So for the past few weeks I've noticed this weird sound coming from my engine. Originally it started quietly and has gotten progressively louder. It basically sounds like when you were a little kid and put baseball cards on your bike spokes so it went "clack clack clack." I notice it 2 ways:

1. When the windows are down or the top is down and I drive next to a wall or some sort of object that echo's sound back, the clack sound is extremely noticable and gets louder the higher the RPM.

2. When the music is off and the windows are up, I can hear it much fainter but still audible, almost like its coming through the tranny.

So today I decided to pop the hood when the engine was running, because I just couldn't take ti any more. As soon as I do that, I hear the sound (almost like 2 sounds at different intervals) coming from, what seems to be, either the intake manifold or inside the valve cover area.

I have no engine mods at all AND I don't beat the hell out of the car (haven't hit redline in about 3 weeks) so I'm kinda nervous on what this could be. Just changed the oil about 2 weeks ago and nothing is leaking or anything. I'm going to Honda tomorrow, but can anyone give me any info on what it could be? HELP and TYIA!

 

You should have a mechanic look at it ASAP. and dont drive it anymore. from what I have learned here, it sound like the #4 cylinder failure. I think they look down the sparkplug hole to tell. good luck

 

How often does that happen? And is that related to the spark plug TSB that has been out for a while, the one about the plugs backing out?

Warren

 

yes it is related.

 

take it to redline and see if it clears up ok ok, just kidding. doesnt sound good at all, get it checked out asap and do not drive it anymore! an $80 tow to the dealership is a hell of a lot cheaper than more damage!

now on to the spark plug tsb...being a MY01 owner what does this entail? can i read up on it anywhere? how do i know if it's been corrected on my spa seeing i'm not the original owner?

thanks

 

I'm actually having the same problem. It's not really a knocking sound, it's more of the baseball cards in the spoke, but not that loud. It almost sounds like it's coming from the belts on the engine. Maybe, thats all itis and I'm getting paranoid. At night when I drive by a wall, I can here it very well with the top down. If I accelaerate it gets louder. But, if I put it in neutral it stops all together. I've been driving it this way everyday. But, the weird thing about it was I took it to honda for an oil change, and the guy that did the oil change said everything sounded okay. I'm confused.... if I put it in neutral and the sound goes away, is my car okay?

 

If it sounds like a knock, maybe it is a knock ... that is, detonation. This is especially possible if you are using regular gasoline instead of premium. The engine control system might also be out of whack and mistiming the spark, which could have a variety of causes.

Let us know what it turns out to be.

 

Could be a rod knock


I try to give my car a workout when ever I can and she runs like a thoroughbred racehorse

 

I use premium all the time, even though prices are killing me. I thought it was just a belt sound too, but its MUCH too loud to be a belt sound, especially after I looked in the bay and heard the sound from the engine itself

Gonna hit up Honda tomorrow and see what they say...

 

keep us posted. I will be interested to see what they say. You are sure this isn't just the valve clicking sound? I can hear that from inside my car or when I lift the hood and from what I have read from various posters hondas tend to have noiser valves that alot of engines. Just a thought?