Official Found a Rattle Thread
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 244
Likes: 2
From: San Quentin, CA
It took six years to find this one: the small metal rod in the trunk lid connecting the lock cylinder to the latch. Wedged a piece of foam between it and the trunk body and "nailed it!" Only problem is that the latch sometimes will not open via the key fob so must use the key to manually turn the lock.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 397
Likes: 6
From: Austin, TX
I had a loud plasticky creaking noise coming from the drivers side door. Turns out it was the door card making contact with the inner window weatherstripping. I removed the door card and the weatherstripping (its held on by bendable metal tabs) and gave the edge of the card a thorough coating of Lexol vinyl treatment. Problem solved.
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,424
Likes: 162
From: Great White North
I have a "noise" that I can't figure out and is driving me crazy. I've had squeaks and rattles and fixed those, but this one is different.
It's coming from the center console area, I believe. It's not a squeak or rattle. My inexperienced thought was that maybe the e-brake cable was a bit loose ( but still mostly tight )? It sounds kind of like someone tapping their fingernail against a nail, but really fast and consistently. It doesn't sound like a loose nut or metal piece like heatshield, cat, bushings, etc. And this only happens over rougher road, doesn't happen on smooth roads. RPMS don't matter, but it stops when the car is idling. warm/cold, doesn't matter.
Anyone have any ideas?
It's coming from the center console area, I believe. It's not a squeak or rattle. My inexperienced thought was that maybe the e-brake cable was a bit loose ( but still mostly tight )? It sounds kind of like someone tapping their fingernail against a nail, but really fast and consistently. It doesn't sound like a loose nut or metal piece like heatshield, cat, bushings, etc. And this only happens over rougher road, doesn't happen on smooth roads. RPMS don't matter, but it stops when the car is idling. warm/cold, doesn't matter.
Anyone have any ideas?
Registered User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 594
Likes: 24
From: Pittsburgh
Rubber Seals on top/Shin Etsu/Plumbers Grease/ Keeping the squeaks and creaks away as well as the water out.
My S is still pretty new, as 09s go, and I want to keep it that way with preventative maintenance. As far as the rubber seals go for the top, I have read quite a bit in discussions and on line about Shin Etsu grease available from Honda. (Its repackaged by Honda-not made by them) Honda recommends its application to rubber seals to maintain their function and appearance. The problem? My dealer wants $70 for a substantial size tube. Ouch! I can see other sizes are available online and from the manufacturer at lower prices.
(BTW I am an military/airline guy and have no financial interest in this stuff)
Now I have found and use Gunk brand 'Plumbers Grease' for household applications: my pool equipment, water softener, plumbing, and other uses. Great stuff. Comes in a small white plastic tub. $3. Why not this instead of Shin Etsu? Time for some research.
Although the precise chemical breakdown is not listed on either containers, you can find out alot from the websites and uses for the products. I will spare you on endless details but let me throw in this definition of 'silicone grease':
Silicone grease is a waterproof grease made by combining a silicone oil with a thickener. Most commonly, the silicone oil is polydimethylsiloxane and the thickener is amorphous fumed silica. Using this formulation, silicone grease is a translucent white viscous paste, with exact properties dependent on the type and proportion of the components.
Silicone grease is commonly used for lubricating and preserving rubber parts, such as O-rings. Additionally, silicone grease does not swell or soften the rubber, which can be a problem with hydrocarbon based greases. It functions well as a corrosion-inhibitor and lubricant for purposes that require a thicker lubricant, such as the operating mechanism of the M1 Garand rifle or S2000 soft top.
The most common use of it is an elastic heat transfer coupling material between semiconductor circuit elements and attached cooling metal parts. This way thermal resistance of touching surfaces is typically lowered by 50 percent. The high thermal stability is the key property that allows these greases to operate on hot, cold and wet surfaces of peltier elements.
Silicone grease is also used widely by the plumbing industry in faucets and seals, as well as dental equipment. Electrical utilities use silicone grease to lube separable elbows on lines which must endure high temperatures. Silicone greases generally have a temperature range of -40 to 400 °C.
Silicone grease is widely used as a temporary sealant and a lubricant for interconnecting ground glass joints, as is typically used in the chemical laboratory. Although silicones are normally assumed to be chemically inert, several historically significant compounds have been prepared by unintended reactions. For example, the first salt of the crown ether (OSi(CH 3 ) 2 ) n (n = 6, 7) were prepared by reactions resulting from contacting organolithium and organopotassium compounds with silicone greases.
Silicone-based lubricants are often used by consumers in applications where other common consumer lubricants, such as Vaseline, would damage certain products, such as latex rubber condoms, rubber/plastic on really cool cars like the S2000, and gaskets on drysuits.
The salient points are the presence of the silicone ingredient and NOT petroleum additives which attack rubber. (Thats why Vaseline and condoms do not go together well)
The plumbers grease matches those qualities of Shin Etsu: Has temp range of -40 to 400 degrees F, Does not melt. Waterproof protective coating that prevents rust and corrosion. Rubber and synthetic, plastic, metal and ceramic materials. Certified ANSI/NSF 61. Made in USA.
Contains Polydimethylsiloxane/63148629, Dimethyl Siloxane, Hydroxyterminated/70131678, Silica, Amorphous Fumed/7631869.
Pretty much the same industrial ingredients for this class of product including Shin Etsu.
Bottom line: it seems to me the plumbers grease is really pretty much the same quality and composition at a much cheaper price.
This brings me to the final point: UV protection. Non of these greases offer UV protection. (like to have the top down?)
Some auto detailing suppliers offer products that incorporate UV protection. I will pick on one: Meguiars. (I know I could have said 303) They say they use only the silicone chemical makeup (read more $) that is not harmful to plastic (on the products that has silicone in it) unlike other companies using cheaper but harmful silicone compositions (Armorall) Meguiars makes a ultimate protectant designed for rubber with UV protection.
Where am I going? Why not use the Meguiars ultimate protectant for an initial application and follow up with the grease? That way you get the UV protection and then the benefit of the grease on top of that? I would think your rubber seals would stay in primo condition if you did that several times a year. Anyone?
My S is still pretty new, as 09s go, and I want to keep it that way with preventative maintenance. As far as the rubber seals go for the top, I have read quite a bit in discussions and on line about Shin Etsu grease available from Honda. (Its repackaged by Honda-not made by them) Honda recommends its application to rubber seals to maintain their function and appearance. The problem? My dealer wants $70 for a substantial size tube. Ouch! I can see other sizes are available online and from the manufacturer at lower prices.
(BTW I am an military/airline guy and have no financial interest in this stuff)
Now I have found and use Gunk brand 'Plumbers Grease' for household applications: my pool equipment, water softener, plumbing, and other uses. Great stuff. Comes in a small white plastic tub. $3. Why not this instead of Shin Etsu? Time for some research.
Although the precise chemical breakdown is not listed on either containers, you can find out alot from the websites and uses for the products. I will spare you on endless details but let me throw in this definition of 'silicone grease':
Silicone grease is a waterproof grease made by combining a silicone oil with a thickener. Most commonly, the silicone oil is polydimethylsiloxane and the thickener is amorphous fumed silica. Using this formulation, silicone grease is a translucent white viscous paste, with exact properties dependent on the type and proportion of the components.
Silicone grease is commonly used for lubricating and preserving rubber parts, such as O-rings. Additionally, silicone grease does not swell or soften the rubber, which can be a problem with hydrocarbon based greases. It functions well as a corrosion-inhibitor and lubricant for purposes that require a thicker lubricant, such as the operating mechanism of the M1 Garand rifle or S2000 soft top.
The most common use of it is an elastic heat transfer coupling material between semiconductor circuit elements and attached cooling metal parts. This way thermal resistance of touching surfaces is typically lowered by 50 percent. The high thermal stability is the key property that allows these greases to operate on hot, cold and wet surfaces of peltier elements.
Silicone grease is also used widely by the plumbing industry in faucets and seals, as well as dental equipment. Electrical utilities use silicone grease to lube separable elbows on lines which must endure high temperatures. Silicone greases generally have a temperature range of -40 to 400 °C.
Silicone grease is widely used as a temporary sealant and a lubricant for interconnecting ground glass joints, as is typically used in the chemical laboratory. Although silicones are normally assumed to be chemically inert, several historically significant compounds have been prepared by unintended reactions. For example, the first salt of the crown ether (OSi(CH 3 ) 2 ) n (n = 6, 7) were prepared by reactions resulting from contacting organolithium and organopotassium compounds with silicone greases.
Silicone-based lubricants are often used by consumers in applications where other common consumer lubricants, such as Vaseline, would damage certain products, such as latex rubber condoms, rubber/plastic on really cool cars like the S2000, and gaskets on drysuits.
The salient points are the presence of the silicone ingredient and NOT petroleum additives which attack rubber. (Thats why Vaseline and condoms do not go together well)
The plumbers grease matches those qualities of Shin Etsu: Has temp range of -40 to 400 degrees F, Does not melt. Waterproof protective coating that prevents rust and corrosion. Rubber and synthetic, plastic, metal and ceramic materials. Certified ANSI/NSF 61. Made in USA.
Contains Polydimethylsiloxane/63148629, Dimethyl Siloxane, Hydroxyterminated/70131678, Silica, Amorphous Fumed/7631869.
Pretty much the same industrial ingredients for this class of product including Shin Etsu.
Bottom line: it seems to me the plumbers grease is really pretty much the same quality and composition at a much cheaper price.
This brings me to the final point: UV protection. Non of these greases offer UV protection. (like to have the top down?)
Some auto detailing suppliers offer products that incorporate UV protection. I will pick on one: Meguiars. (I know I could have said 303) They say they use only the silicone chemical makeup (read more $) that is not harmful to plastic (on the products that has silicone in it) unlike other companies using cheaper but harmful silicone compositions (Armorall) Meguiars makes a ultimate protectant designed for rubber with UV protection.
Where am I going? Why not use the Meguiars ultimate protectant for an initial application and follow up with the grease? That way you get the UV protection and then the benefit of the grease on top of that? I would think your rubber seals would stay in primo condition if you did that several times a year. Anyone?
How does Napa Sil-Glyde compare in your opinion?
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 7,905
Likes: 3,436
From: Foothills East of Sacramento
I would recommend the 3M stuff above the rest for quality and price. You can find it at many auto part stores.
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
My 01 with 138k miles just started making this noise. It's all original oem inside nothing has been tampered with
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Registered User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: rosenberg tx
Well today after about 6 years of owning my car I decided to get to the bottom of what was rattling. It was coming from behind the passenger seat and was more of a buzzing sound rather then a rattle. At first i thought it was the trunk support bars that help hold up the trunk up but nope. After banging on random things for a few minutes I found the problem. It was coming from inside the passenger seatbelt retractor. Have yet to change it but just relieved I finally found it.
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 250
Likes: 1
From: near Vancouver, BC
Yup! It's fixed now.
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/741...#entry23234157
Still silent after a few thousand Km driving.
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/741...#entry23234157
Still silent after a few thousand Km driving.
