Rep Power: 0

I picked up a 97 civic ex coupe in automatic this month so that my girl can drive it if need be (she wanted my 2nd car to be something she can use if her car is down and I agree) it’s got 215k engine runs perfect. However a couple days after buying the car we took it on the highway for the first time and it’s emits a high pitched scratching noise while under light to medium throttle (quiet under very light throttle as in just holding a steady speed) but any accel and she puts out the scratching noise as well as some whining here n there. Shifts are all smooth once the trans is warm but cold they are drawn out and a bit rough. Recently after putting only a couple hundred miles on the car now she scratches pretty good in any gear when cold, then again once warm no noise until gear 4 and 5 light medium throttle. Under heavy throttle I believe it does not make any noise, or I just can’t hear it. I can see the front trans torque arm rubber is shot. Do you guys think the trans is bad? Worth rebuilding or just replacing? D16y8 engine for reference. The CEL had come on but before i got to scan it I had done some small repairs that I pulled the battery cable for. So the CEL is off and I don’t want to drive it another 100 miles for it to come back on if I’m going to kill the trans. Thanks everyone.

 
Rep Power: 366

tighten the serpentine belts

 
Rep Power: 0

I did notice on a couple rainy days there was some minimal belt squeal when coming off the throttle but it’s very different than the noise coming from the trans. The trans (I believe) is emitting a scratching/grinding noise that seems to be directly related to the torque applied. When keeping steady throttle on highway, going up a hill will induce the noise, then if I back off the gas to a very light throttle it will go away immediately. Apply gas and it’s back

 
Rep Power: 221

Are you saying it's squealing the tires in every gear?

 
Rep Power: 0

Are you asking if I’m saying it’s spinning the tires like doing a burnout?? It’s a mechanical grinding/metallic scratching noise that comes and goes as I give more or less throttle. When I first start the car, cold start, the noise is faint but as it’s put into drive or reverse it then greatly increases the noise. It’s for sure some sort of metal/metal contact wether it’s coming from inside the trans, a mount, alternator, I’m not sure.

 
Rep Power: 221

There's a little inspection cover that lets you peek inside the bell housing, it's on the bottom near the shift cable. See if you can see something in there, might want to rotate the engine by hand while you're looking in there

 
Rep Power: 366

recommend taking to a shop, hard to tell with your description

 
Rep Power: 0

Good idea I’m going to do that later tonight. It’s snowing here now, but I had a friend start the car from cold while I listened under the hood. Sounds like it’s coming from the alternator l. I found that one of the alternator housing screws has backed all the way out and is chillin inside one of the alt openings trapped by the alt pulley so it’s spinning and grinding on the inside wall of the pulley. Most likely what I’m hearing is that screw grinding on the inside of the alternator. Either that or a tensioner is failing. Going to check inside the bell housing later and report back.

 
Rep Power: 221

Try the alternator first, way easier to deal with