could this be the throw-out bearing in the clutch?

Thanks for any help!

[CasopoliS]

Its your engine about to go BOOM. All our engines are ticking man....

haha but sorry, I have never had a ticking issue so I can't help

[Captain KRM P5]

my engine has had valve tick to a minor degree for some time now, most four bangers i know have some degree of tick

[brealmp3]

yea i well i'm gonna run it by the shop in the am to see what he thinks! cause my package finally arrived from beau yesterday and i don't need this going on now.

[Static03]

Do you use premium gasoline? or plus? it sounds like your engine is knocking...

or maybe you threw a rod, are you noticing performance loss?

[solid_snake]

Do you use premium gasoline? or plus? it sounds like your engine is knocking...

or maybe you threw a rod, are you noticing performance loss?



Mine does it too, as the prices of gas went up, i started filling the tank with medium grade gas and is doing that sound, it started when I started using cheaper fuel. It sounds like a bolt or something is in the combustion chambers

[brealmp3]

no problems with performance. I ran it by the shop i usually goto and he listened to it and said it sounded like a valve. so i am going by on wed and we are gonna pull my valve cover off and see what is going on. but when you listen to it, it you can hear it coming from the top of the motor which is something of a good thing instead of coming from the bottom end.

[brealmp3]

my engine has had valve tick to a minor degree for some time now, most four bangers i know have some degree of tick


well i guess i should just go ahead and do that v12 swap i've been thinking about! Ken do you think you could help me out with that? lol

[Captain KRM P5]

well i guess i should just go ahead and do that v12 swap i've been thinking about! Ken do you think you could help me out with that? lol

you thinking Aston Martin, maybe the Cadillac Northstar they have in the works :D lol

[brealmp3]

well if i'm gonna go i'm gonna go big! well in that case i should just call McClaren and tell them to ship me a swap overnight!

[brealmp3]

but ken is your ticking noise abnormally loud? or is somewhat quiet?

[Static03]

If you wanted a McLaren engine, you'd contact BMW as its an MPOWER engine, also its a v12, so you'd never get it in there lol

Solid Snake:
You use higher grade fuel? and your knocking started when you went down to regular? truth is you shouldnt ever put premium into a stock car with a low compression engine like ours. I recomend going back to higher octane if thats what you used befor, you got your car used to it, now you gotta stick with it.
http://www.fast-autos.net/mclaren/f12.jpg
http://www.fast-autos.net/mclaren/f115.jpg

[solid_snake]

If you wanted a McLaren engine, you'd contact BMW as its an MPOWER engine, also its a v12, so you'd never get it in there lol

Solid Snake:
You use higher grade fuel? and your knocking started when you went down to regular? truth is you shouldnt ever put premium into a stock car with a low compression engine like ours. I recomend going back to higher octane if thats what you used befor, you got your car used to it, now you gotta stick with it.
http://www.fast-autos.net/mclaren/f12.jpg
http://www.fast-autos.net/mclaren/f115.jpg



ok, thanks

[Static03]

No problem, but you can always go to an auto parts store and buy a fuel treatment that helps to reduce engine knocking

[brealmp3]

anyone know what something like this cost to repair?

[Static03]

If i remember, you said your mechanic thinks its a valve? well if you have a shot valve * i have no idea how you would go about doing that, i would guess its not cheep to replace, but i couldnt even give you a ballpark figure. Sorry.

[brealmp3]

well i've talked to several people, friends and people and at shops and most say that i just need to have it adjusted! but i guess we will find out wed morning.

[Static03]

Let me know what it is and how much it costs to fix, ive never dealt with f-ed up valves befor, not in the way you describe it.

[brealmp3]

yea once i get this fixed i will update with what the problem was and how we fixed it and what it costed.

[OrngSpd03]

Mine does it too, as the prices of gas went up, i started filling the tank with medium grade gas and is doing that sound, it started when I started using cheaper fuel. It sounds like a bolt or something is in the combustion chambers

Mazda says use premium fuel for a reason.

[J dragon]

No problem, but you can always go to an auto parts store and buy a fuel treatment that helps to reduce engine knocking


best advice right there...fuel injector works wonders, I have the same problem, i think that's just how Mazda's engine is, I thought Mazda's took 87 and that's it

[charles]

How many miles are on your engine?

The valve lash needs to be adjusted periodically.

[charles]

best advice right there...fuel injector works wonders, I have the same problem, i think that's just how Mazda's engine is, I thought Mazda's took 87 and that's it
Most are fine with 87, but the MP3 ECU has a more aggressive timing curve, that is part of why it makes 140HP instead of 130.

[brealmp3]

well i have the p5 ecu in there.

i have just a lil over 80,000 <---- sucks living out in the country and having to commute!

[simdrew]

I have the same issue. I had just replaced a spun rod bearing and this sound came around after 100 miles. I'm not sure if the bearing is messed up again, or if it is the valves. Is it a ticking noise or tinking noise? I'm just taking it easy and seeing how long my car will last. The stealership wants $3,000 to fix a rod bearing around here.

[mazpro]

I used to have that ticking noice, took it to a guy that works in like tires plus or something and asked him if it was a valve, so he goes on the computer and tells me that my car does NOT have valves, I was like what are you smoking and told him thanks and left.

I started using 93 and it stoped, but I can hear it on really low RPMs, like going in 5th gear at 30 MPH, then I hear it. try using some injector cleaner and start using 93 gas. just my $0.02

[flat_black]

You may have a bent valve, but pulling the head will show if that's the case. Either way, checking the valve to shim clearance never hurts. It should be .010" (10 thousandths) to .011, according to the FSM. Reshimming a head is inexpensive, so hope that it's that. Hehe. A bent valve is a little pricier.

The stock engine sits very close to detonation anyway, for some reason. I'm running 93 octane Sunoco gas, and have been since I've had the MP3 ECU in the car, and have had no issues with detonation since, thank goodness. Just make sure you're using the proper gas for your car.

[brealmp3]

well after it sat at the shop for about a week and a half it still ticks. it went from a valve to maybe a rod bearing then they said they looked into that and neither was the case. so then he said it could be a wrist pin. so now it has sat for a few days in the same spot i will be taking it to another shop in the area to get this fixed so i can install the turbo kit

[simdrew]

I have the same issue. I had just replaced a spun rod bearing and this sound came around after 100 miles. I'm not sure if the bearing is messed up again, or if it is the valves. Is it a ticking noise or tinking noise? I'm just taking it easy and seeing how long my car will last. The stealership wants $3,000 to fix a rod bearing around here.

Well, after 2,300 miles, my car died again. I had only replaced the rod bearings when I should have taken out the whole crank shaft and remachined it. I might be shopping for a new engine at this point.

[BaD_HeX]

My N/A protege likes to tick at idle ever since I put in the cold air intake. It only happens when it's warmed up and at idle. If I give it any gas it goes away right away, but as soon as I let off it comes back.

It only happens sometimes at idle though and I really gotta listen to hear it. At first I thought the intake was rubbing, but after adjusting it the noise was still there. Even when holding the intake in place...

[sampson]

well after it sat at the shop for about a week and a half it still ticks. it went from a valve to maybe a rod bearing then they said they looked into that and neither was the case. so then he said it could be a wrist pin. so now it has sat for a few days in the same spot i will be taking it to another shop in the area to get this fixed so i can install the turbo kit

your problem sounds just like mine. i had to have my dealership do a teardown of my engine from the bottom up to find the problem. turns out they didnt have to go far. when the removed the oil pan there was a ton of metal in it. it was soft so we knew it was from a bearing. i had a spun crank bearing. my extended warranty covered it (thankfully). they just went ahead and replaced the whole engine. the warranty people wanted to just get a used engine from another car instead of putting in a crank kit (which was fine with me). i went from an engine that used to have a turbo to an engine that has never seen a turbo. problem solved (along with a hefty bill my warranty paid for).

[brealmp3]

no this doesn't start until about 2500 and will do it all the way up till about 3500. but if i'm on the gas it goes away and at high rpms it doesn't do it!

[sampson]

you must have seen my posts before where i gave a more detailed desciption of my problem. you responded ike you had read it before. your description still sounds similar.

[brealmp3]

well i have no warranty so who knows what i'll get hit over the head with! but i'm suppose to drop it off monday at another shop.. i just hate it cause the sound is so damn embarassing.

[sampson]

i felt the same way!!! i hate any odd noises coming from my vehicles, especially the one i spend the most time in.

[brealmp3]

well i noticed two more things that maybe could help discover what causes the tick! i've noticed that it doesn't do it until the engine warms up and that i also seem to burning a little more fuel than i used to! but i don't know if that helps at all

[sampson]

mine would not do it within the first couple minutes of a new oil change. but it returned very quickly. i dont have to worry about that now though. good luck getting it fixed.

[solid_snake]

i had that ticking problem, but it only happenned when i used lower grade fuel(regular or mid-grade), also, my car burns too much fuel for a 1.6 4 cylinder engine

BTW it can be heared only at 3000+ RPM

[sampson]

i dont think my fuel consumption was affected.

[MikesPro5]

I had the same issue but a lot worse. i lost crazy power. stop drivein the car man, addin oil dont do squat. i just dropped my beast off at mazda, so ill let u kno how much it cost when i get da call tomorrow. but above all...DONT DRIVE NEMORE..im tellin u

[solid_snake]

it's like my car only likes Premium Grade fuel, lol

[brealmp3]

well i've taken it to another shop and they went through the head and everything looks good there so i went and got a whole new complete set of rod bearings at NAPA for only like $25 and i am taking it back on monday and he is gonna tear the bottom end apart and he said for him to do that and put in the new bearings it would be like $60 for labor! so hopefully that will be the end of this, but if not and the problem is a wrist pin then I will be getting in touch with Beau for a set of his new rods and maybe for some pistons! and I will go from there. but I will keep this updated..

[simdrew]

new bearings it would be like $60 for labor!

Does he know you have to go through the trouble of pulling off the transmission to get at two stupid bolts hidden by the bell housing?

[brealmp3]

no not yet but i will tell him!!

[brealmp3]

well i tore up rod bearing #3 but i didn't do any damage to the crank!! so hopefully my car will back up and running for less than a hundred bucks! but does anyone know the torque spec's on the rod bolts?

[dwsscs]

I had a weird problem that ticked like this. This probably does not apply to this one, but interesting to check. I had one of the original spark plugs work itself loose and it ticked like you describe. I could see the plug wire going up and down with the tick. So a few minutes later my tick was gone.

Funny part is this was the original plug straight from the factory with about 15K on it at the time. I had never heard of this before, and the engine ran fine and didn't miss or anything.

[simdrew]

well i tore up rod bearing #3 but i didn't do any damage to the crank!! so hopefully my car will back up and running for less than a hundred bucks! but does anyone know the torque spec's on the rod bolts?

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107555

35 ft pounds + 90 degrees. Don't make the same mistake I did... Be sure to take the crank out and have it machined and then install overbore bearings.

[brealmp3]

well i should have the car back this afternoon!