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Hi! Im kind of new to the forum and Ive been digging but I can't find anything on my problem. I have a 2003 Honda Civic LX 5 speed and it's making engine noise. At idle the engine sounds fine, but when I give some gas in neutral I hear a puttering/piston slapping noise? Its hard to describe... Ill post a video if it's needed. I just had some transmission work done on it so I hope this isn't too major. Thanks!

 
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Check the oil 1st.
How low is it? Or how low was it?

Post video 2nd.
(Hopefully youtube so I can see/hear it.)

 
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The oil was fine when I first got it . I'll check it again tomorrow. Unfortunately they had just changed it when I first got the car so I couldn't see any sort of shavings or color.

Yeah, like I said the noise was hard to describe so I'll get a video for you. Ive posted stuff on photobucket for another forum. Ill try youtube if that doesnt work.

 
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Alright I got it all done on my lunch break at work today.

The oil is good! At the full mark and clean.

I also have that video for you. I hope it works! I posted a couple types of links to ensure you can find one that works. If they don't Ill post to youtube. I haven't noticed any loss of power or hesitation.

http://vid1255.photobucket.com/album...psepgqxpjp.mp4

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid1255.photobucket.c om%2Falbums%2Fhh622%2Fthewanzektwin2%2FMobile%2520 Uploads%2F20150331_121915_zpsepgqxpjp.mp4&title=">

 
Rep Power: 518

My FF didn't waste any time saying it doesn't like that LOL
IE downloaded it ok.

I can't hear much there, maybe some exhaust leak noise when you punched the gas pedal.
I'm listening on a laptop though, no 5.1 surround or anything fancy like that.

WWSWD? (What would Stevie Wonder do?)
Use your ears, follow the sound! Where does it come from? Where is it loudest?
Have someone else do the rev action so you can hunt it down?

 
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Yeah my phone didn't have the finest quality sound. I did review the video and I could hear it.

I also revved it up with my hand at the throttle linkage and put my ear to it the best I could. It sounds like it's the cylinder closest to the transmission? So cylinder 1? Could a bad spark plug cause the noise? The exhaust seems pretty snug to the engine head.... Hmm... Ill do some more digging tomorrow.

Everything I found about engine noise scares me! Detonation, piston slap, etc, etc. Here I thought I bought a car that wouldn't have any problems and I've wound up with transmission fix and engine noise

 
Rep Power: 518

Stop reading about other peoples problems! You crashed the airplane before you ever got on LOL

Concentrate on figuring out what YOUR problem is today.


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Assuming this is an exhaust leak issue....

Use a rubber hose held to your ear as a stethoscope. Short chunk of garden hose or something would work.

Poke around with the other end until you figure out where it's loudest.
Blip the throttle repeatedly if you have to to make the snap more obvious.
Have a helper work the throttle so you have both hands to hold your hose.

If you actually get close to the leak with the end of the hose, you may feel it in your ear as well as hear it loud.

Have a helper get a soaking wet towel and stuff it up in the tailpipe while the engine is running and you are listening for the leak, this should create backpressure in the exhaust system and make leak more obvious.
Helper probably won't want to do this very long though.

 
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Lol I'm just paranoid like that! I'd do some poking around today but it's damn windy in North Dakota today. 40+ mph gusts... Ill be sure to try you're ideas tomorrow! I appreciate the help so far! I'll post again when I find out more

 
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Well last weekend was a bust. I was too busy with easter and traveling.

I did happen to poke a mirror around the shroud and I noticed what appeared to be a crack on the left side exhaust manifold pipe right up where it connects with the plate that bolts on to the cylinder head. I tried to loosen the 2 bolts on the top of the shroud but they weren't going to come off easy so Ill do some more digging this weekend and with a little more time I can soak them in PB blaster.

 
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I think my 2001 has the same issue. It ticks loudly when accelerating, but only seems to do this when it is cold. An exhaust leak was my first thought because I have had them before and this sounds exactly like that. I don't know if the exhaust manifold is cracked or the gasket between the head and manifold is shot, but it is somewhere in that area.


I have not yet fixed it because I don't think it is all that critical unless you were idling for long periods of time. I will eventually get to fixing that, but I have to be honest... this car has sucked all the money right out of my wallet and I am tired of spending money on it. It's not Honda's fault. The previous owner never did anything but change the oil. I've had to catch up on 14 years of maintenance that should have been done over the years.


Mike