Rep Power: 255

At around 3000 rpms in every gear i can hear a rattle/knocking noise coming from the head cylinder. I have already adjusted the valve clearance and checked the vtec solenoid. When I checked the valve clearance, all of the intakes were pretty tight (.001 or .002). I readjusted to the correct clearance. From what i could tell there wasnt anything else amiss. After putting everything back together the problem persists. Any ideas?


UPDATE-I just went to honda. and they said it sounds like they timing belt is hitting the belt cover. I have a belt coming in the mail tomorrow so it was already getting changed. Anybody encounter this? Do they stretch a little when they are about to break? car has 100k on it

 
Rep Power: 298

Wow that’s strange. I've never seen it happen. There is an auto tensioner for the t-belt so it should always stay tight

 
Rep Power: 237

maybe the belt jumper a tooth and shifter over enough to come in contact with the plastic cover?

either way...youll be fixing it when the belt arrives so thats great!

 
Rep Power: 255

the service supervisor at honda says that the tensioner rarely goes out though.
i should have had you take a listen while i was at your house

 
Rep Power: 298

ya usually the only problem with the tensioner is that the bearing will get rough and make noise.

 
Rep Power: 255

so I changed the timing belt and the sound still persists. There wasnt any abnormal wear, broken pieces, or anything else anywhere inside the timing belt area.the only thing I could find unusual was that there were some cracks around the holes where the bolts go into on the lower plastic cover. I dont think it is the cover making noise, but I am replacing it just in case.

 
Rep Power: 255

I have now changed the water pump, all the belts, and the covers and still the problem persists. I took the tensioner to the shop foreman at honda and he said it is fine. I am about to go ape **** on my car. I really hope someone crashes into it at this point and totals the car.

 
Rep Power: 0

Have you checked all the spring clips between the rocker arms that keep them spaced? They may be the cause of the jangling if they are loose. Um...I don't know, I'll keep thinking about it though and let you know what I come up with.

 
Rep Power: 255

what should i look for in those? They looked fine when i did the valve adjustment.

 
Rep Power: 0

Just make sure they're properly aligned and not terribly loose. Should be obvious if there is something wrong with them.

It's not coming from any of your accessories is it (AC comp, PS pump, alt.)? Let me think.... Does it do this in neutral as well or just drive gears? What about reverse? Might be tranny related unless you can clearly hear it in neutral.

 
Rep Power: 255

it does it in all gears, in neutral, and i am putting a new tranny on in the next couple of days. all that is really left that i havent checkd is the block but the noise is definitely not coming from there. Was messing around with it again today. Could possibly be from something in the oil pan and is vibrating up through the motor and thats why i thought it was on top before. What all could end up in the oil pan? I have no loss in power what so ever. still drives and sounds good other than that noise.

i am about to drain my oil in a few minutes.

 
Rep Power: 298

it could be it spun bearing they tend to make a nasty banging noise when they fail.

 
Rep Power: 255

when they fail what kind of symptoms would the car have? i would think there would be some sort of performance loss with that. ]
Well i just emptied the oil. nothing in there. no metal of any kind. And my ****ing oil pan decided that it was going to grow a crack on the bottom so i got oil all over my drive way. I am completely stumped

 
Rep Power: 298

any way you can take a vid with the noise?

 
Rep Power: 255

yeah i can .... tomorrow though

 
Rep Power: 0

have u thought about using an automotive stethoscope, or chassis ear, to determine where its coming from, instead of throwing parts at it?

 
Rep Power: 255

yeah i have one of those, thats what made me decide on the oil pan. all these parts i was going to replace anyways just hoped they would fix the damn noise.

 
Rep Power: 255

heres a video with the noise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjtqaIRYxms

 
Rep Power: 298

hmm thats an interesting one. It kinda sounds like its in the valvetrain or maybe one of the accessories. try taking both your accessory belts off and seeing if the noise is still there. Just dont drive the car like that since your battery will die fast cause no alternator.

 
Rep Power: 255

I am actually in the middle of doing that right now. when i take the crank pulley off the sound goes away within 2-3 seconds. but as soon as i put it back on the noise is there

from what i can tell the harmonic balancer doesnt appear to be wobbling any

 
Rep Power: 298

you shouldnt have the engine running with the crank pully off. Thats what holds the timing belt pully on.

 
Rep Power: 255

the timing pulley isnt coming off. i check to make sure. it seem like the timing cover is keeping it in place

 
Rep Power: 255

well i have already done it, any ideas though

 
Rep Power: 298

what if you leave the crank pully on and press on the timing cover in different places. does the noise change?

 
Rep Power: 255

yeah i tried that too.. if the pulley is off i can create a similar noise. when the pulley is on the noise doesnt change

 
Rep Power: 298

hmmm. next I would throughly inspect the whole valvetrain. have you ever missed a shift or anything.

 
Rep Power: 255

i am sure i have missed a shift at some point... how would missing a shift cause a problem here? that sounds like it would cause a tranny problem(and as you know i have your tranny installed). by inspecting the valvetrain do you mean taking off the cylinder head? When i did the valve adjustment i inspected everything then.

 
Rep Power: 298

nah just taking off the valve cover off to check all the follower and all that.

Missing a shift and hitting 2nd instead of 4th for example would overrev the engine mechanically as high as probably 9000 rpms which it wasnt designed for. That can cause broken valve springs and such.

 
Rep Power: 255

oh no, i have not hit the wrong gear. i thought you meant like a little grindage action.

 
Rep Power: 298

ooh lol nah that doesnt matter much haha. It will eventually damage the trans but it takes a lot.