Rep Power: 0

I've been hearing this really weird noise for the past couple of weeks, and so I finally went and scheduled a service appointment for next week, with Honda... In the mean time, I want to see if I can figure out what this noise is, so perhaps I can give them a better idea where to look.

The problem is that my engine makes a really strange rattle-like noise when the revs are dropping, going from 3,000 to 2,500 rpm (and sometimes below 2,500). It's especially obvious when I'm coasting with the car in gear, and the car being slowed by the engine, HOWEVER it's nothing to do with the transmission, I believe, because the car still does it with the car in neutral, standing still. I've tested it many times, so I'm rather certain it has something to do with the Engine.

Initially I thought it had something to do with the gear shifter, because it sounded like it was coming from underneath the car in that area, and also the sound seemed to happen whenever I changed gears, which ended up only being because the revs were dropping between that range (3,000 and 2,500).

My best description of the sound is a dremel cutting through glass or something... It's a really weird noise, and sounds like the frequency on it changes as the revs change.

I read about a service bulletin regarding a problem with the cam shaft being misaligned or something.

Could it have something to do with the VTEC changing the valve positions?

Also, on a side note: I'm also going to have them take a look at the creaky/squeaky clutch problem that everybody seems to have. Does anybody have any advice on getting them to fix it permanently? I've read that in a lot of cases it comes back, very soon.

My car is a 2001 5-speed Civic EX Coupe, and luckily I bought the extended warranty for it.

Thanks!

 
Rep Power: 0

Update:

I've brought my car to the honda service place 4 times, since I last posted, and I've shown the noise to two mechanics. They both heard it and acknowledge it is there, but for some reason the place is so booked they can never find time to look at my car, while I am there, with the car making the noise. The other two times I brought it there for them to fix the noise, they couldn't get the car to make it. I'm going to bring it in there one more time next week, and if they can't fix it, I'll just tear apart my dashboard and keep digging till I found out where the noise is coming from.

 
Rep Power: 311

Keep us posted.. I have a similar sound but just the opposite of yours. When cold, something in my engine compartment makes a rattling noise between 2500 and 3000 rpms. After the engine is warm or driven for awhile the noise is gone. I'm thinking it could be a heat shield or sumtpin... dunno.

 
Rep Power: 0

Man I hate dealerships, they **** people so hard.

 
Rep Power: 0

My car did that. It ended up being a rubber hose in the engine compartment vibrating against my strut tower brace. You might want to have a friend rev the car while you look around under the hood for the noise. That's how I solved my problem!

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks... I will try that next time I get a chance, after driving my car long enough to get the sound to appear