tap...tap...tap...

That should cure it. This is my first winter using synthetic, it's been
real cold here in the NE and so far no tap.
Last year on mineral oil I had tap on cold mornings.

> the temperature just dropped here in TN and i've noticed a tapping
> under the hood now... i think it may be the lifters and was wondering
> if anyone could give any opinions on my solution. i'm getting the oil
> changed this week and have heard that using a 5w30 synthetic helps
> reduce lifter tap quite a bit. any comments or suggestions?

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> the temperature just dropped here in TN and i've noticed a tapping
> under the hood now... i think it may be the lifters and was wondering
> if anyone could give any opinions on my solution. i'm getting the oil
> changed this week and have heard that using a 5w30 synthetic helps
> reduce lifter tap quite a bit. any comments or suggestions?

Been using 5w30 Mobil 1 almost since the begining ('96). I still have the
lifter noise. Not when the engine is cold, like most people seem to have
it, but when the engine is hot. Get's better after an oil change, but it
comes back pretty quick. Can be loud and a bit embarrassing.

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> i'm getting the oil
> changed this week and have heard that using a 5w30 synthetic helps
> reduce lifter tap quite a bit.

At 183k, don't be surprised if switching to synthetic makes a few seals
start weeping. Switching back to dino oil won't stop it, either.

Just changing the oil with the recommended 10W-30 may quiet your HLAs
("lifters"). For many of us, the tapping is a reminder that the oil has

>3k on it and needs to be changed. The tapping is harmless, if annoying.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
'94C, St. Louis
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

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> the temperature just dropped here in TN and i've noticed a tapping
> under the hood now... i think it may be the lifters and was wondering
> if anyone could give any opinions on my solution. i'm getting the oil
> changed this week and have heard that using a 5w30 synthetic helps
> reduce lifter tap quite a bit. any comments or suggestions?

Last time I had a tapping it was a loose plug. :(

Signature

Scott Streeter
ss@wpi.edu
http://www.wpi.edu/~ss/

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> the temperature just dropped here in TN and i've noticed a tapping
> under the hood now... i think it may be the lifters and was wondering
> if anyone could give any opinions on my solution. i'm getting the oil
> changed this week and have heard that using a 5w30 synthetic helps
> reduce lifter tap quite a bit. any comments or suggestions?

Genuine Mazda filter and Mobil 1 0W40 fixed it for me.

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Frank Berger - 05 Jan 2006 23:41 GMT

>> the temperature just dropped here in TN and i've noticed a tapping
>> under the hood now... i think it may be the lifters and was wondering
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>>
> Genuine Mazda filter and Mobil 1 0W40 fixed it for me.

I have the lifter noise virtually all the time on my '96 with 90k miles. I
use Mobil 1 5w30. An oil change quiets things down noticably, but not for
long. I haven't really noticed it being weather related. And it's usually
loudest when the engine is hot, not on a cold start.

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