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Hi All

As I am going around the car (And reading the the great mx5 workshop manual) I am putting together a list of things I am going to undertake soon, (new oils, seals etc.)

I have been doing a fair bit of looking into the HLA set up, and found a couple of places that sell solid lifters (Miata Roadster sells them) but not HLA's. I have come across mx5parts.co.uk and not sure if anyone has dealt with them, or if there are better companies (22.50 pounds per HLA seems rather expensive, plus shipping)

I am wondering where people get just the plain OEM HLA's, has anyone had good experience with places, and found some companies better than others?

I know its a fairly intensive job, but with the local mechanic wanting well in excess of 1500 to do it! I think I will try, with the help of my mechanic friend, do change it myself.

Any points in the right direction for great parts company would be much appreciated,
Regards
(most searches for the hla assembly comes up with posts on how to remove them not where to get them from!)

Is there a reason they need replacing?

I thought the HLA was a pretty wear-free system (apart from the gallerys gunking up)

A reasonable, fairly low viscosity oil (Magnatec, other semi or full synthetic eg 10/40) with some nulon lifter free every 15-20k (3-4 oil changes) should quieten them down.

The price of buying new lifters and the labour costs involved in replacing them does not really justify a problem all B6 engines have. Many do the above suggestion and notice a vast improvement with lifter noise.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

I found a great write up on miata.net on cleaning the lifters, taking them apart and cleaning out all the junk.
I more wanted a price point to compare, I wouldnt have to pay for too much labour at this stage, it was more the cost of the lifters.

MrRevhead wrote:A reasonable, fairly low viscosity oil (Magnatec, other semi or full synthetic eg 10/40) with some nulon lifter free every 15-20k (3-4 oil changes) should quieten them down.

I thought about this, but found a few people saying that it only worked for a week or so before it was getting bad again

If I can get close to 15-20k, I will defiantly give it a shot, its not a big problem, just something that I feel like I need to fix!

MosieurCinq wrote:I thought about this, but found a few people saying that it only worked for a week or so before it was getting bad again

If I can get close to 15-20k, I will defiantly give it a shot, its not a big problem, just something that I feel like I need to fix!

I change my oil and filter every 5k. In that time frame, I VERY rarely hear my lifters ticking. Frequent oil changes with the right oil is the key.

The 15-20k timeline I suggested above is just a suggestion to add the Nulon additive after every 3-4 oil changes. I never have used it as my frequent oil changes keep them quiet.

22 pounds each sounds way over priced.

Warren supplied 16 new ones for me when he did the cyc head. Cost was $192. I think I could get them cheaper from USA but....not enough to frig around when warren had them and the head already.

MrRevhead wrote:I change my oil and filter every 5k. In that time frame, I VERY rarely hear my lifters ticking. Frequent oil changes with the right oil is the key.
.

What sort of oil do you use? I will try the nulon additive the next change I do, see if it helps at all!

sailaholic wrote:22 pounds each sounds way over priced.

Warren supplied 16 new ones for me when he did the cyc head. Cost was $192. I think I could get them cheaper from USA but....not enough to frig around when warren had them and the head already.

Thats what I thought, but being new to the 5's I wasnt sure if thats just how much they went for...
Where in the USA sells them that I could look into?
I agree, if he had them and the head, its just easier and faster to get it done!

Pull them out and clean them, its basically free and works.

Dann

http://www.miata.net/garage/hla/cleaning.html

Boom! free, clean HLA's

Cheers guys, Ill try the additive and if thats not doing as much as hoped, ill take them out and give them a proverbial scrub.

If I have to replace any, ill get in touch about where the best place to get them from would be.

Hey mate ... just sent you a pm with some info from my servicing etc

I thought the general thought has been if you go to the effort of pulling them out, put new ones in.

I think I used eBay for the USA.

Cheers Sail, ill at least have a look at what prices are going for, for new ones

HLAs are a mechanical item. They do wear out. When they do then cleaning doesn't fix them. Worn ones are more likely to fail under sustained high speed running, such as track session, than just click a bit when you start up. Symptoms are the car sounds like a threshing machine as you come back down pit lane.

I'm still looking for a decent place to buy them. Some say that the best way is direct from a Kia dealer in the USA. Kia Sephias use exactly the same HLAs from the same source as Mazda. You just have to be there to get them.

I'm tempted to try a set of Topline lifters. They have a good reputation with other car makes, I just can't find any good reviews by Miata buyers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/88-05-Miata-mx5 ... 91&vxp=mtr

Ill see if I can get any info on the topline lifters

But at this stage ill just try to flush them, and if they need it, clean them up

Rhys