my 97 is sick

Did you recheck the oil and was it still OK?

Leon

Change the oil and filter. Persistent HLA clatter is one of the Seven Early Warning Signs that you're overdue.

Okay. Change the oil/filter RIGHT NOW. Use a high detergent oil, such as Pennzoil. Drive it 150 miles. Change the oil/filter again. Use good, $uitable oil, OEM Mazda filter. Maybe even dino/synth 5W-30.

Before you start the car; do a good deed, i.e. give a pint of blood at the local bloodmobile, small donation to local grade school, senior citizen's center, etc. - but - not just 'praying'. No. 'Praying' is not enough.

Start car. Drive hard. If nothing breaks. You're okay.

Steve McMahon Green JRSC '00LS

This is not bad advice to help clean the motor of fried oil and engine shrapnel, but...

No of these things will help a damaged motor, if the damage is already done.

I guess I have to quibble with the semantics of "okay" here. If the engine was oil starved, there's damage. The extent and impact of the damage is unknown and highly variable, and it's quite easy to believe "it's OK" when in fact there's been life-shortening damage to the engine that isn't apparent.

Personally, I'd be mildly inclined to pull the valve cover off and inspect the cams/valvetrain for scoring, and perhaps perform a compression + leak-down test.

Or you could just drive it as long as it doesn't break.

Dana

Eh, you'd be surprised. Warren Zevon was was supposed to be dead nine months ago, but he just did a cover of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". I found that really funny. That's why I love him.

Depends. How was the engine before? Had it already been abused or was it in pristine shape?

Well, that's the thing. He could be just fine.

If this is the case, what's the point in worrying about it? Go drive the damn thing.

That'll just make you worry about whatever you find.

That's what I'd do. Hell, I just drove over 300 miles after having removed my right rear brake pads on the side of the road. Life's too short to worry about stuff like this.

Let a thread fester long enough, and true wisdom will eventually rise to the top. Get an AAA card and a cellphone if you're paranoid, and just drive until something actually shows signs of going wrong. I'm having trouble thinking of a less finicky car than a Miata.

That would have been my second choice, behind the Miata, back before I bought mine. The ones up here were kind of rusty, though.

-- Tonyrama Crystal White '93 A