Okay I know about the HLA's in the 89 to 97 MPV's having a problem, but this doesnt seem to be the case with mine. My MPV started having a loud ticking noise in it and its on the right (passenger side) bank. I checked with a mechanics stethoscope. All of the rockers were making noise. There was also an intermittent miss and lack of power (no check engine light). I checked the timing belt and its on the marks. I also checked the tension and its good. Could there be something blocking the oil passages to the HLA's. I pulled them and found one defective lifter and one with a hammered pattern but they were not bad enough to make the sound I heard. I am replacing the 2 defective lifters while I have it apart (would replace them all but I cant afford it right now). BabyHuey were are you? You seem to give excelent answers. Help... LOL

 

I replaced the bad lifters and the valve cover gasket (that side leaked anyways). The problem is still there. It seems to not get enough pressure to that side if the motor. This is a recent problem. I am not driving it because of the problem so it doesnt get worse. Anyone had one bank of lifters not oil properly? Thanks... Dale

 

tried replacing tensoner for timing belt at the suggestion of another mazda forum. I will now try taking the HLA's off that bank again and look in the oiling holes. See if they are plugged. I didnt see anything obvious when I had them off before so I will have to look a little closer. May also try a little compressed air to see if I can dislodge anything that may be stuck in there. Then change the oil again. This oil changeonly has about 700 to 800 miles on it but I used the new anti sludge castrol and noticedin some of my other cars that it cleans the old sludge out along with keeping it from getting more sludge in it. This may have dislodged somethin into theoil passages. Willpost again afterwards and let you know... Dale

 

Noise from the hydraulic tension or tensioner bearing will be a deeper sounding noise from lower engine area and not from the valve cover area. I have used regular Auto Trans oil and run engine at 2000 rpm for 10 minutes or so and had some good luck in getting the lifters to quiet down. There is also a product called Seafoam that is supposed to be very good at disolving sludge deposits and blockages. If this all happened just after the last oil change with the different oil you might even just try the cleaning and then go back to the oil you were using before. Our 91 V6 also has a little clatter at start up but goes away within 30 seconds or so.