my '93 red has been offering up a little vavle noise when the engine
is first started or when it's idling. The oil's full. My friend tells
me that is probably won't be necessary to perform a valve job rather,
valve adjustment could fix the problem unless they are hydrolically
operated but then it should only need inexpensive parts requiring
valve cover removal (only).
Anybody know the real deal? What's the problem and what's it take to
fix it? Thanks
Francis
Grant Edwards - 18 Apr 2004 02:02 GMT
> my '93 red has been offering up a little vavle noise when the
> engine is first started or when it's idling.
> Anybody know the real deal?
That's pretty much just the way it is.
> What's the problem and
Unless it gets loud and never goes away, it's not really a
problem. Miata's mostly just have valve noise.
> what's it take to fix it?
Faster driving and a good stereo.

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FrinkLemur - 18 Apr 2004 03:29 GMT
> my '93 red has been offering up a little vavle noise when the engine
> is first started or when it's idling. The oil's full. My friend tells
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Anybody know the real deal? What's the problem and what's it take to
> fix it? Thanks
When was the last time the oil was changed? My '92 gets rattly when the oil
needs changing. In theory, using a Genuine Mazda filter may help - there's
some valve or something that helps keep the oil up in the head when it's
stopped.
Has it gotten worse lately? Miatas do have a noisy valvetrain...
Frink"tickticktick"Lemur
synefx - 22 Apr 2004 23:35 GMT
valve noise is actually a common and unfortunate condition of mazda
motors. i've owned 3 626's (84-90-94), a 94 protege and 93 miata LE -
they all had the same issue - even after having the valves tightened
at the mazda dealership - within weeks they were rattling again. so i
just dealt with it after that.
> > my '93 red has been offering up a little vavle noise when the engine
> > is first started or when it's idling. The oil's full. My friend tells
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Frink"tickticktick"Lemur
Don Bruder - 23 Apr 2004 00:07 GMT
> valve noise is actually a common and unfortunate condition of mazda
> motors. i've owned 3 626's (84-90-94), a 94 protege and 93 miata LE -
> they all had the same issue - even after having the valves tightened
> at the mazda dealership - within weeks they were rattling again. so i
> just dealt with it after that.
Yep... I'll second that. I've had two 626s (both '82s), and worked on
another a bit for another fellow (his was an '81 - same engine as the
'82s) and all of them had/have "clicky" valves. Oddly enough, it seems
(at least in the limited cases I've been exposed to) that the main
"clicker" has been on the #4 cylinder. Haven't been able to decide if
it's the intake or exhaust valve that's the "guilty party", but it's
quite clearly one of the #4 valves, as determined by stethoscope. The
other three sets have always been nice and quiet.
Go figure...

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Per K. Nielsen - 23 Apr 2004 16:14 GMT
>93 miata LE -
>they all had the same issue - even after having the valves tightened
>at the mazda dealership
And how much did you pay for that?
Tom Howlin - 18 Apr 2004 03:51 GMT
They are hydraulic and thus no adjustment. The lifter noise is quite
common and quite normal. Some of us have had it almost since new and it
seems to be tied to the oil change interval. I find that by changing at
3,000 miles on a regular basis that I don't get the noise. Others have
experimented with different weights of oil, dino vs synthetic, etc. with
varying degrees of success. By 92 they were supposedly using an HLA
with a larger passage but either they didn't or it didn't work.
Doubtful it's indicative of the need for a valve job unless you have
excessively high miles or it's not been maintained on a regular basis.
Tom
92 Red
> my '93 red has been offering up a little vavle noise when the engine
> is first started or when it's idling. The oil's full. My friend tells
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Francis
Lanny Chambers - 18 Apr 2004 02:10 GMT
> I find that by changing at
> 3,000 miles on a regular basis that I don't get the noise. Others have
> experimented with different weights of oil, dino vs synthetic, etc. with
> varying degrees of success.
All good advice. Here's some more: use only Mazda oil filters, no Fram
or whatever they're using this week at the Jiffy Lube..

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'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html
Francis Fisher - 19 Apr 2004 16:32 GMT
>> I find that by changing at
>> 3,000 miles on a regular basis that I don't get the noise. Others have
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>All good advice. Here's some more: use only Mazda oil filters, no Fram
>or whatever they're using this week at the Jiffy Lube..
Thanks to the braintrust!
And yes, i've been using jiffy lube filters and so i'll end that one.
i'm kind of irked at them anyway for when they call me out of my chair
to step me up for something i never asked for. Makes me think of the
idea of sitting at wendy's, hearing your name over a speaker to come
to the counter and then they ask if you like to biggie-size that coke.
Francis
Lanny Chambers - 19 Apr 2004 18:42 GMT
> i'm kind of irked at them anyway for when they call me out of my chair
> to step me up for something i never asked for.
I was a lot more irked when I had to use a Pennzoil quickie once, then
at the next oil change found that they'd "torqued" the drain plug to 55
lb-ft! Don't let them near your car.

Signature
Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html
tooloud - 23 Apr 2004 23:21 GMT
>> i'm kind of irked at them anyway for when they call me out of my
>> chair to step me up for something i never asked for.
>
> I was a lot more irked when I had to use a Pennzoil quickie once, then
> at the next oil change found that they'd "torqued" the drain plug to
> 55 lb-ft! Don't let them near your car.
Well, you left out that the quickie places invariably lean on the barn
doors. On occasion, I'm forced to use a Jiffy Lube, etc. and always make
sure to leave the headlights in the up position to somewhat discourage them
from leaning on them.
It is fun to see these grease monkeys try to change the filter, though.

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Mojo - 23 Apr 2004 13:55 GMT
My '00 Miata has had a slightly noisy valve train ever since new. In
four years of daily driving and conscientious maintenance, the noise
has never changed noticeably, for better or worse. "They all do that"
might sound like a lame excuse, but it's probably appropriate in this
case. In my experience, the Miata's motor is simply not as quiet or
smooth as those in your typical Toyota or Honda, and comments from
automotive critics and other owners seem to agree.
At any rate, those little clicks and clacks from under the hood have
never diminished my enthusiasm for the little car. I just enjoy the
ride.
JM
> They are hydraulic and thus no adjustment. The lifter noise is quite
> common and quite normal. Some of us have had it almost since new and it
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> >
> > Francis
Chas Hurst - 23 Apr 2004 14:42 GMT
> My '00 Miata has had a slightly noisy valve train ever since new. In
> four years of daily driving and conscientious maintenance, the noise
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> JM
Your car does not have hydraulic adjusters. According to the maintenance
schedule, they should be checked/adjusted every 24,000 miles. Valve noise is
better than no valve noise in your case.
Grant Edwards - 23 Apr 2004 14:47 GMT
> At any rate, those little clicks and clacks from under the
> hood have never diminished my enthusiasm for the little car.
> I just enjoy the ride.
The Miata was supposedly designed to be "the MG for the rest of
us". I figure it's supposed to make those noises as a tribute
to it's British roadster heritage.

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Francis Fisher - 30 May 2004 01:49 GMT
>my '93 red has been offering up a little vavle noise when the engine
>is first started or when it's idling. The oil's full. My friend tells
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>Anybody know the real deal? What's the problem and what's it take to
>fix it? Thanks
Followup:
Somebody advised that I should be using Mazda brand oil filters
because they have a check valve or some such. I took that advice and
am now a happy camper. No more valve noise whatsoever. I hate to send
anyone for Miata brand parts but the oil filter works. I also bought
for our 626 and the guy told me that even though they appear to be
interchangeable they are not. "Swap and you'll get the noise in both
models."
Francis