Hey guys, I went to check out a 2000 Prelude yesterday because I can't stand driving a 4 door any longer. Some years ago I had a modded Talon.. which rarely ran.. so I'm hoping to get the best of both the fun factor and reliability. Anyways, on with my question: The car I checked out seemed great (has 100k on the clock - the guy has done all the maintenance on it and doesn't seem like the abusive type) but when I got in it and started it up I heard a faint chatter for a second or two at idle. It became far more pronounced as I backed out of the parking spot, and continued a bit during the test drive. Is this most likely the clutch? I didn't hear it in the higher gears and I am also pretty sure I heard it a little when the clutch was engaged in 1st.
The valves did tick a bit but I'm sure that wouldn't be it because I would have heard it up top more.

Any ideas on this one? I'd love to buy the car but have some concerns over whether it is about to crap out or not. Is it normal at all for the stock clutch to chatter when it is dying, or is this likely a bigger issue?

Thanks

 

It's hard to say without being there, but it could be clutch chatter or the valves. Both of which are not to difficult to fix, especially the valves. If you did need to replace the clutch you could stick an 8lb flywheel in there while you were at it and the car would be more fun.

 

Nice, is it likely one of the two? Has anyone had problems with a chatter that ended up being severe?

 

Check the car out again and try to isolate where the chatter is coming from more.

When I bought my Prelude, it had a light chatter coming from underneath the car. It turned out to be some head shielding that was bent and hit on the exhaust pipes, and one of the cat head shield bolts breaking loose, causing it to chatter at the right vibration.

I just took a pait of pliers and bent the metal out of the way and the chatter stopped.

If anything, this gives you reason to talk him down on the price ;-)

 

If you have never had a honda before, then you might be hearing the familiar sewing machine sound. Most hondas have the sewing machine sound eventually, especially when your valves needs adjusting. Sometimes it is still there even after adjusting as well. If sewing machine sound more describes the chatter you are hearing, then usually its not that bad and might just be the valves.

 

thanks for the replies guys, I went back to try and figure out exactly where it was coming from and it wasn't there..? It only does it when the car warms up, and really when the RPMs are above 1000 it doesn't do it. It also sounds more like it is coming from behind the dashboard, not so much deep in the engine like the clutch.
So its something at low RPMs that only comes about when it is hot?
I guess I'm less worried about it now that it went away when the car was cold, it doesn't seem too catastrophic at this point.
Also, professorman, it does have the sewing machine noise..but this chatter is in addition to that