[cebo0650]

Hey guys I'm not sure if this is normal, or maybe I'm just paranoid, but yesterday I notices a faint (but rather audible) clicking sound while the engine is idling. When listened to closely it almost seems to resemble the sound a diesel car would make.

Could this be because the car is still new and not broken in (I have 600km on it), or could it be cause for concern? Also when I open the hood and touch the engine it seems to be shaking (vibrating) quite a bit with rather large amplitude. My old 96 Honda's Civic engine with 260,000km does not vibrate as much as that.

Has anyone notices the same symptoms? I hope this is all normal.

 

[Bieser]

ive noticed a small clicking sound too.

Not only on my car, but also on the two tester cars I took out.
Maybe it has something to do with the cold. :?

 

[bluong1]

That's the sound of the electrohydraulic steering system.

 

[birdy]

That's the sound of the electrohydraulic steering system.

yup yup

 

[Bieser]

boo yaa!
:idea:
it al makes sense now :lol:

 

[cebo0650]

I'm still not that clear on this issue. Why would the electrohydraulic steering system make a clicking sound?

 

[bluong1]

because of the EHPS valve that controls the oil pressure.

 

[cebo0650]

What is the EHPS valve? Anyone??

 

[bluong1]

http://www.sauer-danfoss.com/domdb/SASproducts.nsf/0/08340209D444A08486256D28007F6C2B/$file/520L0303.pdf

(Mazda3 EHPS is from Koyo Seiko Co.)

 

[cebo0650]

Ok, so now I know what it is, but I still don't know why it clicks like that. To me it's kind of disturbing.

 

[Absinthe]

I guess it's normal for this car. Try turning on the radio No more clicking sound.

 

[roguemoog]

I was starting to get concerned about this, but I really hope it's normal. I have the exact same thing, when the car is next to a wall or another car, to where I can hear the engine sound bounce back into the cabin, it sounds like I'm driving a diesel...I don't know if it was like this when I bought it, but I noticed it a couple thousand miles in...does everyone notice this or just the ones replying here?

 

[Fuel90]

Hate to say it guys...but that is no hydroelectric steering....its a new noise...

I have the exact same thing...'sounds like a diesel' was how I was explaining it to people as well.....

Its definitely not a noise I had before though...(AND it rises w/ rpm gets harder to hear tho)

I will take my car in this week to find out

 

[2004silverm3]

yah they had my car in at the shop twice b4 ...replaced the (pcv) ... it was sticking open ....same problem afterwards....the head mechanic was stumped and now they say they have to order a "butterfly" sumtin, didnt ask what it was or what it does, but its gotta come from japan ....so my engine has been like this for over 6 weeks and still nothin....will there be any damage, like any at all...

really pissed...this car is a lemon, but what can ya do, 1st yr for compacts usually spells trouble

 

[mario8402]

the ticking sounds like its coming right from under the spark plugs... its weird.. i hate that noise.. I wouldnt say it sounds like a diesel, but it sounds like it has thin/low oil if that makes sense to anyone.

 

[n1smo]

I'm guessing this is you guy's first car, but all cars make "ticking" noises. What you are hearing could be valves tapping or the injectors firing. This is not Need For Speed Underground where all the cars goes "Vrroommm Vrooom". Anyway, its normal.

 

[mario8402]

Actually this is my 3rd car,but thats beside the point. I know that they 'tick' i just didnt think it would come from a brand new car like this..

Has anyone washed their engine bay at a car wash yet?? I've never had a car with a 'plastic' valve cover. I was just wondering because the way the plugs are set in there. I noticed that it gets dusty under there from the way the valve cover is made and probably the engine cover. I used to do it to my saturn all the time, but thats because it was a saturn. but I dont want to screw anything up.

 

[roguemoog]

From the outside it sounds like clicking, but if you are parked next to another car and lower the window, the sound you hear from your engine sounds like a diesel, almost like popping. My mileage is also like 18MPG in the city, which is terrible...I drive sorta crazy, and mostly short trips, so I hope that's why and there's nothing wrong with my car...

 

[n1smo]

From the outside it sounds like clicking, but if you are parked next to another car and lower the window, the sound you hear from your engine sounds like a diesel, almost like popping. My mileage is also like 18MPG in the city, which is terrible...I drive sorta crazy, and mostly short trips, so I hope that's why and there's nothing wrong with my car...

My car make the same noises, probably more. I think I've got a small exhaust leak also... Don't worry about it. You got 2 reasons why the engine sounds like a diesel. 1) Its a 4 banger 2) Its a Ford. I've got plenty of mileage on the odometer and the engine seems to get stronger and stronger. Enjoy the car and stop worrying. You're covered if it blows.

 

[Fuel90]

if all cars do it and if its because its a 4banger..... how is it that my 86 volvo didn't do it? not trying to be argumentative....however this is NOT something that should happen. With mine I can put the ebrake on walk 10 yards into the main front doors of the school and still hear it! Its a failry substantial ticking. I do drive the heck out of the car so I worry that I may have overheated something causing it to warp or something. Others have told me it could be either a piston head itself of some kind of shim type thing that is in the piston shaft? it was explained to me but i wasn't really listning lol. I was told that shim may have moved and then that would allow a very slight amount of play in the piston causing that to happen.

STILL...i really have no idea what it is, im waiting to bring the car into mazda sometime this week. Just realize guys that it really isn't something that just 'happens' its not normal!