I drove out to Whataburger for lunch just now and when I was idling at the window waiting to get my food I heard ticking echo'ing off the wall from my engine. I haven't noticed it before, or at least as loud as it was but when I was driving back and idling at stoplights I couldn't definitely hear it now. I pop'd the hood at work to check the oil level and it was fine. I've heard it's a Honda trademark for ticking but I've never noticed it before until today.

Last night I had to get a jump-start from Hisham's S after I had left the keys in the accessories position when I was chatting with him for a bit. Maybe when I was trying to start it up when the battery was drained affected the engine?

Anything else that I could check other than a subjective hearing test? I have no CEL either but I guess there could be a code in the system.

 

Have u noticed any rough idling.? Does the ticking noise increase with RPM or speed ?

 

Hmmm I may have the same thing~ lets get together sometime and compare

 

Hmmm I may have the same thing~ lets get together sometime and compare
When I bought my s2k, I heard it and the first thing I thought was maybe mine needs a valve adjustment.

Then again, not sure...

 

tick tick boom.

 

Jk needs a vavle adjustment...

 

For a car with less than 25k? i need to check the manual to see when its due...

Your battery dying last night was really weird! it was only in that accessories mode for 10 mins
My prelude ticks buts its over 200k.

hopefully its not the issue in the short block, that seems to be common in the F20C -
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8051

Edit: I apologize for being a keyboard warrior, i should have read some more ! It is NOT a common problem for the F20C, only several isolated cases!

 

its nothing trust me. every S does the same. everytime you get nest to a wall or something alike its going to make that noise i had the same question when i first got my S. i have been on hill country drives and heard it and at McDonalds its nothing back! lets meet up and check it out thurday night what do you say?

 

ticking is also injectors.

 

I may have some insight into this as I did some research. I bought my 02 with 67k on it and it ticked as well. Same symptoms. Adjusted valves and it didn't go away. Went on the boards and most said to just deal with it, it's a honda thing. I felt that was crap so I did some more research, turned out it was the timing chain tensioner. Replaced about 7k ago and haven't heard a peep since.

From what I've read there have been people who've seen the TCT fail every year nearly. Personally I think it's just a sh*t design, but LUCKILY it's a $125 dealer part that can be swapped out in 10min.


Don't live with it, just replace it.