Rep Power: 0

Hi All,
I've got a 2004 Honda Civic Value Package (VP). Has ~200k mi on it and has been relatively trouble free besides an O2 and Cam Position sensor. Anyways, I drive ~40mi highway into work each day and usually run about 70-80mph. I've noticed lately that when I get up to the 80mph range there is a rattling/clatter that is coming from the engine compartment. It doesn't sound like a knocking, but kindof a rattle that increases with RPM. I'm assuming it is the valvetrain somehow.

I first check compression on the car. 140-150-140-140 psi with the engine cold. The plugs had a light white deposit on them, but weren't too bad. I cleaned them off and reinstalled.

Then I pulled the valve cover to see if there might be a bad spring or something going on. Didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I checked my valve lash and had some exhaust valves up in the 0.014" range and some intake valves ~0.010". I went and adjusted all of the exh valves to 0.009" and all of the intake valves to 0.007" of lash. I didn't run so that the sealant could cure before I drove. I'll test drive tomorrow.

Is there anything else that it might be? Do those valve lash readings sound like they would be contributing to the noise?

 
Rep Power: 210

with all the countless moving parts in the engine and tranny, what makes you assume this?

 
Rep Power: 0

The first indication to me that this might be the source of the issue is that it was engine speed dependent and not ground speed dependent. If I shifted out of OD into D3 my RPMS were much higher at a lower speed and I was experiencing the same noise. This isolates it to the engine.

Secondly, the rotation subsystems of the engine would be the crank assy and the valvetrain in the head. I've heard engine knocking and can usually hear down at lower RPMS where my engine was quiet. The frequency of this rattling seemed to be much higher than the engine RPM as the valvetrain rotates at a faster speed than the crank assembly.

Lastly, because the engine was much quieter on my way into work today and I didn't notice any "rattling" after I set the valve last last night. Due to that, I think I resolved the issue by setting the valve lash within specification.

Thanks for your input though, much apprecaited

 
Rep Power: 210

uuummm, its actually the other way around....the crank rotates twice as fast as the cam/valve train

i apologize for trying to help you free of charge.....what a rip off








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Rep Power: 519

So.....I'd say to have someone sit in the drivers seat and hold the RPM wherever it makes noise the loudest, then you can open the hood (or crawl underneath or whatever you need to do) to locate the actual source or area of the noise.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks, but I think setting valve lash resolved it.

 
Rep Power: 211

.007 intake and .009 exhaust are within spec but, (as Ezone pointed out to me) Honda valves generally tighten with useage instead of loosening. Just something to consider.

Good to hear your '04 VP has 200K on it and still doing well. My mom's '04 VP has 67K on it so, it should hold up a while.