2000 Si w/ a whole host of problems... anyone want to offer some advice?
First off - the car is a salvaged title. I know that can explain everything so by no means is this an attack on Honda's reliability or build quality. That being said, I'm picky about noises, rattles, etc, so if I can get any input on some of these oddities, it'd be appreciated.
Background:

Car was owned for 4,000 miles, crashed (I imagine), then bought as a salvaged title in january of 2001. Only mod ever done to it was an AEM short ram intake. Some Slovakian guy bought it in San Diego, drove it up to San Jose, put another 31,000 miles on it over the course of 4 years. I bought the car in February for $7,800 cash. I figured it was a pretty good deal and the problems with a salvage title were likely absorbed buy the Slovakian guy who'd owned it for the past 4 years.
The car is zippy, fun, needs new tires (still using the stock ones), and is in general, pretty decent. I get about 27-28 mpg on premium gas, put a system in it and I'm enjoying it.
Problems
1) Around 2500-3000 rpm with no load on the engine (just sitting at a stoplight, in neutral, giving it a bit of gas for example) there is a strange noise from the engine as if something is vibrating unhappily. Almost like instead of the whir, it becomes more of a buzz. Its not incredibly loud but its a little bizarre. This is most evident when pushing in the clutch and just having the engine rev back down. I think it could just be a resonance from somewhere in the engine, but I'm not sure.
2) Around 3,000 rpm in 4th gear with a light load on the engine (enough to keep it around 3,000 rpm, not accel or decel) there is a raspy noise as if something is rattling around in the engine or as if something is loose. Its not bad either, it honestly sounds like a piece of plastic is fluttering around on the bumper or something. I have no idea if this is what it is, but thats what it "sounds" like.
3) When in reverse, backing up, I hear the normal whine of the extra reverse gear spinning. However, when I push in the clutch, the "zzzzeeeeee" noise of the gear starts "zzzzeee"ing intermittently. Like... zzzeee *clutch in* zzee zeep zeep zzeeep zeep zzeep. It just confuses me since the clutch is in. It sounds as if something is sloppy in the drivetrain. This might be related to problem 4
4) If cruising in 4th or 5th gear and starting to go downhill, the point where the engine is pushing the car (speeding up or at least not slowing down as much as aerodynamic drag would have me slow down) to the point where the car is pushing the engine (using gears to slow down) isn't a very smooth transition. If I apply a bit of gas, it feels a little "clunky"
5) The drivers side power window still totally sucks. I think something was bent in the accident. It can't go down all the way, gets stuck going back up, and if i loosen the tracks slightly, it falls out of the track. Aesthetic, really.
6) When articulating up a steep driveway incline (not steep enough to scrape) and not hitting it perpendicularly, a creak and loud POP noise comes from the rear of the car at a certain point. This is not in relation to the speed with which I go up the incline, its more just when the car is at a certain angle of articulation.
7) There seems to be either noisy valves or noisy injectors. I'm not really sure. They're not too bad but they're noisier than other civic's i've sat in (including a 99 Si with 78k miles)
Lets see what you guys come up with. Also as a final note, the engine seems to have no other noticeable problems. The oil is still clean & yellow, doesn't seem to be burning any oil, no head gasket problems that I'm aware of, good power steering, a/c works (but is a little slow to get cool).
Background:
Car was owned for 4,000 miles, crashed (I imagine), then bought as a salvaged title in january of 2001. Only mod ever done to it was an AEM short ram intake. Some Slovakian guy bought it in San Diego, drove it up to San Jose, put another 31,000 miles on it over the course of 4 years. I bought the car in February for $7,800 cash. I figured it was a pretty good deal and the problems with a salvage title were likely absorbed buy the Slovakian guy who'd owned it for the past 4 years.
The car is zippy, fun, needs new tires (still using the stock ones), and is in general, pretty decent. I get about 27-28 mpg on premium gas, put a system in it and I'm enjoying it.
Problems
1) Around 2500-3000 rpm with no load on the engine (just sitting at a stoplight, in neutral, giving it a bit of gas for example) there is a strange noise from the engine as if something is vibrating unhappily. Almost like instead of the whir, it becomes more of a buzz. Its not incredibly loud but its a little bizarre. This is most evident when pushing in the clutch and just having the engine rev back down. I think it could just be a resonance from somewhere in the engine, but I'm not sure.
2) Around 3,000 rpm in 4th gear with a light load on the engine (enough to keep it around 3,000 rpm, not accel or decel) there is a raspy noise as if something is rattling around in the engine or as if something is loose. Its not bad either, it honestly sounds like a piece of plastic is fluttering around on the bumper or something. I have no idea if this is what it is, but thats what it "sounds" like.
3) When in reverse, backing up, I hear the normal whine of the extra reverse gear spinning. However, when I push in the clutch, the "zzzzeeeeee" noise of the gear starts "zzzzeee"ing intermittently. Like... zzzeee *clutch in* zzee zeep zeep zzeeep zeep zzeep. It just confuses me since the clutch is in. It sounds as if something is sloppy in the drivetrain. This might be related to problem 4
4) If cruising in 4th or 5th gear and starting to go downhill, the point where the engine is pushing the car (speeding up or at least not slowing down as much as aerodynamic drag would have me slow down) to the point where the car is pushing the engine (using gears to slow down) isn't a very smooth transition. If I apply a bit of gas, it feels a little "clunky"
5) The drivers side power window still totally sucks. I think something was bent in the accident. It can't go down all the way, gets stuck going back up, and if i loosen the tracks slightly, it falls out of the track. Aesthetic, really.
6) When articulating up a steep driveway incline (not steep enough to scrape) and not hitting it perpendicularly, a creak and loud POP noise comes from the rear of the car at a certain point. This is not in relation to the speed with which I go up the incline, its more just when the car is at a certain angle of articulation.
7) There seems to be either noisy valves or noisy injectors. I'm not really sure. They're not too bad but they're noisier than other civic's i've sat in (including a 99 Si with 78k miles)
Lets see what you guys come up with. Also as a final note, the engine seems to have no other noticeable problems. The oil is still clean & yellow, doesn't seem to be burning any oil, no head gasket problems that I'm aware of, good power steering, a/c works (but is a little slow to get cool).

Oh, one more thing I failed to mention. When the car is just off (sitting in the driveway as it is now) occasionally I hear a whine or a buzz from underneath the car. This happens about every 7-15 minutes, with no set interval. It sounds almost like the fuel pump is continuously priming itself. It's really bizarre.
Also, sometimes the car cranks over 10-11 times to start, sometimes as few as 2. Usually about 4 cranks makes it start. I have just this odd suspicion its related to the fuel pressure from my randomly buzzing fuel pump? Again, I'm not a mechanic and I don't know what I'm talking about though.
Also, sometimes the car cranks over 10-11 times to start, sometimes as few as 2. Usually about 4 cranks makes it start. I have just this odd suspicion its related to the fuel pressure from my randomly buzzing fuel pump? Again, I'm not a mechanic and I don't know what I'm talking about though.
Your car looks dope.
Noises from the tranny are generally bad....except for the reverse whine....that is common in all manuals I have driven. Other than the synchros, the shaft bearing in the tranny can result in noises like you describe. Bad snychros would make your tranny grind into gears...but once in gear would likely not effect the operation of the tranny. Important to note though, if the noise is due to bad shaft bearings, the noise would most likely occur through all RPM ranges...not just the ones described. If the car really does have 30,xxx miles, then the tranny shouldn't be an issue unless the Slovak really beat on it.
Also, even though the intake is the only mod, it would not surprise me if something on it, or directly associated with it's mounting bracketry etc. is the cause of the "engine noise". Aftermarket intakes have been known to fit improperly/come loose/make rattling noises.
Lots of cars I have driven have had "funny noises". More often than not, the subtle ones did not result in any major repairs. As far as the popping goes when you articulate over driveway entrances...likely a mis-matched body panel, or bad shock mount.
Remember..........salvage title!
I know, you've heard all this before. just my .02
BTW, it was peppy and fun to drive!
Noises from the tranny are generally bad....except for the reverse whine....that is common in all manuals I have driven. Other than the synchros, the shaft bearing in the tranny can result in noises like you describe. Bad snychros would make your tranny grind into gears...but once in gear would likely not effect the operation of the tranny. Important to note though, if the noise is due to bad shaft bearings, the noise would most likely occur through all RPM ranges...not just the ones described. If the car really does have 30,xxx miles, then the tranny shouldn't be an issue unless the Slovak really beat on it.
Also, even though the intake is the only mod, it would not surprise me if something on it, or directly associated with it's mounting bracketry etc. is the cause of the "engine noise". Aftermarket intakes have been known to fit improperly/come loose/make rattling noises.
Lots of cars I have driven have had "funny noises". More often than not, the subtle ones did not result in any major repairs. As far as the popping goes when you articulate over driveway entrances...likely a mis-matched body panel, or bad shock mount.
Remember..........salvage title!
I know, you've heard all this before. just my .02
BTW, it was peppy and fun to drive!
get a tune up (check up)
get a new tranny (or repaired)
get new struts
get window looked at (repaired)
all your problems solved!
get a new tranny (or repaired)
get new struts
get window looked at (repaired)
all your problems solved!
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blac00si »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">get a tune up (check up)
get a new tranny (or repaired)
get new struts
get window looked at (repaired)
all your problems solved!
</TD></TR></TABLE>
thats a lot of of money your spending for him
dude you need your car looked at with a chassis ear so you can track down the sources of all your noises.
and to the guy that said its commen for trans to make noise in reverse its because all three reverse gears are a straight cut gear
sorry for the short reply i'll have to read your post a bit better later today and help you out with a little bit of your problems
get a new tranny (or repaired)
get new struts
get window looked at (repaired)
all your problems solved!
</TD></TR></TABLE>thats a lot of of money your spending for him
dude you need your car looked at with a chassis ear so you can track down the sources of all your noises.
and to the guy that said its commen for trans to make noise in reverse its because all three reverse gears are a straight cut gear
sorry for the short reply i'll have to read your post a bit better later today and help you out with a little bit of your problems
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
6) When articulating up a steep driveway incline (not steep enough to scrape) and not hitting it perpendicularly, a creak and loud POP noise comes from the rear of the car at a certain point. This is not in relation to the speed with which I go up the incline, its more just when the car is at a certain angle of articulation.
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I have the same problem with mine after i put H&R springs on it, what happens is the spring pops out of the perch a little when entering an incline.
6) When articulating up a steep driveway incline (not steep enough to scrape) and not hitting it perpendicularly, a creak and loud POP noise comes from the rear of the car at a certain point. This is not in relation to the speed with which I go up the incline, its more just when the car is at a certain angle of articulation.
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I have the same problem with mine after i put H&R springs on it, what happens is the spring pops out of the perch a little when entering an incline.
Blac00si is right. It may cost some money, but at least the issues can be resolved. I'd first look at the tranny for whizzing problems. Check the fluid levels. Many places can do a good overlook and diagnos problems for you for less than $100. Then you can take that diagnosis and fix the most immidiate problem first. It may take a few months, but then it is an investment. You saved a bunch of money by purchasing a salvage vehicle, so put money back into it to make it more enjoyable. I haven't seen a blue stock Si in a while. Mine has been moded for so long. I love the car.
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1) 2) Heatsheilds, most likely.
3) It's because of the very, very low gearing of the reverse gear. It's also straight cut gear, so it can make some funny noises. If it bothers you, don't go that fast in reverse; almost every manual will make that noise. It's usualy when the clutch is engaged, not with the pedal in, but it's possible for both to happen.
4) That's called 'lugging' your engine. You don't have alot of tourqe. Downshift.
5) Common Honda problem. You need to replace your power window regulator, it's bent. Mine will have to get done soon.
6) No idea. My suspension makes alot of noises, and I've just dealt with it. I think all of the bushings need to be replaced, but I don't want to do it.
7) The injectors in that motor are noisey. Not much you can do. For a valve adjust see: http://www.cspeedracing.com
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 99blackcivicSi »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats a lot of of money your spending for him
dude you need your car looked at with a chassis ear so you can track down the sources of all your noises.
and to the guy that said its commen for trans to make noise in reverse its because all three reverse gears are a straight cut gear
sorry for the short reply i'll have to read your post a bit better later today and help you out with a little bit of your problems
</TD></TR></TABLE>
You gotta pay to play.....
dude you need your car looked at with a chassis ear so you can track down the sources of all your noises.
and to the guy that said its commen for trans to make noise in reverse its because all three reverse gears are a straight cut gear
sorry for the short reply i'll have to read your post a bit better later today and help you out with a little bit of your problems
</TD></TR></TABLE>You gotta pay to play.....
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AutoXer »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
1) 2) Heatsheilds, most likely.
3) It's because of the very, very low gearing of the reverse gear. It's also straight cut gear, so it can make some funny noises. If it bothers you, don't go that fast in reverse; almost every manual will make that noise. It's usualy when the clutch is engaged, not with the pedal in, but it's possible for both to happen.
4) That's called 'lugging' your engine. You don't have alot of tourqe. Downshift.
5) Common Honda problem. You need to replace your power window regulator, it's bent. Mine will have to get done soon.
6) No idea. My suspension makes alot of noises, and I've just dealt with it. I think all of the bushings need to be replaced, but I don't want to do it.
7) The injectors in that motor are noisey. Not much you can do. For a valve adjust see: http://www.cspeedracing.com
</TD></TR></TABLE>
For #1 and 2, I'll check into that. Heatshield just a little loose around the dipstick or something?
For #3, I don't think you understood the issue either. The whine / whizzing noise of the reverse gear is completely normal and understood... but the intermittent nature when the clutch is in leads me to believe there is driveline slop.
For #4, I hardly think this is lugging the engine. I don't think you read the problem correctly. RPMs are unrelated to the problem. It feels very similar to when the slip yoke in my truck had some play in it - in this case we have CV shafts though.
5, 6, and 7 I have no comments for. Thanks
1) 2) Heatsheilds, most likely.
3) It's because of the very, very low gearing of the reverse gear. It's also straight cut gear, so it can make some funny noises. If it bothers you, don't go that fast in reverse; almost every manual will make that noise. It's usualy when the clutch is engaged, not with the pedal in, but it's possible for both to happen.
4) That's called 'lugging' your engine. You don't have alot of tourqe. Downshift.
5) Common Honda problem. You need to replace your power window regulator, it's bent. Mine will have to get done soon.
6) No idea. My suspension makes alot of noises, and I've just dealt with it. I think all of the bushings need to be replaced, but I don't want to do it.
7) The injectors in that motor are noisey. Not much you can do. For a valve adjust see: http://www.cspeedracing.com
</TD></TR></TABLE>
For #1 and 2, I'll check into that. Heatshield just a little loose around the dipstick or something?
For #3, I don't think you understood the issue either. The whine / whizzing noise of the reverse gear is completely normal and understood... but the intermittent nature when the clutch is in leads me to believe there is driveline slop.
For #4, I hardly think this is lugging the engine. I don't think you read the problem correctly. RPMs are unrelated to the problem. It feels very similar to when the slip yoke in my truck had some play in it - in this case we have CV shafts though.
5, 6, and 7 I have no comments for. Thanks
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blaze the chemi »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Blac00si is right. It may cost some money, but at least the issues can be resolved. I'd first look at the tranny for whizzing problems. Check the fluid levels. Many places can do a good overlook and diagnos problems for you for less than $100. Then you can take that diagnosis and fix the most immidiate problem first. It may take a few months, but then it is an investment. You saved a bunch of money by purchasing a salvage vehicle, so put money back into it to make it more enjoyable. I haven't seen a blue stock Si in a while. Mine has been moded for so long. I love the car.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yea, I know I could spend money and have things fixed... but I'm not exactly rollin around in money over here. A lot of the time the problem sometimes ends up being easier to solve than previously thought...
Yea, I know I could spend money and have things fixed... but I'm not exactly rollin around in money over here. A lot of the time the problem sometimes ends up being easier to solve than previously thought...
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
For #1 and 2, I'll check into that. Heatshield just a little loose around the dipstick or something?
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There is a heatsheild on the exhaust manifold and on the catalytic converter. Check them both.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">For #3, I don't think you understood the issue either. The whine / whizzing noise of the reverse gear is completely normal and understood... but the intermittent nature when the clutch is in leads me to believe there is driveline slop.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes, it is driveline slop. It's a straight cut, very low ratio gear; there has to be some slop (the technical term is driveline lash) for it to operate properly, or you'd never be able to get it into gear. To see how much lash there is in the tranny, put it up on jackstands, and move the wheel back and forth clockwise and counter clockwise. I think you'll be suprised how much of an angle of rotation the tires will go through before the gears 'catch'.
I'm sure it seems weird that it doesn't make a constant noise, but that's because of the very low gearing, the gear is meshing with different sides of the gear teeth as the car decelerates. I can't really describe it much better than that, and I can't find any illustrations to make my point with. But it is normal. I was a driveline engineer for a few years, and have seen just about every manual tranny on the market, working and in peices, and pretty much every single one had this trait to some extent.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">For #4, I hardly think this is lugging the engine. I don't think you read the problem correctly. RPMs are unrelated to the problem. It feels very similar to when the slip yoke in my truck had some play in it - in this case we have CV shafts though.
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<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">4) If cruising in 4th or 5th gear and starting to go downhill, the point where the engine is pushing the car... to the point where the car is pushing the engine (using gears to slow down) isn't a very smooth transition. If I apply a bit of gas, it feels a little "clunky"
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I read it again, and am a bit confused... So are you engine braking, acclerating? Could you maybe give a better description, because you say cruisng, slowing, engine braking and getting on the gas all in the same scentence.
For #1 and 2, I'll check into that. Heatshield just a little loose around the dipstick or something?
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There is a heatsheild on the exhaust manifold and on the catalytic converter. Check them both.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">For #3, I don't think you understood the issue either. The whine / whizzing noise of the reverse gear is completely normal and understood... but the intermittent nature when the clutch is in leads me to believe there is driveline slop.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes, it is driveline slop. It's a straight cut, very low ratio gear; there has to be some slop (the technical term is driveline lash) for it to operate properly, or you'd never be able to get it into gear. To see how much lash there is in the tranny, put it up on jackstands, and move the wheel back and forth clockwise and counter clockwise. I think you'll be suprised how much of an angle of rotation the tires will go through before the gears 'catch'.
I'm sure it seems weird that it doesn't make a constant noise, but that's because of the very low gearing, the gear is meshing with different sides of the gear teeth as the car decelerates. I can't really describe it much better than that, and I can't find any illustrations to make my point with. But it is normal. I was a driveline engineer for a few years, and have seen just about every manual tranny on the market, working and in peices, and pretty much every single one had this trait to some extent.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">For #4, I hardly think this is lugging the engine. I don't think you read the problem correctly. RPMs are unrelated to the problem. It feels very similar to when the slip yoke in my truck had some play in it - in this case we have CV shafts though.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">4) If cruising in 4th or 5th gear and starting to go downhill, the point where the engine is pushing the car... to the point where the car is pushing the engine (using gears to slow down) isn't a very smooth transition. If I apply a bit of gas, it feels a little "clunky"
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I read it again, and am a bit confused... So are you engine braking, acclerating? Could you maybe give a better description, because you say cruisng, slowing, engine braking and getting on the gas all in the same scentence.
well, you proly need a throw out bearing, and to check all your heat shields on your exhaust, other than that i think your jsut paranoid...
Ok, to describe the symptom of #4...
Imagine you're cruising along in whatever gear at whatever speed, giving it just enough gas to hold the vehicle's speed constant. Imagine that you start slowly letting off the gas in very small increments. At a certain point, the engine is no longer providing forward thrust for the vehicle, but rather is decelerating the vehicle. The transition point that I speak of should be fairly smooth if there is no slop in the driveline. In my civic, it is somewhat sloppy.
Follow?
Imagine you're cruising along in whatever gear at whatever speed, giving it just enough gas to hold the vehicle's speed constant. Imagine that you start slowly letting off the gas in very small increments. At a certain point, the engine is no longer providing forward thrust for the vehicle, but rather is decelerating the vehicle. The transition point that I speak of should be fairly smooth if there is no slop in the driveline. In my civic, it is somewhat sloppy.
Follow?
So you're cruising, let off the gas, and the transition is a bit sloppy? That's a bit tough to diagnose over the internet. Could be normal, could be a bit of clutch slippage, bad motor / torque mounts.
I'm not sure even where to start because sloppy is kind of a relative term. Sorry I can't help you more on this one. There will probably be a ton of peole telling you to replace anything and everything that has something to do with the engine and tranny, and they most likely have no clue either. I would suggest driving around for a while on it, and if there is something more serious that is related that pops up, start looking into things. For now, I don't think you have too much of a problem, but I just can't say.
I'm not sure even where to start because sloppy is kind of a relative term. Sorry I can't help you more on this one. There will probably be a ton of peole telling you to replace anything and everything that has something to do with the engine and tranny, and they most likely have no clue either. I would suggest driving around for a while on it, and if there is something more serious that is related that pops up, start looking into things. For now, I don't think you have too much of a problem, but I just can't say.
Thanks AutoXer. Someone else suggested motor mounts but considering the car had only 35k miles on it, I find that a little hard to believe unless it was driven insanely hard all the time.
Anyways, thanks for the advice. I'll just have to see what else pops up.
Anyways, thanks for the advice. I'll just have to see what else pops up.
If I were you I would take an hour or so to really check over the engine bay... look for loose bolts, nuts, brackets, or anything that could be rattling... you never know what could have come loose if you don't know what kind of accident it was in... if it sounds like something is rattling, it probably is!
You can check if your injectors are the ticking sound with a long extension or screwdriver: put one end to the injector and one to your ear. Stock injectors really shouldn't be very loud. My DSM 450s are another story! LoL...
Valve adjustment! Only takes 30 min or so and should probably be done anyways, it might take care of some of the valve train noise.... maybe even the transition problem!
Change the tranny fluid and inspect it for chunks or shards of metal. That should tell you if you need to go any further with that. Then put some good Honda MTF or GM Synchromesh in there, it really could be all the difference!
Reset your ECU.
Check your suspension for loose bolts or nuts. Again, you don't know who was working on it before you bought it...
That's all I can think of for now. Good luck!
P.S. I'm the same way, I can't stand any noise, rattle, or anything! I take care of the noises as soon as I hear them.
**edit**
You might want to check your timing as well. You never know, the hesitation thing could easily be a timing issue.
You can check if your injectors are the ticking sound with a long extension or screwdriver: put one end to the injector and one to your ear. Stock injectors really shouldn't be very loud. My DSM 450s are another story! LoL...
Valve adjustment! Only takes 30 min or so and should probably be done anyways, it might take care of some of the valve train noise.... maybe even the transition problem!
Change the tranny fluid and inspect it for chunks or shards of metal. That should tell you if you need to go any further with that. Then put some good Honda MTF or GM Synchromesh in there, it really could be all the difference!
Reset your ECU.
Check your suspension for loose bolts or nuts. Again, you don't know who was working on it before you bought it...
That's all I can think of for now. Good luck!
P.S. I'm the same way, I can't stand any noise, rattle, or anything! I take care of the noises as soon as I hear them.
**edit**
You might want to check your timing as well. You never know, the hesitation thing could easily be a timing issue.
age is more of a factor in bushings than abuse...
The longer they sit unused the more likely they are to wear out...
The suspension noises are almost def. your lower control arm bushings where the shock mounts to it...
Check those I'd put dollar to dime they're worn out... dried and cracked at least...
The transition from engine accel to engine braking is pretty normal... try cleaning your throttle body, when is the last time you did a tune up...
Probobly hasn't ever been done... get some NGK's and some stock wires. That might clean a bunch of that stuff up...
FYI all 4 cyl cars run rough around 2500-3000 rpm it's inherent to their design... however it's barely noticable when the car is in proper tune... sounds to me like you need a tune up... shouldn't cost more than 50-80 bucks in parts...
The longer they sit unused the more likely they are to wear out...
The suspension noises are almost def. your lower control arm bushings where the shock mounts to it...
Check those I'd put dollar to dime they're worn out... dried and cracked at least...
The transition from engine accel to engine braking is pretty normal... try cleaning your throttle body, when is the last time you did a tune up...
Probobly hasn't ever been done... get some NGK's and some stock wires. That might clean a bunch of that stuff up...
FYI all 4 cyl cars run rough around 2500-3000 rpm it's inherent to their design... however it's barely noticable when the car is in proper tune... sounds to me like you need a tune up... shouldn't cost more than 50-80 bucks in parts...
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Problems
1) Around 2500-3000 rpm with no load on the engine (just sitting at a stoplight, in neutral, giving it a bit of gas for example) there is a strange noise from the engine as if something is vibrating unhappily. Almost like instead of the whir, it becomes more of a buzz. Its not incredibly loud but its a little bizarre. This is most evident when pushing in the clutch and just having the engine rev back down. I think it could just be a resonance from somewhere in the engine, but I'm not sure.
2) Around 3,000 rpm in 4th gear with a light load on the engine (enough to keep it around 3,000 rpm, not accel or decel) there is a raspy noise as if something is rattling around in the engine or as if something is loose. Its not bad either, it honestly sounds like a piece of plastic is fluttering around on the bumper or something. I have no idea if this is what it is, but thats what it "sounds" like.
3) When in reverse, backing up, I hear the normal whine of the extra reverse gear spinning. However, when I push in the clutch, the "zzzzeeeeee" noise of the gear starts "zzzzeee"ing intermittently. Like... zzzeee *clutch in* zzee zeep zeep zzeeep zeep zzeep. It just confuses me since the clutch is in. It sounds as if something is sloppy in the drivetrain. This might be related to problem 4
4) If cruising in 4th or 5th gear and starting to go downhill, the point where the engine is pushing the car (speeding up or at least not slowing down as much as aerodynamic drag would have me slow down) to the point where the car is pushing the engine (using gears to slow down) isn't a very smooth transition. If I apply a bit of gas, it feels a little "clunky"
5) The drivers side power window still totally sucks. I think something was bent in the accident. It can't go down all the way, gets stuck going back up, and if i loosen the tracks slightly, it falls out of the track. Aesthetic, really.
6) When articulating up a steep driveway incline (not steep enough to scrape) and not hitting it perpendicularly, a creak and loud POP noise comes from the rear of the car at a certain point. This is not in relation to the speed with which I go up the incline, its more just when the car is at a certain angle of articulation.
7) There seems to be either noisy valves or noisy injectors. I'm not really sure. They're not too bad but they're noisier than other civic's i've sat in (including a 99 Si with 78k miles)</TD></TR></TABLE>
1.) don't dry rev your car to 3000 rpm at a stoplight unless you're drag racing. It sounds like that because it's a 1.6L engine revving with no load on it
. It's not broken.
2.) could be a heat shield or a shattered chunk of ceramic in the cat. They all start small then become so loud (over time) that you want to kill your own mother. Check in to it if you can get under your car.
3.) that reverse noise thing is perfectly normal. Even the intermittent noise.
4.) also normal for these torqueless cars. The throttle is relatively sensitive and when it transitions from falling to accelerating it does indeed feel "chunky" or however you described it
. No worries here.
5.) dunno what to tell you. Fix it or get it fixed?
6.) check your swaybar endlinks if you have any and your bushings in the LCAs and shock forks. Also, look at the orientation of the springs and see if one of them is sagging or anything.
7.) adjust the valves. It'll take an hour or so and it'll be good for the car regardless of its relationship to the problem.
1) Around 2500-3000 rpm with no load on the engine (just sitting at a stoplight, in neutral, giving it a bit of gas for example) there is a strange noise from the engine as if something is vibrating unhappily. Almost like instead of the whir, it becomes more of a buzz. Its not incredibly loud but its a little bizarre. This is most evident when pushing in the clutch and just having the engine rev back down. I think it could just be a resonance from somewhere in the engine, but I'm not sure.
2) Around 3,000 rpm in 4th gear with a light load on the engine (enough to keep it around 3,000 rpm, not accel or decel) there is a raspy noise as if something is rattling around in the engine or as if something is loose. Its not bad either, it honestly sounds like a piece of plastic is fluttering around on the bumper or something. I have no idea if this is what it is, but thats what it "sounds" like.
3) When in reverse, backing up, I hear the normal whine of the extra reverse gear spinning. However, when I push in the clutch, the "zzzzeeeeee" noise of the gear starts "zzzzeee"ing intermittently. Like... zzzeee *clutch in* zzee zeep zeep zzeeep zeep zzeep. It just confuses me since the clutch is in. It sounds as if something is sloppy in the drivetrain. This might be related to problem 4
4) If cruising in 4th or 5th gear and starting to go downhill, the point where the engine is pushing the car (speeding up or at least not slowing down as much as aerodynamic drag would have me slow down) to the point where the car is pushing the engine (using gears to slow down) isn't a very smooth transition. If I apply a bit of gas, it feels a little "clunky"
5) The drivers side power window still totally sucks. I think something was bent in the accident. It can't go down all the way, gets stuck going back up, and if i loosen the tracks slightly, it falls out of the track. Aesthetic, really.
6) When articulating up a steep driveway incline (not steep enough to scrape) and not hitting it perpendicularly, a creak and loud POP noise comes from the rear of the car at a certain point. This is not in relation to the speed with which I go up the incline, its more just when the car is at a certain angle of articulation.
7) There seems to be either noisy valves or noisy injectors. I'm not really sure. They're not too bad but they're noisier than other civic's i've sat in (including a 99 Si with 78k miles)</TD></TR></TABLE>
1.) don't dry rev your car to 3000 rpm at a stoplight unless you're drag racing. It sounds like that because it's a 1.6L engine revving with no load on it
. It's not broken.2.) could be a heat shield or a shattered chunk of ceramic in the cat. They all start small then become so loud (over time) that you want to kill your own mother. Check in to it if you can get under your car.
3.) that reverse noise thing is perfectly normal. Even the intermittent noise.
4.) also normal for these torqueless cars. The throttle is relatively sensitive and when it transitions from falling to accelerating it does indeed feel "chunky" or however you described it
. No worries here.5.) dunno what to tell you. Fix it or get it fixed?
6.) check your swaybar endlinks if you have any and your bushings in the LCAs and shock forks. Also, look at the orientation of the springs and see if one of them is sagging or anything.
7.) adjust the valves. It'll take an hour or so and it'll be good for the car regardless of its relationship to the problem.
Thanks guys. These replies are very helpful. I'll probably check out as much as I can myself but alas I have no rack with which to really go over the car myself... at any rate, does anyone know what that periodic fuel pump buzzing could be? (my 2nd post in this thread)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks guys. These replies are very helpful. I'll probably check out as much as I can myself but alas I have no rack with which to really go over the car myself... at any rate, does anyone know what that periodic fuel pump buzzing could be? (my 2nd post in this thread)</TD></TR></TABLE>
Check for wasp nests
.
Check for wasp nests
.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Archidictus »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Check for wasp nests
.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
I'll get right on that. Salvage titles are fun!
Check for wasp nests
.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
I'll get right on that. Salvage titles are fun!
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nukegoat »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I'll get right on that. Salvage titles are fun!
</TD></TR></TABLE>
I worked for a company that rebuilt salvage title cars...
MAN OH MAN can they be fun... some of the cars those guys let leave the shop was AWE inspiring...
Good luck.
I'll get right on that. Salvage titles are fun!</TD></TR></TABLE>
I worked for a company that rebuilt salvage title cars...
MAN OH MAN can they be fun... some of the cars those guys let leave the shop was AWE inspiring...
Good luck.





