Help me out here 95'

[BecksandPhil]

I've got a 95' miata with just over 80k miles on it (Just between 80-81k), and my engine started making a ticking noice that increased with acceleration. At first, I didn't think about it, but I took it into Pep Boys today and found out that I was short 3 quarts of oil (the 95' only holds 4 quarts). This came as a real shock to me because I'm good about keeping it oiled and there are no visible signe of oil leakage on the block or anywhere else for that matter. The guy at the shop suggested that perhaps it was burning oil (perhaps), but in my state (Texas) we have to pass an emmisions test (which I had done 1 week ago, while the pinging was going on) and it passed. Ok, now it's been doing this noise for awhile but I don't drive the car much at all, so it maybe has driven 300-500 (being generous here) with this type of noise going on. Now, of course, there is oil in it (which I'm going to have to keep a close eye on) and it seems to run fine. When I start the car the noise is there for perhaps a mile or two, then the sound ceases, and runs like normal. What are your opinions? Do you this this engines just going to be whiney and end up running for a while longer, or should I trade it in for a new car? I really don't want to be in a situation where I'm driving down the highway and have the puppy fail on me. Please help me out here, I'm pretty much an automotive novice, but I love my miata and I really don't wanna part with her. Be honest with me, anyone had any similar experiences in the past like this?

[millyowner]

Sounds bad...lack of oil may have killed a bearing of some sort internally. It may be only a matter of time.

[MiataMan68]

I have had mine do something similar, it doesn't really hurt it. I put a hole in my oil pan and ran it 10 miles with no oil at all before I got home, thing is my engine was making the ticking before. the ticking is usually a lifter, most miatas do it at sometime or another. Actually all four of the miatas that I have owned have done it, never had any other problems besides that.

[polkaboy@insight.rr.com]

You might try the "t-Twisty oil change". I used it and it took care of the problem. You'll still have the ticking a startup, but it only last a few seconds...
Check online for the procedure.

[slowmomiata]

miatas have hydraulic lifters in them, oil pressure in the lifter is what makes it expand, all that is happening is when you didnt have oil in it your lifters were pretty dry causing it to not expand making a tick sound, if you arent using synthetic oil it would help cause the molecules are slightly smaller than conventional, or you can try snake oil products like sea foam in your oil to go through and clean out your lifters, that is what i have done before and it seemed to work.

there are also some guys on another forum site that have actually ran atf through there oil for a very very veerrry short period of time to fully clean out gunk and clean the lifters. that is risky business though because atf will cause metal to metal and ruin bearings.

i would say try a half bottle of sea foam in your oil 20 to 30 miles before an oil change and switch to a better quality synthetic oil, i run shell rotella t 5w40 in my car, ita a diesel oil but i wouldnt recommend it for your car because you have a cat and rotella has zddp in the oil as a detergent but when it burns it clogs gas cats.

mobil1 extended performance 5w30 should work wonders in your car, give it a try and post back results of what you found

hope this helped

[silver92b]

It is a common issue with Miatas. It's called the HLA noise (hydraulic lifter assembly). Just keep oil in it and change it regularly. Oil is relatively cheap and the car will run well over a hundred thousand miles. There will be repairs and maintenance required but the chances are good that your car will work fine for a long time.