Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
I searched and can't find anything . After the car warms up a bit, there is a knocking on the driver side of the engine, only when I accelerate and the speed doesn't change, only gets louder as I throttle harder. I say it like that because I can use the cable by the throttle body to duplicate it and verify it's in the engine bay, not inside as I previously thought. Happens when the car isn't moving.
Here are the prelims-
2001 civic ex coupe
things related to possible knock-new plugs, cleaned coils- ps fluid fine, ac pulley bypassed with a shorter belt(done by previous owner) belt looks ok, ps pulley tight, belt tight, checked the bolts on the ps unit and they are ok. checked the adjustment bracket- good, checked the PS reservoir- good.
I used my screwdriver stethoscope and it seems like the knocking is coming from the area of the metal near where the engine mount is on that side. I originally thought PS because of where it was coming from, but it doesn't sound like it. I'm new but I would think if it was engine, the sound would be constant and the speed would increase as I used the throttle.
Any help would be good and welcome! Or I cave in and go to the shop...
Thanks!
Here are the prelims-
2001 civic ex coupe
things related to possible knock-new plugs, cleaned coils- ps fluid fine, ac pulley bypassed with a shorter belt(done by previous owner) belt looks ok, ps pulley tight, belt tight, checked the bolts on the ps unit and they are ok. checked the adjustment bracket- good, checked the PS reservoir- good.
I used my screwdriver stethoscope and it seems like the knocking is coming from the area of the metal near where the engine mount is on that side. I originally thought PS because of where it was coming from, but it doesn't sound like it. I'm new but I would think if it was engine, the sound would be constant and the speed would increase as I used the throttle.
Any help would be good and welcome! Or I cave in and go to the shop...

Thanks!
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re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
If you feel like pulling the oil pan off you can check the rod bearings. Or get your oil analyzed.
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re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Please post a video of the noise here.
Do a motor/transmission mounts test.
Use a helper. One person remains in the driver seat for tests.
First, with engine off, car in neutral, from the front of the car push it backwards. If you hear metal tapping it's a bad mount.
After that test next involve engine on, parking lot or open space to test (not near house/garage) one person stand to the side of the engine bay (never in front of behind car). Driver engaged brake pedal first and then puts the transmission in forward gear while brake pedal still held down. Rev engine slightly while still in forward gear and brake engaged. Listen for tapping and look to see if engine lifts up higher than normal.
Let car rest a bit in neutral and try the same procedure in reverse gear, brake engaged.
Do a motor/transmission mounts test.
Use a helper. One person remains in the driver seat for tests.
First, with engine off, car in neutral, from the front of the car push it backwards. If you hear metal tapping it's a bad mount.
After that test next involve engine on, parking lot or open space to test (not near house/garage) one person stand to the side of the engine bay (never in front of behind car). Driver engaged brake pedal first and then puts the transmission in forward gear while brake pedal still held down. Rev engine slightly while still in forward gear and brake engaged. Listen for tapping and look to see if engine lifts up higher than normal.
Let car rest a bit in neutral and try the same procedure in reverse gear, brake engaged.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
hey, I forgot to record the sound, but I will do that tomorrow. It does it when the car is not moving as well. I can throttle up from the engine and cause it. It's a manual so it happens in neutral, with the ebrake on as well. It happens moving forward or backward with the car on, only after it warms up a bit. Thanks for the help! Looking forward to getting it settled.
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re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Watch videos or follow the procedure I listed for testing engine mounts. Engines will lift a bit even with good motor mounts. It's excessive lifting you are looking for. Loud metallic tapping along with excessive lift or engine sag to one side are sure signs of mount failure.
Rod knock is a serious issue and shouldn't be driving it all if that's the issue. Read https://blog.1aauto.com/what-is-rod-...0are%20driving.
Some say rod knocking causes blindness (author WANKENstein) 😄
Rod knock is a serious issue and shouldn't be driving it all if that's the issue. Read https://blog.1aauto.com/what-is-rod-...0are%20driving.
Some say rod knocking causes blindness (author WANKENstein) 😄
Last edited by Wankenstein; Feb 5, 2023 at 01:30 AM.
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re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
One option is to link YouTube of issues.
Sounds like engine noise and not mounts. Hard to tell from video, very well could be rod knock. Hopefully others will chime in with an opinion.
Might be loose valve(s). How many miles since the last valve (job) lash? Do you know how to check them?
Sounds like engine noise and not mounts. Hard to tell from video, very well could be rod knock. Hopefully others will chime in with an opinion.
Might be loose valve(s). How many miles since the last valve (job) lash? Do you know how to check them?
Last edited by Wankenstein; Feb 5, 2023 at 06:56 PM.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Last valve job? No idea. I bought this around Christmas and have been working on it. I don't know that it's EVER had one.
I will look into those. Will that make me go blind too? 
Thanks for the help.
I will look into those. Will that make me go blind too? 
Thanks for the help.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Well, the good news. It's not the timing belt .. The bad news- brought it to a mechanic, who admittedly doesn't do a lot of honda stuff or engine rebuilds- says it's coming from lower in the engine , so valve train is out. But said it may be a bearing or the crankshaft. Changed the oil to a thicker one and it lowered the sounds a little. They say it would take taking apart the engine, which he doesn't do, and possibly doing a rebuild or a swap . Guess it's time to look up what's in the lower part of the engine or crankshaft... Open to ideas or feedback.
Thanks for the help!
M
Thanks for the help!
M
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
If it were main crankshaft bearings or rod bearings, there would be metal flakes in the oil. You could send an oil sample to Blackstone labs to be analyzed. That would rule out a bearing failure.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
I was researching engines- will a JDM from japan fit in here without modification? I found one with an AC compressor for a grand plus shipping on ebay. Honestly, that would fix 2 problems for the price of one.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
A JDM D17A is identical to the D17A2 in your car. It is a direct replacement.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
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re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Nah, not really. It's almost certainly a bearing issue, likely a wiped main bearing. About the most you can figure out without an engine teardown is (kinda) figure out how many rods are affected.
I had the same deal, happened in neutral, stopped, driving, but the one constant was that the frequency varied with engine RPM. I let it idle and counted every 4th knock for 15 seconds (every 4th because the frequency was too fast to count every knock and having been a band nerd in high school, counting by 4's came naturally to me). Took that number, multiplied by 16 (one factor of 4 because it was every 4th knock I counted, and another factor of 4 to get a full minute worth of counts). Final number I got was consistent with idle RPM, which told me it was theoretically one rod that was affected.
Nevertheless, my fix was swapping out the entire bottom end because I had spare bottom end lying around (I had a full engine, but the head was already removed and swapped from a previous head gasket change). I considered just changing out the just the bearings, but I didn't feel like doing a teardown on the affected block and figuring out what color bearings to buy.
edit: if you wanna compare your noise to the noise my car had, here's what mine sounded like
I had the same deal, happened in neutral, stopped, driving, but the one constant was that the frequency varied with engine RPM. I let it idle and counted every 4th knock for 15 seconds (every 4th because the frequency was too fast to count every knock and having been a band nerd in high school, counting by 4's came naturally to me). Took that number, multiplied by 16 (one factor of 4 because it was every 4th knock I counted, and another factor of 4 to get a full minute worth of counts). Final number I got was consistent with idle RPM, which told me it was theoretically one rod that was affected.
Nevertheless, my fix was swapping out the entire bottom end because I had spare bottom end lying around (I had a full engine, but the head was already removed and swapped from a previous head gasket change). I considered just changing out the just the bearings, but I didn't feel like doing a teardown on the affected block and figuring out what color bearings to buy.
edit: if you wanna compare your noise to the noise my car had, here's what mine sounded like
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Nah, not really. It's almost certainly a bearing issue, likely a wiped main bearing. About the most you can figure out without an engine teardown is (kinda) figure out how many rods are affected.
I had the same deal, happened in neutral, stopped, driving, but the one constant was that the frequency varied with engine RPM. I let it idle and counted every 4th knock for 15 seconds (every 4th because the frequency was too fast to count every knock and having been a band nerd in high school, counting by 4's came naturally to me). Took that number, multiplied by 16 (one factor of 4 because it was every 4th knock I counted, and another factor of 4 to get a full minute worth of counts). Final number I got was consistent with idle RPM, which told me it was theoretically one rod that was affected.
Nevertheless, my fix was swapping out the entire bottom end because I had spare bottom end lying around (I had a full engine, but the head was already removed and swapped from a previous head gasket change). I considered just changing out the just the bearings, but I didn't feel like doing a teardown on the affected block and figuring out what color bearings to buy.
edit: if you wanna compare your noise to the noise my car had, here's what mine sounded like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUuRwnIf8GE
I had the same deal, happened in neutral, stopped, driving, but the one constant was that the frequency varied with engine RPM. I let it idle and counted every 4th knock for 15 seconds (every 4th because the frequency was too fast to count every knock and having been a band nerd in high school, counting by 4's came naturally to me). Took that number, multiplied by 16 (one factor of 4 because it was every 4th knock I counted, and another factor of 4 to get a full minute worth of counts). Final number I got was consistent with idle RPM, which told me it was theoretically one rod that was affected.
Nevertheless, my fix was swapping out the entire bottom end because I had spare bottom end lying around (I had a full engine, but the head was already removed and swapped from a previous head gasket change). I considered just changing out the just the bearings, but I didn't feel like doing a teardown on the affected block and figuring out what color bearings to buy.
edit: if you wanna compare your noise to the noise my car had, here's what mine sounded like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUuRwnIf8GE

M
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
ok. Going to check 1 more thing. well 2 more... Had another mechanic look at it and he thinks it may be the water pump, given the location of where the sound is coming from. He listened to the pan to see if it was echoing in there and it wasn't so,going to check the water pump as the belt may be tight, but there may be a wobble under load.. and take the pan off and check the bearings anyway, just to be sure. Will keep you posted.
re: Another knocking question... [solved rod bearing]
Well, it turns out- the water pump was going bad so replacing it was a good thing anyway.
That being said. It was the #1 rod bearing. It was in the beginning stages so it wasn't constant, only as it got a little warmer.
But, replaced all of the, just to be safe. SO, all better on that end. Next- find the power steering leak and adjust the clutch to I don't need to peg the floor to engage it.
Thanks for all the help!
That being said. It was the #1 rod bearing. It was in the beginning stages so it wasn't constant, only as it got a little warmer.
But, replaced all of the, just to be safe. SO, all better on that end. Next- find the power steering leak and adjust the clutch to I don't need to peg the floor to engage it.

Thanks for all the help!
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