EX Coupe Valvetrain(?) Noise

[DesertStriker]

So my Civic is my first new car. For some crazy reason, I also decided to make it the first manual transmission car I've driven. This may have been a bad idea... While learning to drive the car, I had the typical jolts and stalls of a new stick driver. Unfortunately, around 200 miles on my odometer, I noticed a tapping sound coming from the engine. The car now has around 1300 miles, and the tapping sound is still there. I only notice the sound about half the time I drive the car. Sometimes it is just a faint noise that can only barely be heard from inside the car, and sometimes it is easily heard outside the car. The tapping changes speed with engine speed. I haven't been able to isolate where it is coming from, but it sounds almost exactly like the lifter clacking that plauged my old LeBaron. Is this a known problem, or could my clutch-learning adventures have messed up the valvetrain? Would this be covered under warranty? My Honda dealer is two hours away, so I wanted to check on here before making the trip to have it looked at. Thanks for your help! --Doug

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[kero]

To me the only thing a first time stick driver can do is possibly burn the clutch a little and or damage some teeth on the gears in your gear box.

It's unlikely you did engine damage by stalling or jerking while learning.

[WLH]

I agree with Kero. You could stomp on the gas, lift, stomp on the gas, lift...slam on the brakes, throw it in reverse, slam on the brakes, and stall it, all the while grinding every gear and riding the clutch till it smoked. That won't matter to the valve train. Your transmission and clutch would not like you much though. If your drive train is ticking already then bring it in right away. Make sure they take a solid look at it too and they better have a detailed reason. Don't accept a "that is the norm" type answer.

[MordeKyle]

while learning, did you downshift a little low and bring the engine up to high rpms?

this could cause your problem. even though the engine is made to run at high rpms, when you downshift your engine is taking a different kind of strain. bassically the engine is doing the opposite of what it is made to do. most people think that as long as you dont go into the red when you downshift your fine, well that isnt true. when you downshift too low the engine is "jumping" up to high rpms. its not working its way up to the high rpms like it was designed to do. instead it is hitting the high rpms imedetly and cuasing a reverse stain on the engine. doing this can cause many problems with the engine. my brother actually blew the 4 cylinder up in his jeep by downshifting one gear too low.

[DesertStriker]

Ok, I'll take the car into the dealer once my internship is over (and I'm back to civilization).

Originally Posted by MordeKyle

while learning, did you downshift a little low and bring the engine up to high rpms?

I did go a gear too low a few times while learning, but I usually pushed down the clutch again once I realized it was starting to rev too high. I don't think I ever went over about 4000 RPMs or so during the break-in period.

Thanks again for all your help!

--Doug