Excelerate

97 Prelude with Mahle 8.5:1 Pistons with Eagle Rods, ARP Head/Main Studs, RC 550's, Cometic HG and a P28 ECU w/ Crome and a Turbonetics Turbo Kit.

The engine has a loud ticking noise at low RPM's that seems to subside with RPM's. It's possible that the engine noise overpowers the noise and it still exists but it's less audible with RPM's. Compression on the engine is good, pretty much 210 across the board with CYL 2 being 200. Visually under the valve cover everything looks fine and a valve adjustment was done. The sound almost sounds like a rod knock but it definitely sounds like it's coming from the head. Also it smokes when fully warmed up sometimes. However, there is no oil in the charge pipes right off the turbo ( I know this can be valve seals or ring lands). I'm trying to figure out this ticking/knocking noise. It's not just an injector ticking; it's pretty loud and more like a knock. And why would this car smoke when warmed up? The car still has great compression and has power. Any help would be appreciated.

Excelerate

Anyone have an idea?

bluedlude

try to locate the noise, if its in the head, its probably a lost motion assembly

vinuneuro

Yep, check the lma's if you're sure the valve lash is in spec and it's not just the injectors you're hearing. Oil burning could either be valve seals or the oil control rings. Neither would affect compression. If it's the valve seals you'll see smoke after idling for a bit at stop light, or when you first start it in the morning etc.

lude98SH

my first thought was spun bearing before you said it sounds like its in the head. Did you have it up in the air on a lift or anything so you could hear whats going on underneath ? Ive had friends cars with spun bearings that sounded like something in the valvetrain at first and had good compression.

What color is the smoke ?

Excelerate

The valve lash was in spec, well at least it was after we adjusted it. A few were tight and few were loose. It's definitely not injector noise. I should say knock rather than tick b/c it's pretty loud. You can hear it at startup and idle, warm or cold, from inside the cockpit.

I haven't seen the smoke but the customer is saying it's a bluish white smoke. First he said white which led me to coolant but then he said there's some blue in there so oil too although I don't know how true it is since I haven't seen it and I don't want to fly around in his car with this knocking noise.

We had a stethoscope on it and it seemed like it was coming from the head.

Apex1972

LMAs FTW

staticrex

I would side with LMA's, happen to me before i sold it.

flyrod

piston slap?

98vtec

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by flyrod &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">piston slap?</TD></TR></TABLE>

thats what i was aiming towards...

bluedlude

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Excelerate &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's definitely not injector noise. I should say knock rather than tick b/c it's pretty loud. You can hear it at startup and idle, warm or cold, from inside the cockpit.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, LMA's are just a tick and you would not be able to hear in from the engine bay. if it was piston slap you cylinder walls are probably fckd by now and a compression test should give you an idea.

SOHC_4dr

when you did the lash did you make sure that the corresponding vavles and piston were in the TDC comp stroke on each cyclinder when you did it?

Excelerate

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SOHC_4dr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">when you did the lash did you make sure that the corresponding vavles and piston were in the TDC comp stroke on each cyclinder when you did it?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Of course.

Thanks for all the responses.

jetlude

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1901519

Pull the head examine the pistons.

Been there.

juan400hp

HELP PLEASE !! .how can I knw when is piston slap? I have mahle 9-1 , eagle rods.. I am having the same problem. Can u help with ideas? I had the head removed and all valves replaced but nothing else was wrong with head acording to machine shop...and is not coming from under the car....when I had the head off I noticed the cylinder walls scared... but pistons seem to be in good shape..when I did compression test b4 I removed head and it was 150 all across...is that the right compr?

juan400hp

^ well same knockin problem not any of the smoking....

kevinlude

My 01' Prelude has the same issue. What if I don't replace the LMA? Will it ruin the whole engine eventually? I'm driving down from Nor-cal to San Diego for college...

Frank Allen

what is a LMA ????
Frank Allen

H2b-eghatch

heres my rod knock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-NWFzRl3bc

Sandhonda

If you have the cylinder-in-cylinder type LMA's, as opposed to the spring type, I would suspect them. The cylinders get sticky and don't allow the internal spring to do its job, while definitely annoying, it's not dangerous to the engine.

rimsandthings

that is never a good sound to hear

#1rudebwoy

that's a spun bearing for sure

Rob97'SH

The engine on the video is a spun bearing due to a faulty oil pump would be my guess, He said the light would flicker then the noise started. Bottom end is fubar

flyrod

Ya, time to take that thing apart and fix it. I don't think it will stay together for long with that kind of sound anyway.