i own a 95 ex coupe with 240k miles on it.... say i just wanna hop in the car and go when the motors cold. I get this ticking like somebody is letting their watch hang from their fingers and letting it tap the door window.. but i only get the tapping when the motor is under a load. once it warms up it goes away... so im pretty sure this lil gremlin is lyin in my valvetrain. the last owner told me the head gasket had been replaced around 120k miles ago. so i did some research on a product called rezlone...... i think that ws how its spelt but anyways i know mazdas are notorious for noisy lifters and i have heard of alot of mechanics using that stuff on them...

This car has been a headache for me since i traded my burban for it but it has come along way.. ohhh and one more thing..... i noticed that the driver's rear sits a lil low compared to the rest of the vehicle...... the strut doesnt look popped and the spring still looks good.. and ride is still superb... does anybody else have this problem?

 

Adjust the valve clearance to spec.

Put the rear end on stands and carefully inspect the suspension components for damage and excessive free play. It will help to compare left side to right side.

 

is it expensive to have a mechanic adjust the valves?

rear suspension looked good to me.... checked the bearings, threw it up on the stands and everything looked good,,, i couldnt see any cracks or bushings that were bad..

 

I don't think valve clearance adjustment would be very expensive. I did the job my myself -- takes a feeler gauge, a new valve cover gasket, an overnight cold engine, and some patience:
http://hondatech.info/downloads/Auto/Manuals/Civic/

Maybe the rear strut spring is bad?

 

could be.. most of the miles on this car are highway miles but im sure that doesnt really make a difference....... i have a feeler gauge and i have the patience lol just not the experience.... but i did do a valve cover gasket on my 90 accord i used to have..... so the tools rquired for the valves is the feeler gauge and what a 10 mm?

 

For the nitty-gritty details, have a look at the service manual (see link in my earlier post). If afterwards you have specific questions, post them in this thread.

 

i appreciate it man thanks

 

usually, valvetrain noise means you're just very low on oil, but on the other hand, it could also be wear and tear on the motor considering you have almost a quarter of a million miles on it.

 

i used to work at valvoline so i keep all of my fluids topped off and i change my oil monthly regardless if i hit 1k miles or not..... i even threw in some lucas to see if that would shut it up... i just find it confusing that it goes away when it gets warmed up..lol.... im used to chevys and mitsubishi lol....

 

then you're due for a valvetrain adjustment, or if you like, a swap if the motor has been driven very hard in it's lifetime.