Ok figured id post this here to get advice from ppl with more experience with this motor. First off motor is a 93 jdm h22a in a 99 civic. The problem only occurs after the car is fully warmed up. When the car is sitting at idle it sounds completely fine, no loud valvetrain or strange noises. The problem occurs at idle either after revving the engine ( idle - 3500), hitting the launch control (3500), and sometimes after driving for long periods (more than 15 miles). From outside the car it sounds like a metal on metal squeaking sound (kind of like a Distributor bearing going out). From inside the car it sounds almost like a knock/ really loud valve train (can't hear this from outside the car.). You can make the noise stop if you hold the motor at around 1500 rpms for about 10 secs.

I pinpointed the sqeuaking sound and decided it was coming from the distributor (did this with a automotive sethascope), I am now on the fifth distributor ( Advance Auto Parts Reman.) and still get this sound after doing any of the above things to set it off. I'm just at a loss here and don't know what to look for next.

Here are a few specs to help diagnose:
No power loss or mis fires
no CEL
recently changed oil and is still full
No play in timing belt and everything is in time
All valvetrain is TQ to spec with no play
Always run premium grade fuel (93 here)

Thanks in advance for any help, and let me know if i need to clarify anything, i'm going to see if i can capture the sound on video and try to get that posted up too.

 

maybe a rod knock cheak everything over

 

pretty sure it's not rod knock this sound is coming from the top of the motor, and i dont think rod knock would just come and go so easily.

 

Have you looked at your rocker arms..could be working them self loose

 

I have the same problem with my f22b. Make sure its not your timing or balance belt tensioner. Me and 3 other guys all though my distributor was shot. We took the dist apart and it was fine. Now after a lot of messing around I've discovered it was the tensioners.

Noises get bounced around and are hard to pinpoint. My noise was a loud, squealing/knocking noise.

 

That makes sence i didnt think bout the tensioner..bet he on the money there

 

Bump for any more ideas... thinking it is the timing/balncer belt tensioner just want to try and get a few more opinions.


...here's a vid of the sound it's making...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np6qJHlAAMw

 

Tensioners, PS bearing, alternator bearing?

 

That's how mine sounded before the belt/tensioner change. Once you've ruled out the easy to get to stuff, you have to dig in and get dirty. Have you taken the distributor off and checked the bearing? Removed the drive belt(s) to see if the noise goes away?

If all that checks out you will have to remove the timing cover and check everything out.

My balance belt tensioner had the slightest little miss in it, barely made any noise when I tested it off the car, but after replacing everything the noise is gone.

 

Something is not aligned properly in the timing belt area.