UPDATE: please read the bottom post for updated information!

Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum and new to Acura's or any Honda for that matter.
On Monday I bought a 1994 Integra GSR. It is hella fast and I love it but it has 113,000 miles and does some things that I am not sure about.
First off it idles kind of pecuilar. The revs stay the same but it kind of shakes a little bit and when you go back to the exhaust it sounds like it isn't smooth.
Second when the car is in Neutral and i let out the clutch it makes a whining or grinding sound. Also the ABS light stay on and the ABS does not work, and it makes an exhaust rattle at about 3500 RPM's.

Other than that it is a great car but I was wondering what I should do about the clutch problem in particular?
Sorry for the lng post.


[Modified by 94IntegraGSR-OVR, 10:57 AM 8/27/2001]


[Modified by 94IntegraGSR-OVR, 10:59 AM 8/27/2001]

 

not sure about the clutch

but the abs light and rattle at 3.5k is just like my car
abs light is from the abs modulator going south. owner probabably just unplugged the fuse so it would stop making weird sounds when u start the car up.
new part is 1600 bucks. yeah it hurts. i got one used i have yet to install for 200. im not sure if that will works. but mind you, u are driving w/o abs

rattle @3.5k is the exhaust manifold. get a new header and it will be fixed. i put a comptech on. it works

 

It's a 4 cylinder car... the exhaust isn't supposed to sound "smooth". But it should be an even and rhythmic put-put-put-put noise.

The 3500RPM exhaust rattle is a cracked A-pipe. About ~$400 from the dealer, or just buy an aftermarket header, like the DC Sports stainless. Or better yet, just buy a turbo kit.... hehehehe

I have a friend with a '95 Accord who had to replace the ABS control module $400 from the dealer, or less if you find a used or remanufactured one.

Sorry, but I'm not sure about your other problems.

 

Grease up your release bearing on your clutch, that should get rid of that whining noise when in neutral. Had that prob with mine and workes fine now.

 

i had the same abs problem
i decided that i drove for years without ABS, and i can do it again
1000 is better spent on mods anyway

go get a SS DC header at first-1.com
it's only 318

 

thanks to everyone who has replied so far. How do i go about greasing the release bearing on my clutch?
to mercury: that is good because that is thge sound my engine is making. I just thought something might be up because my friends '92 GS-R does not make the same idle sound.
I know that the ABS does not work and i saw the TSB out for it so i guess I'll just live with it.

However i tested last night while it was raining and only the front brakes locked up. but i guess i'll wait and see.

thank you all again very much.

 

First off, make sure your car is up to date on all the scheduled maintanences. Secondly, your exhaust concern is really nothing to worry about because it shouldnt be a smooth flow, instead it should be a steady putt-putt-putt as mentioned above. The rattle can be coming from anywhere, but for us GSR owners the rattle is most likely beign caused by a cracked A-pipe and if you plan on getting an aftermarket header this will eliminate the problem.

I'm not sure if the clutch has ever been replaced on your car, but I would probably just wait till it becomes slightly weak and replace it with a new one before I spend any money on trying to fix the current one. Trying to relube a section would be a good idea if someone could describe exactly to do it.

 

the rattle is probably the heat shield. I had that happen on both of my Integras. It's REALLY annoying. Even when I changed out the headert it was still there. on the '93, it was somewhere in the exhaust (I never found it even after tightening, and REMOVING all the heat sheilds) and on the '97 it was the header heat shields. HTH, -C

 

heh, greasing the release bearing is definately a fun job
all you have to do is remove both front wheels, brakes, halfshafts, air intake distributor and pretty much half the wiring harness. Then, if you want to make bolts a little easier to get at, remove the header, a-pipe and radiator. Remove the clutch slave cylinder and then jack up the engine and tranny. Take off the transmission mount, and left side engine mount. After that all you have to do is drop the transmission. It weighs about 80 lbs so you need a friend to help. Once thats off you can get at the release bearing.

While you're in there you might as well change the clutch and lighten the flywheel if you know someone with a lathe.

If you know what you're doing and have the right tools you can do this in about 2.5 hours. My first time took about 8.

Or you can pay someone about 200-300 to do it.

good luck

 

so if i wait for the clutch to wear before i grease the bearing will it cause any adverse affects on my engine/tranny/flywheel? or will it just be kind of annoying?

I figured the rattle was coming from a heat shield probably above the cat but i will inspect further.

 

well, you wont hurt the flywheel, tranny or engine
but, you could kill the release bearing if it heats up enough
but as long as the bearing isn't seized and you dont mind then it shouldn't be a problem
If the car has the original clutch you might think of changing it
mine went at about 159000

The heatshield that rattled in mine was on the top of the cat
If you remove it, be careful of the O2 sensor, a new one is at least $130

 

cool. the clutch still feels very nice on my car. Although sometimes i have trouble shifting into first but that could also be the synchros right? I think it is just the clutch not completely disengaing but it happens rarely and is not that hard to get into first or reverse just a little harder

 

TYpec is 100% correct is that damn heat sheild. my 97 gsr's heat sheild had to be replaced like 3 times. im waiting for my 01 gsr's to do the same. it costs like 50 bucks from acura...the abs light is on probably cause a faulty wheel sensor (90) from acura. id bet anything that thats what it is.

 

The rattle at 3500, its the heat shield. Very common. Or possibly a loose bolt. My 94 GSR had same problem. I just ripped the damn thing off. Total cost = 0.



[Modified by Woody_geeser, 12:31 AM 8/24/2001]

 

thats what i thought about the heat shield. i will be checking my valve clearence on Sunday so i might have a look at the exhaust too.

 

I know that if I go thru the work of dropping my tranny, I'm just gonna replace the darned bearing.

 

If you are going to drop the tranny, just replace release bearing, clutch, and PP. Saves a lot of work if the clutch were going to go out (unless you enjoy that job).

 

ok. I just checked and adjusted my valve clearance on sunday. However I think that i used the feeler gauge incorrectly and thought the clearance was wrong and adjusted it when it was right. The only side i adjusted was on my exhaust side and only did it to 4 valves. The car doesn't feel any different in terms of acceleration but i makes a much more pronounced ticking while idling. In addition to checking valve clearance I also changed the sprak plugs to Bosch Platinum, and changed the oil. (checked oil today it is good) any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

strangely enough i just did the exact same thing
and with the same results

 

hey yaksplat how ya doin'?
Did you change your plugs too? or just do the valve clearance? I also changed my oil.

how long ago did you do it?

any thoughts peoples?

 

i just did all of it on saturday
valve clearance
distributor cap and rotor
bosch platinum plugs

Unfortunately a screw disappeared while i was working and decided to hide in my timing belt
of course i didn't know this until there were about 45 screw sized holes in the belt

half hour job turns into all day affair

bleh

 

i think that i may have set the valve clearance to be to small. will that cause the valve to tap on the head? making the ticking sound i am hearing?

thanks