OJR

Hello All

Basically what happens is the following:
1) When I start the car in the morning or after it has completely cooled down it starts normally, no noise or anything unusual. When I put the gear on R there is this grumbling noise I hear, or when I put it on D and turn the wheel to get it out of the parking spot I also hear that noise.
2) Once the car is warm I stop hearing this noise, but I sometimes do hear it when turning the wheel while driving, but much lower than before.

Any ideas as to what may be the cause? Thanks.

Wankenstein

Bleed air from coolant system. Most likely air trapped in the heater core under the dash.
Bleed air from power steering system
Check ATF level (if automatic transmission)

To bleed air from coolant system:
1) Raise front of car on jackstands (or incline) as high as possible
2) Set dash climate control to max heat and fan "off"
3) Run engine in idle until the radiator fan switches on twice (takes roughly 20 minutes)
4) Fill coolant in radiator and reservoir as needed to proper levels during and after bleed
5) Check radiator and coolant levels the following day to ensure proper levels.

If gurgling persist after performing the above method then consider trying a heater core flush.

To bleed air from power steering system:
1) Raise front of car on jackstands.
2) With engine off, key in second position turn steering wheel fully (lock-to-lock) left to right and repeat 10 times. Check power steering fluid levels a few times during procedure to ensure it doesn't run too low.
3) With engine on turn steering wheel fully (lock-to-lock) left to right and repeat 10 times. Check power steering fluid levels during procedure.
4) Use recommended Honda brand power steering fluid.

OJR

Thank you so much for your conclusive reply, I will give this a try and hopefully it will work out!!

ezone

Gurgle...or rattle? Loose bolts for the PS pump or alternator?

You may need to open the hood and investigate the noise while its obvious

OJR

@Ezone, it's more of a gurgle actually.

@Megalodong should the radiator cap be off or on?
And if i have the fan control set on off would the climate being set on heat be any use?

Wankenstein

Cap off from cold start to completion of air bleed.

Max heat to allow coolant to run through heater core when thermostat opens up. The fan just blows the heat radiated from the heater core through the vents.

Please post a video of the noise. My family has owned a total of four Honda's (6th & 7th gens) and I've never experienced gurgling. My daughter purchased a used 2002 Camry a couple years ago and it had a gurgling sound. I did a coolant sytem drain and fill plus bleed air on it and the gurgling lessened but didn't rid it entirely. She ended up selling it before I could do a heater core flush.

OJR

Here is the video, hope the sound is clear here. Note how the sound only appears when the gear is on R or D, once I move it to N the sound disappears.
I tried the bleed yesterday and I did see bubbles come out of the radiator but I could not get the car on an incline and the radiator fan never came on and neither did the thermostat temp go above normal. Please note that the car does not heat up, no matter how long a drive I go on, it drives perfectly normal.
One more thing, I don't think this noise comes on if i am parked on a little incline, even when the car is cold.

Thank you for your support

Wankenstein

I can't hear a gurgling sound but it may be masked by (or is) the rotational sound when car is in gear. Maybe Ezone can tell by sound? Otherwise take it to a local mechanic for an opinion.

OJR

what's the rotational sound?
I actually think it might be the belt tensioner?

Wankenstein

I've never worked on an 8th & 9th gen so I'm not sure if, which and where the tensioner you feel is making the noise is located. On older models tensioners (a/c) would make a metallic squeal when they're failing.

The rotational sound I hear maybe normal? Videos seem to distort engine sounds IMO. I couldn't hear any definite gurgling noises though.

This is what I think of as gurgling:

OJR

No that's definitely not the sound I hear. I'm quite sure now it is the tensioner, i'll take it to the shop and see how it goes, i'll post the result here as well.

Thanks again for your support and cooperation

Wankenstein

Okay. Good Luck.
Look forward to your follow-up.

ezone

That's not gurgling...that's a rattle. Sounds like there's a big fart can muffler on the exhaust when it makes the noise?

I think the engine mount has collapsed.

See the pictures in post #11 in this thread link, compare yours:
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...ml#post4577741

Wankenstein

The muffler/low rumble was all I could hear..listening with headphones. Glad you chimed in.

OJR

I went to the garage again, and asked them to check the tensioner, the mounts...they even removed it to check and said it is fine.
I think i should just give up and live with it?

ezone

You can't open the hood and inspect the engine mount yourself?
The difference between good and bad are clearly shown in the pictures in the link I posted earlier. Go back and click the link.


I expect rather few typical mechanics would know to check some of the stuff I see regularly.


Did you show them the noise and ask them to find the noise......or did you just tell them to check some random parts without telling them why?

OJR

The noise somehow never shows up by the time I get there. I even leave the car to cool for a while and then start again but it doesn't seem to come up. The noise is intermittent, and I think the video recorded distorts into something it is not.

I did inspect it according to the pictures and could not make out anything wrong with it, what I asked him to do was take it out and actually look at it. I actually went to three different honda specialized workshops and one random mechanic, no one seems to be able to find anything wrong with the car.

OJR

So as an update, it turned out to be the tensioner pulley after all. Had that replaced and the noise has gone...thank you all for your advice!
Now I can turn my attention to that humming noise, i changed both front wheel bearings and while the noise has decreased, it still appears when I am going above 60 mph. I am going to rotate the tires today and see if it makes a difference. Any other suggestions?

Wankenstein

Consider a "Road Forced" balance if needed. Have the tires inspected for splits or abnormal wear..when was the last alignment? Bring to local independent (not chain) tire shop that's been around for a long time and hopefully they'll shoot straight with you instead of trying to sell you a set of tires right away. Read: https://www.thoughtco.com/tire-noise-3234473

OJR

Switched the tires, front back and back front...noise gone now..thanks again

Wankenstein

May be gone in front but most likely can be heard if riding in the back seat. My guess is a split tire or improper tread wear. If it doesn't bother you while you're driving than "F"-it anyway.

ezone

Choppy tread wear----usually on the inner edges (but could be all over the tread), usually starts while the tires were on the rear, and when they eventually get rotated to the front the noise becomes really noticeable and annoying.

OJR

So that growling noise on a very cold start is back, but it only remains for less than a minute, not like before. I think what happens on a very cold start is that the engine shakes up more and this vibration causes a noise from the tensioner and belt area, but it disappears in less than a minute and does not appear again all through the day and maybe not even the next day.
Could this just be normal operation?

ezone

^Why do I see a silver colored crank pulley?

OJR

no idea....is that wrong?

ezone

If that's not black, I bet it's an undersize pulley (because racecar!)---- and that in turn makes the stock length belt too long. The tensioner can't move enough to compensate and keep it tight, the tensioner is at the end of its travel limit.

If the pulley is in fact smaller than stock......You need a shorter belt or you need a stock crank pulley.

OJR

Oh I see, i will get that checked out then..thanks ezone!

Meli

My 07 civic is making the "gurgling sound" too. It has 131,000 miles, happens only in the morning when I take my daughter to school, then after it warms I don't hear it anymore, did u ever figure out what was causing it? @OJR

OJR

It's actually more of a growling sound Meli, appears when I put the car in D or R, and disappears when in idle or once the car warms up. check the video posted two links above, does it sound something like that? If so then it's probably one of the pulleys that need to be replaced.