I got an engine from Planet Miata, and just finished buttoning it up yesterday. I was a little concerned with how loud the lifter tick was when I first fired it up:
This is before it really had a chance to warm up, but after I set the base timing.

I realize all oil has drained out of the lifters, and first firing it up is when it'll make the most racket. Once I got it warmed up and started burping the radiator, etc, it quieted down some. Drove it into work today, and it was even quieter, albeit still fairly loud.

I'm using Rotella T6 5W40. Can anyone give me any input on whether I have a problem here?

I was planning to change the oil at 1,000 miles, to get a used oil analysis on it as soon as possible (they need at least 1k miles for a proper sample) and to get any crap that might be in the crank case out fairly soon.

 

It says the video is private?

 

Derp, sorry, I fixed it

 

A first oil analysis will establish a baseline, not sure how much you'll learn other than the engine was dirty.

I'd be inclined to keep running with the Rotella and hope things quiet down. An internally-clean engine with T6 should be really quiet. Assume compression/leakdown is OK? If after a couple of oil changes you still have tick, you might want to pull the lifters and clean them out manually. They are likely full of old, nasty goop and, unfortunately, they don't really self-flush. Did you already change the TB/WP? That would be a good thing to do if you need to tackle the lifters.

 

Well, I had a junkyard engine in it prior to this that let rod bearings go over a period of a few months. I have a feeling if I had gotten Blackstone to look at the oil, I would have known a problem was coming via elevated lead levels. Based on the research I did, they get a ton of customer samples on a car like a Miata, since it's an enthusiast car, and I assume they'd have a good idea of what an engine like this should be looking like. The reports I've seen on bobistheoilguy.com, etc, look very comprehensive.

I wouldn't mind establishing a baseline either, especially if I turbo it as it sits.

One of the reasons I bought from Planet Miata over going to the junkyard again was that they put their engines on a stand and get them up to temperature. They compression tested this one at something like 180/190/190/180 (I forget exactly, they told me when I ordered it but definitely 180 or 190 across all cylinders) My hope was that I'd have a better shot at a good engine since somebody that knows something about them had looked at it already. Dunno yet if that's the case.

I did already do TB/WP/all external oil seals/coolant reroute before dropping it in. Not opposed to looking at the lifters though if this persists, that's a good idea.

Well, that eases my mind - I'm getting that you don't think it sounds like I have a disaster here. The engine certainly sat for at least a month in my garage, and who knows how long at the warehouse before I got it, I'm sure that'll contribute to noise. The top half of the engine looked clean enough when I had the valve cover off.

Thanks for the input!

 

That sounds horrible. I would not continue to drive it if it was mine.

 

I just took another video, I think I'm OK? It still has lifter tick, but this is right after a cold start this afternoon, after I drove it ~ 15 miles since initial install this morning and yesterday.

What do you guys think? Thanks for the feedback, since this is the third engine I've had in this car, I'm really trying to make sure I do it right.

 

First video is standard HLA clatter from an engine that hasn't been run in a while. Second video is what it sounds like after a few miles when the lifts have all pumped up. No bad noises in this thread.

 

Exactly what I was about to say.

 

<- Sighs in relief. Sorry for wasting your time then, but thanks!

 

I'd run it on the highway for a few minutes to get oil warm and flowy instead of cold and sticky. My car will start like that if I don't drive it for two weeks or more, but I never hear a peep if I drive it more consistently.

 

get a can of seafoam, pour it in the oil then drive it for 1-2km then replace oil. It may cause oil leaks if your gaskets are original.