Hi all,
I’m not sure if I’m worrying over nothing here, but my engine sounds like a tractor and idles around 1.5k. My mate has an almost identical mk1, but mines the v-spec but have the same engines and he’s is very quiet.
Just wondering if there is something wrong… I hope not 
Well as they say from the shuttle, “Houston, we have a problem”[;)]
Need more info really, what have you done in the engine bay recently, how long has this been going on, etc etc etc
Well I’m not sure what else I can say. I bought the car a couple of weeks and as far as I’m aware its standard. <o:p></o:p>
It just sounds very “tapatey” but I understand these cars have hydraulic tappets so would an engine flush sort this? I’ve seen it in halfords for about a fiver so worth a try :)<o:p></o:p>
But I just wondered if this was something more serious :(<o:p></o:p>
Change your oil and oil filter, with a genuine Mazda filter. Geoff will be along shortly to recommend an oil that he has found to be good for stopping the tappets being noisy. I can’t remember what it was.
That’s not a bad idea. awaits Geoff to pop along 
I’m gonna try that engine flush on the old oil then change the oil and filter. Should help a lot
Thanks
This is the engine oil that Geoff recommended to me a few days ago. My engine has shown no sign of HLA rattle since changing to Mobil 1 5W50.
Geoff is probably knocking the zzzzzzzzz’s out at this time of day.[:)]
G’day mate
Having slept on your problem [ I lie, I didn’t think about it at all last night[;)]]
Do the oil change, use the oil that Polly mentions, use some wynns flushing agent and do exactly what it says on the tin [briefly: add to hot engine oil through filler cap, fast tick over the engine for 10 minutes, drain with engine oil etc etc etc] E bay link for Wynns
Then set your base idle, dead easy to do .
Look at this link http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/t/206.aspx
Have a good night, I’m off to find a Friday Funny for teh universe chat[;)]
Mobil 0w 40 is excellent too - but grit your teeth at the cost of any fully synthetic!
Thanks for that Polly
I’ll get some of that ASAP
Oh and Geoff, thank you too!
I think this site needs a thank you button or rep system for all your help peeps!
Would this oil filter be ok? I believe its an original…
I don’t think it is a genuine Mazda one.
This one is. http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/231
ps. Order yourself 3 or 4 to save on postage
Thank you Polly!
Although I don’t really need 3 or 4 lol! But that’s still a good price!
It’s good advice to get a couple of them… mainly because you’ll have to change the filter around every 6,000 miles.
My Mk1 1.8 needs an oil change every 3K miles, otherwise the tappety-ness comes back to annoying levels. So I alternate it… it’s just had oil and filter changed, in 3K miles it’ll get the oil changed, 3K miles after that it’ll be oil and filter again, etc etc etc. My car’s my daily driver (200+ miles a week commuting) so it gets used a lot, and there’s nowt worse than tappety engine when you’re in such a cool looking wee car!
Oh my god!!! That’s insane!
I didn’t realise i’d have to do that. The 5 is my daily car too but I don’t do many miles tbh. Average around 15 miles a day, would this be why the tappets are being noisey? Short runs are never really good