02 mx5 engine rattle

Lazare

My wife's 02 mx5 recently started to rattle, like a tapping noise at certain revs.

Initially it did this only when cold, it would go away as soon as the engine heated up. We brought it to her mechanic to look at it, he serviced it and told us it was dangerously low on oil.

Her oil guage is broken and no oil light ever came on.

Anyway the noise started to get really bad, whether the engine was hot or cold, it sounded almost like a dirty diesel engine and it's constant.

I brought it back to him today, and just by listening to the noise he told me the top end is gone and it needs a new engine due to driving with very low oil.

This news is naturally a kick in the stones, is there anything else it could be?

A friend suggested changing the oil and putting non synthetic oil in as this might help. He did say it was a long shot though.

Any ideas?

Anan1

I'd say just replace the engine and treat it as a lesson learned, TBH.

gofaster_s13

^^^^^^^^^^^
Teach her how to use the dipstick, oil is cheaper than engines

Nissan doctor

If you get somewhere who isn't interested in scewing you on price then rebuilding the engine will be cheaper then getting a second hand one where you don't know the history of it.

The knocking would be one of 2 things, the tappids are damaged or the big ends/main bearings are gone. The tappids will usually be knocking constantly but the big ends will usually be noisy at around 2500-3000rpm and above.

metzengerstein

may not be right ,but i have a knocking noise and rattle from my engine took me a while to figure what it was ,turned out to be an engine mount gone ,awaiting the part at present

aidanodr

Hiya Lazare,

Have a look at these:

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=311770

http://www.usedcarexpert.co.uk/car-fault-guides/Mazda/MX5_(1990_-_2005)

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070409232924AAGkyYJ

I would go to both these forums, join and ask also:

http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/
http://www.mx5ireland.com/forum/

The guys at MX5IRELAND are very helpful, I can vouch for that when I had my MX before crashing it on the ice ... baah!

Good Luck
Aidan

Anan1

When I first saw the post I was thinking maybe loose heat shield or the like, but if it's been run low on oil then i'm afraid damage is inevitable.

aidanodr

As metzengerstein says and something I was about to say too but met got there - The engine mountings. Bro in Law had this issue. Cost him about €300 to sort at a Mazda Dealer.

And just for general info some of the MXes from about 01 to 04 had a factory recall clutch plate issue, some got through the net. Its notable by juddering happening around 2nd Gear or when reversing.

Aidan

metzengerstein

aidanodr wrote: »

As metzengerstein says and something I was about to say too but met got there - The engine mountings. Bro in Law had this issue. Cost him about €300 to sort at a Mazda Dealer.



Aidan

300 for the engine mounts ? was that for the parts or fitting included

my one cost around 80euro and havent gotten a fitting price yet ,le whoops

aidanodr

That was parts and labour ... Ill check to be sure! txt txt txt bro in law ...

Aidan

metzengerstein

aidanodr wrote: »

That was parts and labour ... Ill check to be sure! txt txt txt bro in law ...

Aidan

ahh thats not so bad then ,cheers

aidanodr

Yes - got text - €300 Mazda Main Dealer in Midleton, Co. Cork - inc parts and labour ..

Aidan

metzengerstein

aidanodr wrote: »

Yes - got text - €300 Mazda Main Dealer in Midleton, Co. Cork - inc parts and labour ..

Aidan

THATS COOL ,GIVES ME A BIT OF AN IDEA FOR MINE ,CHEERS FOR THAT

Lazare

aidanodr wrote: »

Hiya Lazare,

Have a look at these:

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=311770

http://www.usedcarexpert.co.uk/car-fault-guides/Mazda/MX5_(1990_-_2005)

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070409232924AAGkyYJ

I would go to both these forums, join and ask also:

http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/
http://www.mx5ireland.com/forum/

The guys at MX5IRELAND are very helpful, I can vouch for that when I had my MX before crashing it on the ice ... baah!

Good Luck
Aidan

Thanks a lot for these Aidan, will trawl through them over the weekend.

I've been on to IVI for a quote, just waiting to hear.

One Q though, my wife's MX5 has only 36k miles, if I buy a second hand engine with say 50k, does the clock have to be adjusted?

Lazare

Nissan doctor wrote: »

If you get somewhere who isn't interested in scewing you on price then rebuilding the engine will be cheaper then getting a second hand one where you don't know the history of it.

The knocking would be one of 2 things, the tappids are damaged or the big ends/main bearings are gone. The tappids will usually be knocking constantly but the big ends will usually be noisy at around 2500-3000rpm and above.

This is the case alright.

Since there's such low mileage, maybe rebuilding would be a better option. I'll get a price on it.

Tyvm

aidanodr

You are assuming that the current engine is completely shot. A rebuild / repair may be possible.

Ask at MX5IRELAND Forum before jumping to conclusions, their are a good few serious MX5 mech heads there.

PLUS Paul up north ( Charged_RS at the forums ) who breaks MX5's I think and sells parts very reasonable. I know somewhere in Cork their is an 03 MX which is lost because of the flooding with parts for sale. Not sure what flooding would do to an engine

Plus my 03 1.8 Nevada crashed MX is up in Galway City Recovery. They took the salvage. Engine is fine ... Not sure if they are repairing it or breaking it!

Aidan

DetectivFoxtrot

gofaster_s13 wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^
Teach her how to use the dipstick, oil is cheaper than engines

your post is moronic.

Lazare, can't offer much advice, but the other posts give good advice and some hope of a rebuild, definitely investigate that a bit more on MX5IRELAND

Nissan doctor

Lazare wrote: »

This is the case alright.

Since there's such low mileage, maybe rebuilding would be a better option. I'll get a price on it.

Tyvm

With such low milage it could be assumed that things like the cylinder bores/journals etc will still be in good shape. If it is bottom ends that have become noisy then a strip down, Regrind and balance of the crank, new set of bearing shells, new rings(while your at it). Top it off with a new gaskit set and you have a new engine.

Again thats assuming that the cams etc are ok but this can be checked easily without a major strip down.

Including parts and labour you would be looking at around the 1k mark.

Neilw

DetectivFoxtrot wrote: »

your post is moronic.

Why?

There are plenty of people coming on here with problems caused by not checking oil levels. It's something that should be done weekly. Drivers seem to think the bonnet does not need to be opened between services.

Esel

Nissan doctor wrote: »

If you get somewhere who isn't interested in scewing you on price then rebuilding the engine will be cheaper then getting a second hand one where you don't know the history of it.

The knocking would be one of 2 things, the tappids are damaged or the big ends/main bearings are gone. The tappids will usually be knocking constantly but the big ends will usually be noisy at around 2500-3000rpm and above.

I'd be wary of taking advice from someone who doesn't know the difference between a tappet and a triffid....

Nissan doctor

esel wrote: »

I'd be wary of taking advice from someone who doesn't know the difference between a tappet and a triffid....

If you are referring to spelling errors, I don't see how that would effect the advice?

Mr Benevolent

Nissan doctor wrote: »

If you are referring to spelling errors, I don't see how that would effect the advice?

I suspect that was what is technically called a 'joke'

Nissan doctor

Confab wrote: »

I suspect that was what is technically called a 'joke'

:DMy apologies, it was late and I was tired and grumpy:P