Quick background. Engine was whirring when I accelerated. About 2 weeks later, auto tensioner blew. Replaced all my belts (timing, accessory) and water pump. Also did my axle. Now after that is done, I'm still having that noise. I don't use synthetic oil although I'm researching about switching.

It happens about 1200 rpm and higher. The higher I rev, the louder it gets. Compression tests were 200 across. I didn't disconnect the fuel pump so I'm assuming it would be higher but numbers imo are good.

My car is a 2000 base prelude. This isn't the normal sound of my intake sucking in air. This sounds like the car is on super turbo. A friend said it could be a bearing in my alterator or AC. However, if that was the case, wouldn't it be loud ALL the time? Swung by honda and he thought it might be the timing adjuster but that seemed fine when I changed my belt. He mentioned my accessory belts were fine tight wise.

I've had the car for 7 years now and this just recently began.

Any suggestions what to look for? This happens when I'm stationary or driving down the road.

 

Can you localize the noise? Have somebody else sit in the car and rev the engine and see if you can localize it. Is it happening all the time? Gear in/out; at idle?

 

it sounds like an overtightened timing belt to me. I would also check to make sure that the big bolt that sticks out of the timing cover is tight, it also holds the balance shaft tensioner. If it is loose it could cause the timing belt to try and walk off and rub against the valve cover.

 

It happens in and out of gear. I hear it really loud as it revs up. I tightend the adjusting bolt really well. I still have the lower shield off. I did some searching and I'm going to loosen it again and hand crank it and then tighten it. I noticed also my intake is really clogged up but I don't notice any power loss even during VTEC. I'm thinking of doing a valve adjustment, replacing spark plug wires, and distributor cap. Car has 90K miles and none of this has ever been done. I have a cleaner for the intake so that won't be an issue.

The thing that gets me is it happened before my timing belt replacement. So I would assume it can't be the belt.

 

I would be of the opinion that the timing belt is rubbing on the cover - however, you can take the alternator belt loose and test (one for a short time as the engine will overheat quickly) - but you should be able to tell if this is one of the accessories or something on inside.

My second thought would be to agree and say a bearing... Alternator likely as it is not enclosed like the AC and water pump. But an overly tight belt can cause this as well. Serpentine belts do not need a lot of tension as the multiple V's in the belt give it a bunch more holding power than the old style belts, plus the belt path gives a much greater contact area.

 

It was doing it about 2 months before my tensioner went. When I pulled the old belt, I didn't see any fraying or odd wear so I can't imagine it is rubbing. Could it be the pulley tensioner piece that looks like a silver round thing that the timing belt goes around? I didn't notice anything wrong with it though.

 

I put a screwdriver up to the valve cover. The left side sounded normal. The right side sounded fine. The alternator was kind of noisy but I dont know if they are normally silent. You could definetly hear it. The powersteering was kind of hard to tell but the alternator was definetly louder then the powersteering one.

I hate having to take off the belts again cause it is a PITA. But I guess I might as well. How long can you run the car without the AC/Alternator belt?

I also used seafoam today for the first time. Wow that was fun as hell. I smoked up my neighborhood.
Driving to autopart store - 2.00
Purchasing a can of seafoam - 9.00
The look of peoples faces when the whole road is completely smoked over...-PRICELESS!

Wondering also if you guys think I should replace my dizzy cap and rotor and spark plug wires. They are the original I have 90400 on my car. I just did the spark plugs and pcv valve cause it was clogged.

Thanks!

 

As long as water pump is still running - then no problem. I haven't dug that far into mine yet, but I checked the manual again and the pump is driven by the timing belt, (on '93 H23) - so you should be OK. Since belt was good and noise was there before, I would suspect the alternator.

 

If it's the alternator, it won't be much longer and it will die. Had the same problem, 500 miles later, the alternator was dead. New alt, no more whining.

 

I have to put on my new valve cover gasket and I'm doing my valve adjustment this weekend too. I guess I'll remove the belt and see if it shuts it up.

If it turns out to be the alternator or PS, should I replace it since it will probably fail?
Thanks.

 

having your balancer shaft belt, or the timing belt too tight will make a whining noise like a supercharger. loosen up the tension on the belts.

 

my balance shaft belt was to tight and made that noise loosened it up and it went away

 

I'll test that too but I'm 99% sure it is fine. The noise was present before the timing belt change. It started about a month before. Then the auto tensioner blew. I thought it was maybe a rubbing belt or something but it was just the tensioner. No belt dust and the previous belt looked really good. I'd wager it would of lasted easily another 50K miles.

 

i just got my swap to vtec done, and it makes a whirling noise too, but i had the manual tensioner conversion, and my alternator does make a lot of noise too. I dont know what the source could be, i does seem to be quieter in neutral.