Rattling/tapping noise coming from engine

[luckythedonkey]

Hi Guys,

I've got an '01 SP20 with 120,000k's on the clock (freeway k's).

I've noticed a noise coming from the engine that sounds like a tapping noise. It's only recently started happening within the last 5-10,000k's.

To explain the noise better, it sounds exactly the same as my last car which was an old '91 laser with over 230,000k's and it had noisy tappats which had the exact same noise as my SP20 except louder. That's for anyone that knows what noisy tappats sound like.

The noise can only be heard at a low rev range and not 100% of the time. Once the revs are up, it can't be heard.

I've been running the car on regular unleaded recently because of the price of fuel so I'll change back to premium to see if that helps. It's just had a service too but the noise is still there.

Any thoughts??

I'm pretty disappointed cuz I payed a lot for this car and 120,000k's is a fair few k's for the age but still not that much to expect to see problems.


Thanks.

[twilightprotege]

you do realise the car requires a minimum of 95ron fuel? regular unleaded is 91ron

[luckythedonkey]

Just realised I put this post in the wrong section.

All I know is that Mazda recommend pulp. I'm not very technical with cars so I don't know what ron is. I'm guessing it's the octane level?

[twilightprotege]

ron = octane level.

the problem could be noisy tappets (very common with solid lifter designs), or a worse thing - engine ping.

[MMM323]

I think I have the same bloody problem. just had my car serviced and they said it was a loose fan belt and that they tightened it. However, the DAMN noise is still there!!

Twiggy was causes an engine to ping? And if it was the engine pinging what would need to be done?

[woofy]

pinging it caused very commonly by people putting the wrong fuel in (usually too low octane which causes ignition to be at the wrong time/place in the cycle). I've noticed quite a few people here use a lower grade fuel when their car clearly states not to.

PULP is not recommended, it is not an option...it is the minimum you can use, if you use anything less expect problems, and expect thigns not covered under warranty. It clearly states you MUST use it on the fuel door and in the manual.

[twilightprotege]

^ that.

but just note, our cams will always be loud. every time the cam goes around and smacks the valve down there will be a noise. there is a clearance between the cam and the shim (sits on top of the valve) of 0.009" - 0.012".

[ezin]

I have the same noise in mine, Hot not cold at say 1600-2300rpm no load, always put 98octane in it, car has never ever seen a lower octane fuel.
95k on clock now and it has done this for at least 40k with no change to noise level, mostly hear it when window down driving through a macas drivethrough. i dont care anymore.

[32c]

mine does the same.. im ready to sell it!

[MitchEG]

ive got noisy tappets too...pisses me off, tho i have pinpointed it to the rear righthand intake tappet using a screwdriver as a stethoscope. Its irritating that my car sounds like a sewing machine but i am getting more and more used to it now.

New shims to tighten up the tolerance again only cost like $16-$20 each but its the labour mazda will charge you to check it and replace it that will kill ya, they need the car overnight so they have a cold engine...also, no mazda dealers i have been to have the magical "tool" that they say they need to replace them. I had a look at the service manual and this "tool" seems to be a device made so just 1 mechanic can do the task, it just clamps on and pushes the shim bucket down so u can pull the shim out...i reckon 2 ppl could easily do the task with a flat head screwdriver and a magnet and some care...

[AstinaBoiV6]

pfft i put reular unleaded petrol which is cheapest and that does the trick for me... i would put premium but when u have a v6 and guzzle a full tank on 350km it gets expensive

you might have a lazy lifter

[mcwilly]

350 i got a 1.8 4cyl and im lucky to get that off 98. mine does it when the oil level is gettin down towards half or just under so usually topping up the oil makes a bit of a difference, ive been told replacing the shims etc might not work as other parts have worn and would also need replacing so ends up being very expensive. played wid my timing today had it advanced all the way and it still didnt ping running 98 octane fuel just didnt run as well as not being advanced so far.

[MitchEG]

hmmm, yeah...but the BP's have hydraulic lifters which need oil to function and the keep them quiet, the f-engines (99+ ) have solid lifters which dont self adjust so they are always louder even when working properly. I realise my noise could be more than an out of tolerance tappet, but im hoping its just that

[EVOlution]

baaahhhahahaha, my car has done over 280,000 kms and it has a rattle that can mostly be heard when you stick your head down on the ground in front of the bumper, if you open the bonnet and listen from the top you can hardly hear it - the noise sounds like someone has dropped a whole bag of chains into the sump and they are just rattling around. It almost goes away as the car warms up but not completely, it can be heard when I give it a good bootfull of revs (like driving hard). when I bought the car I got receipts to say the engine was replaced and the "new" engine had done only 90,000 kms. Bull**** I say, the guy got ripped off.
Anyway, that's my rattle, gunna do a full oil change and see if that fixes it but I don't care anymore - early march I am buying a brand new off-the-showroom-floor EVO 9. Dunno if they'll trade the spazda or just tell me to drive it off a cliff....

[twilightprotege]

redastina - it's an easy 1 person job, however it does require the removal of the cam.

astinaboi - um we're talking about the sp20 engine here. only 323/3 i know of to require 95ron minimum (aus delivered that is)

mcwilly - you have hydraulic cams. no shim changes needed as the bucket it always touching the cam

all - i had 0.009" clearance set on my cams when i first got my custom cams in and the engine was pretty quiet. the intake is now 0.019" clearance because i had the cam ground down a little, but it's still ok because of a very shallow initial ramp rate. however i'm going to take that back to about 0.012-0.014" clearance. any lower and i'll lose too much compression. slow ramp rate also means the valves take longer to close unfortunately

[ezin]

hmmm, when i tested mine with a stethascope i found no1 exhaust cam bucket to be the loudest, right on the power steering bracket bolt. Only hot which makes sense as the valve clearance increases as the head of the valve expands on its seat. Twilight, Do u know the standard clearance for both cams?? As im getting ready to do the cambelt so i'll rip out the exhaust cam while im there, measure it up and choose the correct size shim to put in. Thanks

[Nate]

i have noisey tappets ... i also have 240 000ks and am missing a valve

[MitchEG]

you drive a 15 valve??? thats new...

my tappets are noisiest on cold start and get quieter as they warm...i assumed it was the shims heating up and increasing in size to close the gap somewhat...

[Nate]

you readthe flame thread didnt you

[AstinaBoiV6]

hehe my m8 has a old toyota corona wagon and on cold days its a 3 cyl.. no kiddin 1 wont work.. i duno may not b getin fuel in the injector or sumfin but when it kciks in thers a diff lol ....