This is killing me

[MazdaP55]

Hey, my car just started making a weird sound when idling and it's killing me. The ticking seems to be coming from the back of the engine. If anyone could point me in the right direction that would be great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtJb5CDg5Z4

 

[slotege5]

zoom zoom boom. time for a new top end

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Rod knock. Engine is toast.

 

[MazdaP55]

I just drove it and it didn't make that sound?

Oh I've also only changed the front engine mount so the trans one is still the old crappy one (changing them for corksport inserts).
I also installed a CAI yesterday but haven't had the time to bolt in onto the body. I'll drive it arround tomorow and see I guess.

 

[drgnzadiel101]

get your valves checked. if not then rod knock it is lol

 

[MazdaP55]

Nah finalement I checked my oil this morning and found an O ring stuck between the dipstick and engine (from when I installed my CAI)... I wasn't missing oil or anything and the sound has disappeared. THANK GOD. Mazda are little bundles of joy (sarcasm).

 

[MazdaP55]

Okay well finally, it came back but it's not always there... It's occurs usually when I'm at a standstill and it's not all the time. I know my friend dropped a piece of his ratchet in the engine compartment while he was helping me set up my CAI. Wouldn't rod knock always be present at start up and acceleration? And also, it doesn't seem to get worse as I go up in RPM. In fact, it disappears at cruising speeds and acceleration. It's only there after I've driven a while and stop at a light or park. Anyway, if it is the start of a rod knock, I'll tuff it out and get myself something better and more reliable then a mazda (not very hard to beat FYI lol).

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Rod knock will generally get better or go away with RPM. Trust me, you are not out of the woods on this one.

 

[R-X-R]

y dont someone carm him down lol

 

[MazdaP55]

I know but this is weird... I drove it today and after like 20 mins it started, then I stopped somewhere, turned off the engine, smoked a cigg (2-3 mins), then restarted and drove home (+- 3-4 mins) and it didn't even make a sound... I also let it idle for like a min outside of my house and nothing. I've heard things about loose sparkplug making that sound (I changed them like 2 months ago but didn't have a proper torque wrentch). Anyway, I thought rod knock was always present, like all the time (low and high rpm).

 

[wildo]

Buy a mechanic's stethoscope and start probing around. If it's internal, you'll know...

 

[Spiced MSP]

it's time for a rebuild or source another motor

 

[Shadow102]

i work on imjustagirl's car all the time...here is the question i have after chasing this stupid knocking noise all over the place. When the noise occurs can you hear it under the hood or can you only hear it inside the car? The noise i am dealing with only can be heard inside the car more specifically in the center of the dash near the drivers side. Its is most certainly not rod knock or valvetrain noise as it cant be heard under the hood of the car.

 

[Spiced MSP]

i work on imjustagirl's car all the time...here is the question i have after chasing this stupid knocking noise all over the place. When the noise occurs can you hear it under the hood or can you only hear it inside the car? The noise i am dealing with only can be heard inside the car more specifically in the center of the dash near the drivers side. Its is most certainly not rod knock or valvetrain noise as it cant be heard under the hood of the car.

Im just throwing this out there but maybe exhaust vibrating against something under the car?

 

[Shadow102]

Im just throwing this out there but maybe exhaust vibrating against something under the car?

i wish, i have gone over the entire underside of the car, engine compartment, cowling, and interior with my stethoscope. The really hard part is to catch the noise when its happening because it will come and go. I couldnt hear it anywhere in the engine compartment, i could hear it faintly through the cowling, its still faint in the passenger floor board, and its very apparent in the drivers foot well area. It leads me to believe its something behind the heater box or in that area thats loose and vibrating with the vibration of the engine which is why if you rev it the noise goes away until it returns to that perfect vibration area.

 

[MazdaP55]

it's time for a rebuild or source another motor

I'm going to go see my friend who is a mechanic and if it is rod knock, I'll tuff it out until the whole thing pops, then do a parts out and never even think about touching a protege again lol. I'm looking at a Matrix XRS

My last car was a 1988 tercel and it toughed way longer than this piece of junk. Don't get me wrong, protege's are fun to drive.... until they break and then everything follows.

 

[wildo]

I'm going to go see my friend who is a mechanic and if it is rod knock, I'll tuff it out until the whole thing pops, then do a parts out and never even think about touching a protege again lol. I'm looking at a Matrix XRS

My last car was a 1988 tercel and it toughed way longer than this piece of junk. Don't get me wrong, protege's are fun to drive.... until they break and then everything follows.

Just fix it. I just fixed a knocking rod in my P5- cost all of $250, and that includes 2 (TWO!) royal purple oil changes... Running like a top now. Just cause you have a rod knock hardly means it isn't worth fixing. But hey- it's your bread; do as you please...

 

[Mazda2003]

Just fix it. I just fixed a knocking rod in my P5- cost all of $250, and that includes 2 (TWO!) royal purple oil changes... Running like a top now. Just cause you have a rod knock hardly means it isn't worth fixing. But hey- it's your bread; do as you please...

Not everyone is mechanic savy mate

 

[wildo]

Most certainly true. It just seems that even to have a shop fix it would be much cheaper than driving it into the ground and buying something new.

 

[MazdaP55]

Well finally found the problem... it wasn't rod knock at all... I had placed my EVAP close to the body and it was vibrating XD Totally forgot about placing the EVAP far from any piece of metal.