Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

[brother chris]

Hi,
Okay, I ended up buying my friends 88 Mazda 323. It's a good little car; very good on gas.
Yesterday I was driving it and heard the old tell tale sign that it needs oil. "tick tick tick tick tick tick" I stop to check it out and the oil level looks fine.
I added a 1/2 bottle of oil just to see if the ticking would go away but it has not. It is still doing it. I rev the gas and the "ticking" is faster, more prominent.
I'm going to do an oil change today and use Lucas oil. I heard that is a very good product.
If the ticking is still there after the oil change, what else could it be? Why would it tick (like it needs oil "ticking")?
Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks,
B.C.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I don't have much technical knowledge for you but I will tell you my friend's dad has an 88 Mercury Tracer which is the same car and despite constant fluid usage and lots of valve tap this thing just will not die. And even seemingly horrible failures are cheap and easy fixes.

 

[Firestar]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

Not necessarily. How did the oil in it look? Could you read the marks on the dip stick through the oil on it? A good rule of thumb is to change it when it becomes to difficult to see through the oil. The ticking when the oil is full or even only a quart low points toward a sticking lifter. There are additives that may quiet or eliminate the tick. I would try one of them.

 

[Esox]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I was a Mazda technician for a number of years. The ticking noise is generally the HLA's (hydraulic lash adjuster). When customers complained about the ticking noise, we would add 1/2 to 3/4 quart of automatic transmission fluid when doing an oil change. The ATF is very high in detergent and will clean the gunk from the HLA's without harming the engine.​

 

[mrfixitman40]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

mike i forgot all about the atf to clean lifters and lash adjusters that was from way back

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I was a Mazda technician for a number of years. The ticking noise is generally the HLA's (hydraulic lash adjuster). When customers complained about the ticking noise, we would add 1/2 to 3/4 quart of automatic transmission fluid when doing an oil change. The ATF is very high in detergent and will clean the gunk from the HLA's without harming the engine.​

Time for an engine flush as Esox suggested.

There are a number of products on the market that you could use, including the old stand-by .... Seafoam.

Whatever you use, add it to the engine, run it for prescribed time, then change the oil and filter.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

The oil looked like it could use a change. It looks kind of old.
Adding 1/2 quart of tranny fluid to the oil...never heard of that.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I went and bought the engine flush, oil and oil filter. I'll be doing the engine flush in a couple hours.
One more question. Is Automatic tranny fluid the same as manual tranny fluid? I'll try adding 1/2 quart to the oil...just wondering if they are the same.
Thanks,
B.C.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

NO!!! many fluid is 90wt. oik atuo trany is thinner and red.
woosterken

 

[woosterken]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

sorry that should be 90weight OIL (arthritisis in fingers)
woosterken

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

A word of caution here first- If the car has not been cared for a flush is not always a good idea. It can break loose hard deposits which can clog the pickup screen. If you decide to do it (and really I have only seen 1 out of 100 that it "might" have been harmful to do) I would suggest a follow up oil change (another one after the change that followed the flush) at around 1500 miles. I have resureccted many old motors that ticked, had **** poor oil pressure, and overall were just junk by ATF and diesel. You also might have some leaks develop or become more prominet (sp?) after the flush but is is worth it if you have sticking lifters. Not only will it sound better also but power will improve and mpg should go up just slightly.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I did an engine flush and oil change. The "ticking" noise is still there.
Car does not seem to run and better or worse.
Any other tips that are not too expensive?
Thanks,
B.C.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I don't know about the U.S of A, but in Aussieland an '88 mazda 323 with a 2L engine did not have hydraulic valve lash adjusters, they are manually adjustable. Pull the rocker cover and take a looksee.

Worn timing chain tensioner and/or chain guides can also cause the 'tick'.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

Use a piece of metal tubing ,to hear and locate the tick make sure it truly is the valve system first before diving in,possible cracked flex plate if starter sounds weird when starting

 

[MikDee]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

In my opinion, I've been using Marvel Mystery oil (upper cylinder lube) added to the oil for years, it not only cleans up sticky lifters, but is friction proofing (less friction the regular oil) so your engine gains power, runs cooler, & runs smoother, it will keep all the gunk in suspension till your next oil change. Don't be confused this is not a heavy liquid, it is more like sewing machine oil, but better. You can add it to your oil, and replace some of your oil every oil change with this, just read the can. Meaning if you fill with 5qts of oil in your engine, use 4qts + 1qt of Marvel oil, keep that ratio if your engine holds less oil. I used it once as a test years ago, and I was so amazed! I use it at every oil change in all my vehicles (never had another lifter noise yet) You can also add it to the gas tank (per instructions on the can) but it works best, and faster in the oil.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

Not a fan of snake oil remedies for engine problems. But my Dad and partner were. That said, Marvel Mystery Oil does work great in the oil pan. Back in our Hot Rod days, we've done quite a few teardowns, on engines that were run with and without. The engines run with MMO were definately cleaner and had less sludge build up. Does it do anything more then clean the oil circulation system? Can't say. Ditto with the varnish removing properties of using Seafoam in the fuel supply, it does work. Liquid rebuild? NO!
My .$02

 

[penst8grad]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

What you are hearing could also be a small exhaust leak at the manifold. Sounds the same as engine tick. Honestly, with a 20 year old car, just drive it. Won't sound new ever again unless you $pend.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

Try a quart of Rislone in the next oil change

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

I did an engine flush and oil change. The "ticking" noise is still there.
Car does not seem to run and better or worse.
Any other tips that are not too expensive?

Turn up the radio.

 

[rwise]

Re: Tick tick tick tick....usually means add oil, right?

Here's they way I figure an old car. the 323 is not something I would restore to show room condition it's just an old car. So IF I am not going to restore it, then use it for all its worth. I dont know what was paid for it, I gave $400 (USD) for mine (ok I traded a couch I was asking 400 on). A new car will run about $200 - $250 a month (some go much higher) so we will use 200 for this. In just 2 months (with no major work) the car has paid for its self! After that it is pure profet as long as you dont have that major expence which adds back to the price of the car. So if you pay 4 or 500 for a car and drive it tree months without doing more than fliuds/flats and you can still drive it,,,, good car. I drove a S10 blazer for 180,000 miles with a hard knock on the crank, just kept good oil in it (rotela t) in that time it made 3 trips to CA and back to OK, used to be a joke *it has knocked reliably for X amount of miles Oh ya I used that car for over a year then my son came by and needed something he could aford to drive so I gave it to him and he drove it for almost a year before it fell down hard (I think he ran it out of oil) ford mercury tracer mazda 323, good cars!