Lifter noise at cold startup is due to a lifter (on whatever valve is being held open by the camshaft) leaking down overnight. The leakage occurs in otherwise-good lifters due to extremely small particles in the oil and/or unevenly-distributed varnish preventing the one-way oil valves in the lifters from closing all the way. For many folks it's simply a matter of dirty oil (exhaust blowby particles suspended in it) so the problem goes away shortly after changing the oil ... regardless of what kind or weight of oil is used.
----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: "Mark Phillips" <[email protected]>; "'Bruce Andrews'" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 9:50 AM Subject: RE: 94 Miata ticking noise > Just my 2¢.....after I had my head redone during my head gasket change I > put Mobil 0-30 in. I used to get lifter clatter coming off the express way > in Michigan after running hard, now I haven't had even one time with > lifter clatter on this 5500 mile southwest road trip.....and it has been > HOT! My oil pressure runs a bit lower, but absolutely no lifter noise yet. > They make a 0-40 but I am sticking with 0-30. > > As usual YMMV. Speaking of mileage I am averaging 29 mpg without the > AC.......22 with AC. > > Eric > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mark Phillips <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 10:04 AM > To: 'Bruce Andrews' <[email protected]>; > <[email protected]> > Subject: RE: 94 Miata ticking noise > > I’ve seen the same thing happen on several cars in the club including my > own. The sticking lifters were freed on all the cars using Marvel Mystery > Oil. MMO dissolves the varnish and frees the lifters. Substitute ½ to 1 > quart of MMO in an oil change and run it for ~1k miles changing the filter > somewhere between 200 and 500 miles. With Bill’s experience with Pennzoil > I’d change it on the lower side. The problem has gone away on every car I’ve > done this to within 2 oil changes unless the lifters are worn out. > > Hope this helps, > Mark > > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bruce Andrews > Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 8:21 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: 94 Miata ticking noise > > Hi, > My 94 has a (lifter like ticking noise) on cold start. This noise stops > when the engine starts to warm. I got the car 2 months ago; it has 116K on > the odometer. It runes very good except for this noise. There is no oil > usage, the oil pressure is good. I am running Valveoline 10-30 High > mileage synthetic, it had 10-50 Pennzoil in it and the pressure went to > 56psi. high side, from 30000rpm on. After changing oil it idles at 30psi. > And 60psi. At 3000. Can anyone help me with the noise? > Bruce Andrews > _______________________________________________ > Miatapower mailing list > [email protected] > http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower > _______________________________________________ Miatapower mailing list [email protected] http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower
