I am hearing two distinct noises coming from the car when driving. The first is a dull ticking sound, if you were to grease up a bike chain using thick grease and then back pedal, kind of noise. This only occurs under load and am thinking injectors, valves, exhaust leak?

Next is how much the motor growls, don't know if this is standard of gsr motors but even in low rpm's the motor does not sound like a 4 cyl. I've owned a b16 before and maybe it was because the exhaust was so loud, but I never heard it growl like my b18 does.

Anything I should check out or be worried about? There was an invoice in the car for Skunk2 Stage 3 Cams and am wondering if they are installed on this car. Waiting for a reply from the previous owner.

 

For the ticking noise, could be your injectors or valve lash, do a valve adjustment (search for write ups on here and T-I articles), its not too hard. If its injectors run some seafoam in your gas tank, that might help.
As for the growling, what do you mean, when you accelerate? Is your intake stock, is the bottom resonator part of the airbox still there? People take that off to make it louder.

 

It's a AEM CAI and I can hear that whistle once in a while but the motor just ******* growls all the time. Sounds good just want to make sure everything is ok lol.

 

if you mean the deep tone when you floor it, then that's normal for an opened up intake.

 

Is it vtec or not? The ticking could also be the LMAs if it's vtec, just another suggestion for something you could check... the ticking will speed up as you rev up and then go away when you hit vtec.

 

Yeah it's gsr, but the ticking is only heard when under load. I can cruise and hear nothing.

 

Well, most hondas tick a bit, especially when cold. I'd start with a valve adjsutment just to be safe! As for the growl, check for exhaust leaks in and around your manifold and midpipe. My guess it your just hearing the intake note more, and getting used to the bigger motor. You may want to check your timing as well. My timing belt was off by a tooth, and the timing was advanced too far. It made a really odd sound when I accelerated! Sort of a high pitched growl.

 

Ticking could be from valves...as for the engine...the b18s are throaty compared to their b16 counterpart.