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So I just bought this 2005 Honda Civic EX special edition with 175k miles the other week. The engine is great and the transmission is mostly smooth with the exception of first to second gear not being as smooth (sometimes). I've noticed though every single time I start the car up and then I put it in drive or reverse and accelerate once I get to like two or three miles per hour I hear a grinding noise (sounds exactly like brake pad on rotor grinding). At first I thought it was just brake pad against rotor, mainly because usually when I pull out of a parking spot I immediately turn. I noticed today though I pulled out of a parking spot and just went straight without turning and I still heard the noise when I got to two or three miles per hour. I never hear this noise any other time besides right after startup and accelerating to a couple miles per hour. No weird noises when shifting or when initially starting up. I'm a YouTube mechanic so I'm only mechanically savvy when it comes to things I've previously worked on with cars/trucks I used to own. I've never dealt with anything transmission wise. After doing a little bit of research online I couldn't find anybody with the exact same problem as mine but I did notice others say that they would hear a grinding noise after a cold start up but they didn't seem to specify whether that noise happened as the engine was turning over or if it happened like mine did only after accelerating and getting to a couple miles an hour. So I'm not really sure... I'm kind of perplexed at this point. Side note: I did take the tire off and visually inspect the brake pad and rotor and the rotor seems fine and the drivers brake pad does look like its splitting (never seen this before), but it doesn't seem low, but it's weird because I never hear this noise any other time I'm braking and my brakes work perfectly fine. Any help is extremely appreciated. Is there a way I can self-diagnose this issue? Picture of brake pad on front driver's side shown.
I've only noticed it after startup, but today I'll test to see if it happens after I've been driving for awhile and then slow down to a stop, put it in park, back in drive (without cutting engine off) then accelerating to 2-3mph again.
Update: It ONLY makes the noise after start up. If I stop, put it in park, then back in drive and accelerate, there's no noise. But soon as I turn it off and restart it, forward or reverse once I get to 2-3mph I hear it again.
Checked the dust shields on the front behind the rotors?
back brakes dragging at all?
Yeah. I actually just replaced both front rotors, pads and calipers and checked dust shields. Not really sure what exactly I was checking for with the dust shields but they aren't rubbing anything. Still having this issue. It sounds like it's coming from driver's side engine bay. I'm at a loss here. Can't find anyone else with this issue.
Take the belts off, start it and see if the noise is still there. Dont run it for too long
What belt(s)? The serpentine belt? Is that even safe to do, or possible to run the vehicle like that? And what exactly is that checking for? Could you please explain further?
Mind you, when I get to 3mph I hear this grind for half a second and then I never hear it again while I'm driving, until I cut the vehicle off and restart and get to 3mph again. It doesn't sound like a belt or pulley type of noise. It almost to me sounds like something internal from the engine maybe?
What belt(s)? The serpentine belt? Is that even safe to do, or possible to run the vehicle like that? And what exactly is that checking for? Could you please explain further?
serpentine.
checking for seized alternator/AC compressor
serpentine.
checking for seized alternator/AC compressor
So just take the serpentine belt off and crank up then get to 3mph to see if the grind is still there? My AC works fine, could the compressor still be seized even with it working? Same w the alternator? I'll have to try that test this weekend.
If I wanted to do that I wouldn't have posted this question here. Why would you recommend me going to spend way more money than what may potentially be needed? I'm perfectly capable of fixing my own vehicles, I've been doing it for a long time. I'd much rather try and diagnose it and fix it myself than take it to a mechanic.
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
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Re: Grinding Noise After Hot or Cold Start Up
Originally Posted by Jason93
If I wanted to do that I wouldn't have posted this question here. Why would you recommend me going to spend way more money than what may potentially be needed? I'm perfectly capable of fixing my own vehicles, I've been doing it for a long time. I'd much rather try and diagnose it and fix it myself than take it to a mechanic.
Because of this post, made it seem like you don't know what you're doing.
Originally Posted by Jason93
What belt(s)? The serpentine belt? Is that even safe to do, or possible to run the vehicle like that? And what exactly is that checking for? Could you please explain further?
Because of this post, made it seem like you don't know what you're doing.
Well I only know about stuff I've worked on before. I've never done any engine or transmission work and I honestly didn't know that you could even run the vehicle without the serpentine belt but obviously you can just not for long otherwise it will overheat.
Even if I didn't know what I was doing wouldn't that be why I was asking the internet to help me out instead of going to a mechanic? I don't trust any shop to work on my vehicle. I take good care of my vehicles, I can't say that any shop I've ever interacted with has done the same.
Mechanics are an extreme last resort for me.
Do you have any idea what could be causing what I'm experiencing?
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
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Re: Grinding Noise After Hot or Cold Start Up
The car isn't going to overheat. The timing belt drives the water pump. You won't have a alternator though, so if you run it long enough you'll kill the battery.
I'm thinking maybe the alternator or something else driven by the belts is starting to go, since you said nothing is dragging brake wise.
The car isn't going to overheat. The timing belt drives the water pump. You won't have a alternator though, so if you run it long enough you'll kill the battery.
I'm thinking maybe the alternator or something else driven by the belts is starting to go, since you said nothing is dragging brake wise.
Hmmm. So what would cause it to only ever make that noise when I get to like 3 miles an hour then?
Weird because I've had alternators go out before and I never experienced this type of grind as they were going bad. Maybe it is something else that's driven by that belt. Hopefully not the water pump cuz I know those are a pain to change.
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
Joined: Feb 2016
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From: Barrie, ON Canada
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Re: Grinding Noise After Hot or Cold Start Up
Alternator might not be working as hard above 3mph, engine might be rotating fast enough by then. The water pump and timing belt is pretty easy to change
Alternator might not be working as hard above 3mph, engine might be rotating fast enough by then. The water pump and timing belt is pretty easy to change
Ahhhh okay, that makes sense. Tbh I'm a YouTube mechanic lol and thankfully these 7th gens have a lot of replacement vids. I'll check out the water pump replacement one just to see what all's involved. Thanks bro 🙏🏻
