My 97 Civic makes a weird clicking noise when I accelerate while climbing up a slope. The noise is similar to "a glass bottle shaken with a small screw inside". The noise was very faint a couple of weeks back, but now it is pretty audible. And the noise comes only when I accelarate, and in a gently upward slope. Also, the noise is irregular too. Sometimes it doesn't come. The clicking frequency is also not regular...

click click.......click click click click...click...............click..click click

When I say "click", I meant the sound produced when you put a small lightweight screw inside a glass bottle and shake it.

97 civic coupe 5-speed.

joesat

 

welcome to the wonderful world or pre-detonation.
check ignition timing
injector cleaner
tune up
better fuel

 

are you serious that this is a sign of some serious engine problem?

 

it might be, it really depends on what it sounds like and where the noise is comming from.
Impossible to tell over the internet.
A mechanic or a friend that knows about cars can tell you for sure.

 

Could be exhaust rattle...

Detonation is more like the sound of marbles in your engine.

 

I started using 89 octane gas and the clicking reduced. Now, I'm using a 93 octane and there is no clicking sound... everything is fine

 

Yeah you've got detonation issues.

 

what motor is it..... cuz if u have a swapped b16 in there or any dohc vtec motor..... u must us premium fuel..... someone correct me if im wrong....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G0TB00ST &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what motor is it..... cuz if u have a swapped b16 in there or any dohc vtec motor..... u must us premium fuel..... someone correct me if im wrong....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah if hes running 87 in a b series then it will knock because its not burning clean. The gas will combust to early/easily.