redhotek

So I've got a 00' EK hatch with 150,000km, car's mint, like nothing wrong with it whatsoever, (except for the ridiculous lack of power and torque...) but there is this one rattle, that only occurs when cars under load, and at low revs, coming from somewhere in the dashboard more towards the steering wheel. Its not a heat shield this is proven. its not the spring on the clutch pedal, its like this unbelievably annoying rattle that is just impossible to find. if anyone out there has any ideas.. please, I'm desperate here. (BTW I'm a musician and got great hearing, very sensitive to annoying sounds. this is why I'm actually going crazy over this, other wise i wouldn't give a flying f uck...) pix for clix

IndySporty

good luck mysterious rattles have plagued me all my honda life. keep touching different areas on the car in the vicinity until you eliminate the noise. if nothing eliminates it, then start taking panels off (steering column cover, cluster surround, vents, fuse box cover, ect) until the noise goes away. You'll figure it out just in time to have another noise pop up somewhere else. checking screws and bolts for tightness might help too.

mortificationrock

It. Could me many things. I'll just throw some out there, ISB( input shaft bearing) TOB ( throw out bearing) or even a wheel bearing

PerryRT

First of all, sorry - cr*p like that is VERY hard to pin down. Realistically, it could be almost anything - my guess is that those conditions hit the resonant frequency of SOMETHING plastic in the dash, and most probably it's vibrating against something else in close proximity to it....8 years ago when Honda put it together, everything was tight and had no problems. Now.... a different story.

Unfortunately, the only way to fix it that I've run into is lots of test driving with small changes to the car. We used to hate these service calls when I worked as a mechanic - no WAY you beat the book rate on one of those.

The only really useful advice I can give you is that the three times I've had this problem, it was steering wheel, then cluster, then vent. (On three different makes and models, though.) I've always wondered if one of those "mechanic's stethoscopes" would be useful for this sort of hunt, but never tried one. If you do, let someone else drive, though, huh?

Anyway, when you find the rattle, either replace the part or use this stuff or something similar (probably locally available at a craft store, btw, any kind with a good sticky back should do) to go between the two pieces (extra ninja points for bright red, though!

Alternate crazy plan, of course, would be to rip the whole area apart, apply the tape EVERYWHERE it looks like it might be useful, and reassemble. Your call if that's a more efficient use of your time or not.

Sorry I couldn't be more specific.

IndySporty

Nice sig hehe....

redhotek

yeh i basically laid upside down under the steering wheel column for like an hour and half today touching everything, i found something that was rattling and put tape over it and was very happy thinking i solved my mystery... but it was far from solved.. i know my TOB is making noise, i know that noise. only when the clutch pedal is up and in neutral. thats not the noise tho, the noise sounds metallic. maybe i should really try that stereoscope thing... the thing is that NOTHING else in the car rattles. nothing. thats why im so pissed off that i cant find this one annoying rattle. Thanks a lot for all your help tho. everyone!