2004 Mazda 3 2.0 liter ticking valves

[2004Mazda3]

Hello ! I have a 2004 Mazda 3 2.0 liter. It has 130,000 kms on it and I have a loud ticking noise cold or hot . Now I went to a Mazda dealer and they want $ 430.00 to adjust my valve clearance , So I decided to do it myself. I found it had Hydraulic valve lifters, So I went back and asked the dealer how am I supose to adjust these, They are telling me to install shims inside the lifters , Does anyone know if this is true or are the lifters just plugged up and need to be replaced ?

Thanks, :bang

[Flagrum_3]

I personally have never heard of shimming hydraulic lifters, usually when a lifter is gone, its the lifter itself that is screwed and in such a way that shimming would not solve it, ....but hey you never know for sure nowadays with all the new fangled stuff.

I would suggest getting a second opinion from another dealer before you do anything.


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[Chilly]

I work at a Ford dealership, and ford uses the same 2.0L in the Focus. so i did a little bit of looking in to this. I found that your best bet would be to measure the thickness of the valve tapits, over time the thickness will cahnge and that may be what causeing your tipping. you may be able to shim it but for the price, i would just replace the tapits.

[PlatMS6]

Are u sure it's not the crummy plastic valve in the intake manifold??? sounds just like tapping valves...
Only way to fix it is to replace the IM.

[Flagrum_3]

I work at a Ford dealership, and ford uses the same 2.0L in the Focus. so i did a little bit of looking in to this. I found that your best bet would be to measure the thickness of the valve tapits, over time the thickness will cahnge and that may be what causeing your tipping. you may be able to shim it but for the price, i would just replace the tapits.

I looked into this also, tappits? ...maybe, but I don't think thats the problem.According to a couple of mechanic co-workers of mine, a few automakers, including Ford and Mazda have and are using shimmed hydraulic lifters.Apparently the lifters are already shimmed from the factory!. These shims will wear and only replacement of these with new shims and proper adjustment will solve the issue.Also it was mentioned that it is quite a time consuming process, hense the high cost....apparently most techs don't like getting this job because it takes much longer than the book time allows for the job, so if your flat rate your loosing money.


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[2004Mazda3]

I brought my car to the dealer and they first updated the software for computer
Then they found that the runner valve or also called the shutter valve. I taking it in Thursday morning . $760.00. I wonder if it would be cheaper to get it done at the FORD dealer.:bang

[PlatMS6]

Yea I'm pretty sure that the shutter valve is the little bastid in the intake manifold that I was talking about....and that's why it costs 700+ to fix...

If you are not going to replace it, you can get rid of the noise by removing the vacuum line going to it

[Flagrum_3]

Hey thanks for letting us know what the real problem was! I guess that's one other thing I'll have them check before the warranty runs out....$760...ouch!!
Have you checked to see if its not covered under the 5yr powertrain warranty?.just wondering


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[2004Mazda3]

Well, The manifold was changed and the the ticking is gone, Also it has more power now. Apparently when the SHUTTER valve goes, You have to replace the whole maniflold. Kind of a rip off , Don't you think. $550.00 for the part and $300.00 for labour. MERRY F%#*King CHIRSTMAS !!!! :flaming

[PlatMS6]

Well, The manifold was changed and the the ticking is gone, Also it has more power now. Apparently when the SHUTTER valve goes, You have to replace the whole maniflold. Kind of a rip off , Don't you think. $550.00 for the part and $300.00 for labour. MERRY F%#*King CHIRSTMAS !!!! :flaming

I knew it had to be that... I hear lots of 3's on the road with the same problem usualy at intersections... I've even told some ppl in parking lots to go in and get that fixed but 2 of them said that their dealer said it was normal :( ....... I just went along my way
The stupid valve clapping makes the car sound almost like a diesel lol

My 3 had the whole IM replaced around 40k I think and then when I was trading it in at 99k it had the same problem again. This issue is more common than people think...
Hopefuly they don't carry over the same intake manifold on the new 3.

[Flagrum_3]

I knew it had to be that... I hear lots of 3's on the road with the same problem usualy at intersections... I've even told some ppl in parking lots to go in and get that fixed but 2 of them said that their dealer said it was normal :( ....... I just went along my way
The stupid valve clapping makes the car sound almost like a diesel lol

My 3 had the whole IM replaced around 40k I think and then when I was trading it in at 99k it had the same problem again. This issue is more common than people think...
Hopefuly they don't carry over the same intake manifold on the new 3.

I'm just wondering why its not listed as either a TSB or a Recall?? ......you'd think something big like a manifold replacement would be!....and I would assume it would effect the emissions/gas mileage, which should be a Recall.


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[PlatMS6]

You know what, I am just wondering why they would mold in a cheap part that has the potential to fail in the first place... if it was removable somehow then it would be a 50$ fix I assume instead of 800+. Hell that valve isn't even needed...

[wymjym]

our 2004 Mazda 3 has 14,000 miles on it but it is now 39 months old (out of warranty). The engine sounds like it has a valve ready to blow out of the head. The noise went away yesterday for 2 or 3 minutes...I'm going to assume that this is probably going to be the IM valve thingy, gone bad. I'm really not ready to pay $800 to have this replaced. I twist wrenches on my older cars and motorcycles....is there something I can do myself (remove the valve, make one of of metal, replace the IM) to resolve this noise? also, can someone post a diagram of where the vac connection is that controls this valve...so I can at least determine that is the problem...
thank you
wj

[wymjym]

never mind

it seems that the USA 2004 mazda has a 48 month/50K mile warranty. We are covered and it is the intake manifold.
wj

[Thrizzl3]

bring this thread back from the dead as i am currently having this problem. $760 to replace the IM alone? how much more to adjust the valves? just makes me wanna sell my car now :(

[jonjon72]

bring this thread back from the dead as i am currently having this problem. $760 to replace the IM alone? how much more to adjust the valves? just makes me wanna sell my car now :(

Wonder how much Jimmy would charge for this????

[froggy]

ouch maybe the price of the part has gone down now? or maybe someone makes a performance IM for the 2.0 that jimmy could install for you?

[TheMAN]

with the yen being strong, I seriously doubt the price has done down... probably the cheapest thing to do is modding the intake (remove the TSCV near where it bolts to the head)
it's just a manufacturing defect from the start that causes this (uneven wear on the butterflies)

[Donutz]

Call Jim. I'll vet you he an hook you up with an IM. I'm actually looking for a spare myself.

[taz4432]

Get a Cosworth IM. It'll need slight modification to fit but it should be less then the $760 (just IM, not labour). Jimmy can more than likely get it done up quite quickly.

P.S. You can shim hydraulic lifters. I've done it before. Not very hard. once you get access to the head.

[zoso]

does anyone have an audio sound of it?

I have a slight ticking noise when i'm idling but i have to stand infront of my car to hear it. it was louder when my engine mount was bad however.

[Thrizzl3]

does anyone have an audio sound of it?

I have a slight ticking noise when i'm idling but i have to stand infront of my car to hear it. it was louder when my engine mount was bad however.

if your car sounds like a diesel then you have what i have lol

[Donutz]

Look it up on m3f. There is a good video there. If I have a few mins later I'll post it up.

[TheMAN]

Get a Cosworth IM. It'll need slight modification to fit but it should be less then the $760 (just IM, not labour). Jimmy can more than likely get it done up quite quickly.

P.S. You can shim hydraulic lifters. I've done it before. Not very hard. once you get access to the head.

the thing is, all of the MZR engines have no hydraulic lifters, and NO shims... they are shimless tappets with varying thickness... the only way to relash the valves are replacing the whole bucket assembly

what he got told by the dealer is wrong
no mazda engine has used HLAs for at least a decade

[taz4432]

the thing is, all of the MZR engines have no hydraulic lifters, and NO shims... they are shimless tappets with varying thickness... the only way to relash the valves are replacing the whole bucket assembly

what he got told by the dealer is wrong
no mazda engine has used HLAs for at least a decade

Okay, well if that's the case then no, there won't be any shimming going on. I was just basing off of what was said on this thread since I've never pulled off a head on one of these engines but I am still correct in that HLAs can be shimmed =P I'll have to look more into the MZR engines.

[mido]

I also have had this ticking since day 1. But now that the weather is colder seems as though its getting worse. I can hear it when i'm sitting idle, or when i release the brakes without pressing gas.

Very annoying, i was going to ask the dealer to check it out, but i know id only be wasting my time. i know for a fact they'll claim its normal.

What should i do ? Should i wait until it gets worse then bring it in so its much more apparent?

[JonsMazda]

Bring it to Jimmy @ Street Performance, he won't give you BS.

[brad30]

2004 mazda 3 2.3L had a diagnostic done said it was intake manifold as well...not the shutter valve but apparently a rod in the manifold making the noise....mine does not tick at idle...it sounds more like a lifter...only at around 3000 rpm do you hear it on steady gas...not when gas depressed or pressure on pedal constant speed noise is there...otherwise nothing. they quoted me around 600$ but think they are wrong and don't want to replace the IM and waste my money they screwed up on.