I didn't drive my car for 3 or more weeks. When I started it, I heard a valve clicking and immediately turned it off. A car mechanic advised me to add about one-half quart of marvel mystery oil and run the car five minutes. I did and, unfortunately, the clicking continued.

What now? Should I try a valve adjustment? What are the chances this will stop the clicking? If it doesn't, what's next? I have heard the term valve job, but not sure what that means.

Also, any information about what a valve adjustment or more extensive valve work could cost will be appreciated.

My main questions are about the valve clicking, but I also am interested in opinions related to selling this car. I want to sell it as soon as possible. It is a 1989 Mazda 626 4-dr (auto, AC). It needs new paint (trunk, hood, roof) and a new radiator (there is a 2” slit in the top of the radiator). Recently the car got new brakes, new alternator, and new battery. It has never been in a wreck, not even a fender bender. 125,525 miles.

Should I try to sell the car “as is,” or first try a valve adjustment? More extensive valve work? If a valve adjustment cures the clicking, should I try to sell the car before installing a new radiator? As you may guess, I don't want to spend more than the car is worth.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Valve adjusting in Croatia costs around 40$ (on a Honda Civic, 1990).

If you want to sell a car, try going to a salvage yard and finding a good radiator for some really small cash. If you manage to find it, and can replace the radiator yourself, do buy it (but don't pay a lot of money for it). Or you can just buy a radiator and give it to a customer with your old radiator installed.

Or if you don't feel like messing with it - just tell the customers that the radiator is cracked.

What weight oil are you using? Since I don't know what it uses. Is it a ohv, or ohc engine? Oh and marvel mystery oil... really won't help on ticking engines.

CroCivic91: Wish I could get the valve adjustment done in Croatia! Thanks for suggesting I get a radiator at a salvage yard and install it myself or give it to the person who buys my car. I can't install it myself, but this confirms that a handy mechanic could repair this at a lot lower price than I would have to pay. So my car might be of interest to someone who buys cars and fixes them up for resell.

thebriggsdude: I use 10W30 oil. I don't know whether the engine is ohc or ohv. Here is what I know: it is 12-valve, 2.2 liter, fuel injection.

I looked up ohc and ohv and found a great explanation, but I still don't know which my car is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushrod_engine

Thanks for telling me that marvel mystery oil really won't help on ticking engines.

Yeah, replacing radiator is quite easy. As easy as disconnecting a couple of hoses, taking radiator out, putting it back in and attaching the hoses. Filling it up with coolant and bleeding it.

Well, if you do sell it, the radiator is pretty easy to replace, but if you have a well, or stream, or wild animals or dogs, etc. they love antifreeze, has a sweet taste and will kill them, so be sure to collect it all and dispose of it right.

I drove my car about 5 minutes and the clicking stopped. I hope that means the oil wasn't distributed since I let the car set so long and that now the oil is back up around the valves.

Again, thanks for all help.