VFR

So I recently bought a 1995 accord ex with 240k on it. Been slowly replacing things as I can. I'm having two issues that I can't seem to figure out a definitive answer to.

1. On most cold starts, and about 1 out of every 3 or so warm starts there will be a metallic sound coming from the car. Only once did it not start. After doing research I thought it may be the starter. I replaced that today. The car is still making the sound. No video I've found can replicate the sound I'm hearing. It only happens during start and goes away completely as soon as the car starts and runs. I've looked at plenty of flexplate/flywheel/starter videos and none of the sounds are what I'm hearing. It's sort of like the sound made when you try to crank the car and its already started. But since I've replaced the starter it can't be that, right? I've searched "bad alternator sounds" and nothing I've found matches up either. Really stumped on this one.

2. Sometimes during idle I will hear an electronic sounding brrrr sound coming from what sounds like the dash. When I hear it the engine will slightly shudder and the tach drops about 100 rpms. I'm pretty sure it's an intake air control valve/throttle body/fast idle problem but that doesn't account for what sounds like a something coming from the dash. Maybe the tach is making the sound?

I am grateful for any advice you guys can give me.



[edit] what i've done so far:

replaced all tires
new water pump/timing belt
new valve cover gasket
new battery
new brakes/rotors
new ngk spark plugs
new pcv valve
brake fluid flush
replaced power steering rack
coolant flush

what i plan to do:

completely replace front/rear suspension
either remove/replace ABS system
replace oil pan gasket
clean or replace throttle body/IVAC/fast idle valve
rebuild transmission (at this point i doubt it's ever been serviced and the SLIGHT slipping will not get better from doing a drain/fill)
replace fuel filter and clean fuel injectors
either clean or replace fuel tank
replace distributor/wires

I dont get out much, and I work about 1000 yards from my apartment (i work at jiffy lube) and I have a scooter. I usually put about 2000 miles/year on a car (when I have one) and this car is really the last one i ever want to buy. i just want to put some love and care into it that i know the previous owners probably didn't. i'd like the car to get to a point where the miles on the odometer don't really mean anything in regards to the reliability of the vehicle.

VFR

Narrowed down the buzzing sound/engine shudder/drop in RPM to the ABS motor/module. whenever the buzzing sound happens i can see something happen through the abs reservoir. tested the alternator out (orginal nippondenso) and it appears fine. i dont trust our tester so i'll be taking somewhere else just to double check. Anyone ever heard of ABS failure causing a drop in RPMs?

Still having scraping sound on start. Replaced the starter the other day through Meineke and it now happens on EVERY start. Will ask them what could be wrong.

Any thoughts?

MAD_MIKE

I was going to suggest it may be the ABS pump. It usually self primes itself a moment after startup. If it is coming on while normally driving, there may be a leak(internal) to the ABS and it needs to re-prime.
Check for any stored codes via the two wire blue connector located under the center of the glove box, the codes are in a # -- # sequence via the ABS light.

Check your main battery terminal connections, they should be clean and tight.
Verify the grounds and bonding jumpers are also clean and tight.
Verify the battery is holding a full charge, it would also be a good idea to have the battery stress tested. It may check out fine with a voltmeter but under load it may have a massive voltage drop issue.

If it sounds like the starter is grinding, what may have happened is the previous owner may have damaged the starter and ring gear teeth from attempting to start when the car is already running.
Did Meineke inspect the ring gear for any damage prior to installation of the new starter? Since the old starter and ring gear were worn together, the new starter teeth are probably just grinding on the worn ring gear teeth.

holmesnmanny

Adding to what Mike said, you can check the ring gear through the peak hole and see if the teeth appear worn.

VFR

I have an appointment with Meineke tomorrow. I took it to him on Monday so he could hear it and he definitely confirmed it was starter related and that they'd look at it. I'll shoot what you guy said over to him tomorrow to check out. I remember him saying there was a very small hole to look through in regards to the flex plate. Does this mean my flex plate could be gone?

19Accord97

There is a black cover on the left side of the transmission held on by 3 bolts. Remove it and you can inspect your flex plate and the teeth by putting the vehicle in neutral and manually rotating the crank bolt.

If your flex plate was gone your vehicle wouldn't move under it's own power.
Edit: i think on autos you have to remove the shifter cable as well but that is just an additional 3 bolts to get he black cover off of the transmission. Easy.

MAD_MIKE

Ring gear on the MT is on the flywheel.
Ring gear on the AT is on the TC.
Flex/drive plate of the AT, if cracked, would make noise usually all the time when under load. Putting the car in D and keeping your foot on the brake while raising the engine speed would cause for a ringing or clanging sound as the flex/drive plate would make a racket.

Since the scraping only happens when the starter is engaged, and the starter has been replaced, I think the ring gear teeth have been damaged.