# Mazda MPV ticking sound

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/mazda-mpv-ticking-sound/12653>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mpv, mazda\
**Created:** [April 7, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mazda-mpv-ticking-sound/12653 "2008-04-07T16:23:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pro\_family](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@pro\_family](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pro_family)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mazda-mpv-ticking-sound/12653/1 "2008-04-07T16:23:22Z")

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I have a 1998 Mazda MPV with 105000 miles. There is ticking or pinging sound from the engine that is there almost all the time. I took it to a national tire store and was told that it needs a new motor. I’d like a second opinion - what kind of shop should I go to? Or should I take it to a Mazda repair shop?

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**Author:** ![wizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wizard](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wizard)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mazda-mpv-ticking-sound/12653/2 "2008-04-07T17:59:04Z")

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Take it to a machanics shop, especially one that you may know. A tire shop probably knows just that, tires and then maybe. Dealer would be nice but they are expensive.

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mazda-mpv-ticking-sound/12653/3 "2008-04-07T20:36:40Z")

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Ticking MAY be from a dirty/sticking lifter.

Another ‘ticking’ type sound may be from spark arcing from worn spark plug wires.

Pinging can occur when a too low octane rated fuel is used.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mazda-mpv-ticking-sound/12653/4 "2008-04-07T20:37:21Z")

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I had a 1993 Mazda MPV for less than a year (in 1993). Its hydraulic lifters kept collapsing. I discovered while I was taking it back yet again that this was a problem common to this engine, a true design defect. I discovered that by talking with another MPV owner that was in on a repeat visit for the same problem. The symptom is valvetrain ticking, especially when cold, becoming more and more prominent as time goes on.

I don’t know if the problem was corrected by 1998, but if this is a used vehicle and that turns out to be the diagnosis you may have gotten one with a chronic problem. I got rid of mine, but Mazda may have a TSB somewhere dealing with this. It’s worth researching.