sleeping_forest

Okay, first off, thanks in advance to any replies - I'm a newb with cars, so I need all the help I can get so I don't have to go pay a mechanic too much money (that I don't have )

The car: 1992 Civic Si Hatchback (D16Z6)

Problem: Odd noise from the engine bay, began while I was already driving the car for more than 15 mins. A "rattling/grinding/screeching" sound mixed with a rough "whirring" noise. Begins 1-2 seconds after the engine is started up. Noise occurs in gear and in neutral with the engine cold or hot (the noise does not seem to go away if the engine is at operating temp).

Observations: I can start the car up with no problem and drive it (but I haven't since the noise disturbs me - don't want to cause unnecessary damage). The car shifts fine, but the noise is always there.

I just changed the distributor cap and rotor (Niehoff), spark plug wires (NGK OEM replacements), and spark plugs (NGK V-Powers) last night. The car starts up much better than before, but didn't change the presence of the odd noise.

I'm the third owner of the car, having bought it about 8 months ago. It drove fine when I got it, but other than fluid changes, I don't think that many of the mechanical aspects of the car have been maintained as well as they could have (ie. problems fixed when the rose versus preventative maintenance). So, I'm thinking of doing a valve adjustment soon, as well as possibly replacing belts.

Reading the Haynes manual hasn't been too much help because the noise is hard to describe and I don't know exactly where it is coming from in the engine bay (perhaps around the timing belt area)... but from the Haynes troubleshooting section, "noise in neutral or in gear" could be from a worn clutch bearing? Obviously I'm reluctant to tackle any tranny problems, so I hope I can find a better answer here!

Well, thanks in advance for reading and for any replies... if there is any more information i can provide that could aid anybody in solving this problem, please let me know.



Modified by absolutZERO at 6:03 AM 6/14/2003

godnf8

Are you sure its not your exhaust rattling? Your best bet is to start the car up and trace the sound to the source or at least near. Then I suggest taking a photo and posting it. Chances are someone here on h-t has had the same problem and can give you some advice with a picture of wher the sound(s) are coming from.

sleeping_forest

I'm pretty sure it's not the exhaust rattling (doesn't seem like that kind of noise), but I'll check again just to be sure. I'm not counting on it though, but thanks for the tip.

Oh, forgot to mention that I did searches on H-T for "engine noise" and similar topics, and I've come up with topics such as valve lash and worn belts, but often these threads include symptoms that occur during acceleration or die down after the car is at operating temp, so it doesn't really help too much.

Thanks again everybody!

sleeping_forest

Small Update: I checked the noise again, it's pretty damn loud (possibly getting louder, not too sure, might just be imagining it). Seems to be coming from the distributor, or the area adjacent to it on the block side. Could a bad/worn/faulty distributor cause this type of noise?

Thanks again.

Kamin

try a diffrent distributor

i had a ******* OBNOXIOUS rattle comming from my header bracket, pulled timing belt off and **** before i realized the problem

TurboDX

your distributor bearings might be going out...it will cost you bout 200 for a new one.....if that is the case it might sound like a knocking too....just my .02

STIBungy

I was gonna say water pump but if it is coming from the distro side, then it probably isnt the wp. I actually heard the water pump bearing go bad a few days before *boom* antifreeze leaks all over the road.