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Hey guys, I recently bought a NB8B from a mazda dealer and I must say I'm loving it. The only question I have, when it starts up there is a ticking sound from the engine bay, Could be the alternator??
Also once the car has warmed up it seams to spit water (could be fuel) from the exhaust. any idea's

Both normal.

Ticking sound is the hydraulic lifters (cam timing) before they are fully up to (oil) pressure.

A small amount of 'spittle' out of the exhaust is also normal. Every car I have ever owned has done it.

Do the NB's still have hydraulic lifters? If they are hydraulic then UA is right. The viscosity of the oil can effect this, when i went to an oil with a thinner cold viscosity the noise went away.

All NB engines have solid lifters...HLA's were only in the NA engines. So the noise must be something else.

Cheers,
Danny

when i start up my car (after i haven't dríven it for a week) there seems to be a sort of grinding/cranking sound.. sounds like its coming from behind me somewhere.. would that be the battery?

^ fuel pump?

Uncle Arthur wrote:
Ticking sound is the hydraulic lifters (cam timing) before they are fully up to (oil) pressure.

Hmmm - I stand corrected.

Depends on what the ticking sound is then. Can you describe the sound?

Also once the car has warmed up it seams to spit water (could be fuel) from the exhaust. any idea's

This is normal when the engine is cold. If water is coming frm the exhaust when the engine is warm It's a head gasket or cracked head.

If its a fast ticking sound, would it be the injectors?

Sounds like you need to provide more data, Gordo. Does the ticking noise only occur in stand-still or while moving? What is the frequency of the ticking (approximate number of ticks per second)? Does the ticking frequency change when you gently increase revs while in neutral? Does the ticking sound go away after the engine warms up? That sort of thing.

What I'll do over the next couple of days is take a video of the spitting water and hopfully the ticking sound (if it gets picked up by the mic). Hopfully its normal:)

Spitting water is just condensation. If you don't do long trips, the moisture in the exhaust fumes condenses and collects in the mufflers until the exhaust gets hot enough to burn it off.

If my memory serves me correctly (often it doesn't!), I have a vague recolection that there is one litre of water produced for every litre of petrol burnt.

Bruce is correct (of course!); you don't notice this when the engine and exhaust system are hot as it evaporates before it gets to the tailpipe. That's why the muffler will rust out if the exhaust doesn't get up to running temperature; it simply "fills" with warm water!

If the prob goes away soon after start up it is likely to relate to oil drainback over night - not uncommon. If a valve clearance is too much and needs resetting the knitting machine sound will persist. A mechanic will be able to advise if the noise is normal- if it is not rattling when warm I would suggest it is not a prob. Danny may care to comment further.

Yes but he said it's spitting water when WARM.