Clicking and high oil pressure! Help!

MNC23 · Postby **MNC23** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:57 am

Help! Our MX5 is making a constant clicking noise which changes with the revs, and the oil pressure gauge is going to just over 4 when usually it sits on 2-3. She also conks out on idling and is spitting out a bit of black water from the exhaust.

Does it sound like something major? Can we still drive her like that at all?

Thanks,
Christie

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:38 pm

Which model? Your location? Can you post a video with sound showing the problem?

Sailor · Postby **Sailor** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 1:04 pm

Has the oil been changed recently?
If so I'd suspect way to heavy a grade.

MNC23 · Postby **MNC23** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 1:57 pm

Hi! We are at Hervey Bay, QLD. It's a NA 1989. The oil hasn't been changed since the service July last year. I know that sounds bad, but we rarely get to drive her. I tried uploading a video but it wouldn't work, so I put it on youtube, here's the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh1HjPea ... e=youtu.be

Thanks,

Christie

MNC23 · Postby **MNC23** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:03 pm

Here's a pic of the black oily water coming out of the exhaust.

spikes · Postby **spikes** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:17 pm

You do realize oil breaks down over time right?

Sounds like the HLAs, check and change the oil. Also if the oil grade is too thick it could cause that too. But my bet is old oil.

The exhaust looks like oil burning up in the combustion or leaky valve stem seals, does it smoke at all? Upon startup? On throttle? If so is the smoke blueish in colour?

Or it could just be the old oil again, change the oil, take it out for a good hard drive and by hard I mean full throttle redline a few gears, clean all te cobwebs out of it

MNC23 · Postby **MNC23** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:24 pm

No I didn't realise that. The only thing we know about cars is how to drive them! Will change the oil immediately. What type of oil do you recommend?

Thanks,

Christie

spikes · Postby **spikes** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:25 pm

Search for "what oil should I use" on this forum

spikes · Postby **spikes** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:28 pm

Sorry that was a bit harsh, miataturbo is gettjng the worse of me, personally I use Nulon 10W40, for your warmer weather Id recommend 10w30,
get some fully synthetic stuff, dino oil will make your engine internals look like this

Sailor · Postby **Sailor** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:54 pm

She's a garage queen?
Black water is just carbon and condensate.
Probably from idling in the garage.
Change the oil with a suitable grade..probably a 10-40....but check first! and put a new filter in.
Don't know that I'd switch to synthetic on an older engine..
This will probably fix the ticking....then go for a nice long drive preferably out of the city.

MNC23 · Postby **MNC23** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 3:12 pm

Thanks guys. We will change the oil today or tomorrow and see if that fixes the problem. She is a bit of a garage queen, if only she was in our garage! We don't have a garage so she lives with Grandma for now. With four kids between us and both working full time we don't get much of chance to drive her. The weather being crap doesn't help either. We hope to drive her more often soon.

Christie

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 3:54 pm

What Sailor said. It is probably the HLAs ticking. Penrite recommend these two oils for your car:
http://www.penriteoil.com.au/engineoils-products.php?id_categ=1&id_products=3
http://www.penriteoil.com.au/engineoils-products.php?id_categ=1&id_products=30
Don't forget to change the oil filter too.

MNC23 · Postby **MNC23** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:00 pm

Thanks for the links JBT. We just went and got her and she clicked loudly about 5 times when she started and then the clicking just stopped! We took her for a drive around town and she's back to normal now. We had a look at the location of the oil filter and promptly decided it would be better to just book her in for a service! I might start driving her to and from work from now on. It's not much but at least it's better than sitting in the garage for months without even being started.

Thanks heaps for your suggestions. I was so upset when she wasn't working! We'll start giving her more love and attention now.

Christie.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 6:40 pm

Ah that sounds good. The HLAs can get gummed up but generally stop ticking once the blood gets circulated and warmed up.

Things that will keep your little MX-5 in good health:
1. Change the oil and oil filter every 10,000km or every 6 months (whichever occurs first).
2. Change the coolant every 4 years
3. Have the hydraulic fluids (brake and clutch) flushed every 2 years.
4. Change the air filter every 2 years or earlier if you get a lot of dusty conditions - should be OK where you are. :wink: