2000 Mazda Protege - Pinging, Lifter Noise

KAINOS

MEMBER
2000 MAZDA PROTEGE

2000 Mazda Protege (1.6 liter), manual transmission. 80,800 miles. Light to moderate pinging, but this only happens when outside temp is 60 degrees F or warmer, and only when accelerating moderate to hard or going up steep hills. If I use 93 octane gas, pinging stops, but I shouldn't have to buy premium just to make it stop. I have been very dilegent to replace air filter & spark plugs (with NKG plugs - which are OEM for Protege).

Also, in cold winter start ups, I get lifter noise for about 10-20 seconds, than it goes away (I am using correct viscosity oil). When using oil pan warmer overnight, no lifter noise.

1 Reply

ROBY2222

MEMBER
4 POSTS

What brand of oil filter are you using? I used to have this issue on an older MX6, but if I used a Mazda oil filter, the lifter noise was greatly reduced. You may be using a filter without a good check valve to keep it from draining down overnight. The pan warmer may be making the oil thin enough to build the pressure fast enough to mask this.

Also, what brand of oil are you using? If it's not Castrol GTX, then I would try this the next time you change it. If that doesn't work, consider going to a full synthetic, such as Mobil 1. It will stay thin, even when it's extremely cold.

Rob