Hey guys, just picked up a 97 accord ex with 68k original miles :D from people in the family. Anyways, its been babied, never driven hard, grandma and grandpa's car. I just picked it up and have done some basic maintenance on it and now am noticing a few things.

First it has a ticking/clicking noise at idle, but I am just assuming that is the valves like everyone else says.

The main thing that is stumbling me is the sound around 1800-2100 rpm. I don't feel vibration, it sounds like vibration though..a slapping sound almost. It only does this AFTER its warmed up. When its cold it doesn't do it. I mash the peddle and it responds great with no vibrations or bad sounds. The noise is mostly noticeable in 1st gear, but if I try I can hear it in 2nd and 3rd as well.

I searched and people said the exhaust. I checked my headers, and heat shield on that cat, it all seems tight. I do have a hole in my muffler, but I highly doubt that has anything to do with it?

Thank you for any and all help.

 

I think I found the problem out, EGR valve. Will see if that fixes the problem tomorrow.

 

If you have a bad EGR, you should have a check engine light on. if you don't, don't waste your money on an EGR valve. also, that won't cause a noise anyway.

 

Not the valve, as "sgraham01" says...more like the egr ports in/on the intake. I might pull the valve just to clean it but the port cleaning should do the trick.

 

I meant the ports, I was reading under the FAQ and it said for auto's especially around 1800 rpm upon warm up it can make a sound. So I will be cleaning it tomorrow afternoon and see if that fixes the problem. Don't have time with school today.

Thanks guys.

 

Ok, I cleaned the ports today, seemed alright, then went for a drive and it started doing it again. I can best describe it as a slight slapping sound around 1800-2300 rpm. It will do it all the time in nuetral or park, but when driving I only hear it in first and second gear. The engine only has 68k original miles. Its only a sound, I don't feel any loss of pressure, or weird feeling through the peddle.

Only does it upon warm up, I would say about 5-10 min of running the car, then it will start.

Any ideas? Thanks guys.
Garrett

 

Get a mechanics stethoscope to try to help pinpoint the area of the noise. Just be careful of belts, fans, pulleys, etc. while the car is running.

 

A slapping sound? Can you possibly give a better description? Is it soft or does it sound like metal banging together?

Is it regular, and does it vary with engine RPM? Are there vibrations at all?

It is possible that it could be an exhaust leak. Those tend to be much more pronounced when the engine is cold, and (especially manifold cracks) and tend to go away when thermal expansion seals them.

 

"Rattle sound"....also check the heat shields around the exhaust pipes to be sure one of them has not come loose.

-Chikin---the engineer in you comes out again....lol. Please keep it coming, I enjoy the detail answers you give.

 

It varies with rpm and only does it when WARM, which stumbles me because everyone else that has ticking/slapping noises says they go away upon warm up. Its faint around 1800 rpm but if i hold the gas there then give it a nice little push up to 2400-2500 rpm its very pronounced and loud.

Shifting from first to second once and only once its warm I hear it right before the care shifts around 2200 rpm, becomes very pronounced, it is auto.

I am trying to figure out what the sound is most like, I would have to say it sounds like metal hitting metal, but not as loud. Im wondering it its a slight ping around 1800-2200 rpm?

Its not super loud, and unless your a person that listens for sounds, or has any idea about cars you wouldn't hear it. My mom was in the car the other day and she couldn't hear it. I think there is a VERY slight vibration through the peddle, or its just because I can hear it too. Its hard to say. The car itself has no vibration though.

I did an oil change the other day and checked the heat shields and they seemed fine, I checked for cracks in the manifold too and could not find anything.

The main problem is it ONLY does this upon warm up. Almost everything I have read is opposite and sounds go away once the car is warmed up.

EDIT: Also it just passed smog so the engine is running clean, or clean enough I should say. And when I did clean my egr port I pulled the injectors out to look at them and they were pretty gummed up and dirty. I cleaned them the best I could, could I possibly have a bad injector? Or would symptoms be different?

I have a timing gun so I am going to check timing either today or later this week when I have a chance, but I don't think the belt or cap has ever been changed so I don't think my timing should be off?

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

Your car passed smog, and doesn't have driveability issues it seems like there isn't anything wrong with it to me. It is an older car, but it only has 68,000 on it so there really shouldn't be any major engine problems with it.

If you had an injector problem your car would be stumbling and misfiring.

Here is what I would do. Make sure everything is properly adjusted on the engine. Valves, timing, etc. Then do a normal tune-up, cap/rotor, plugs/wires PCV valve, air filter. See where you are.

I don't think that anything is wrong with your engine. Especially if the sound is faint. So do a tune up, and see if it improves/gets worse. I wouldn't worry about it unless it gets worse, or if you have driveability issues.

 

Thanks for the input. Here is the sound under the hood, quite a bit louder then sitting in the car driving it. Its cell phone quality but you can hear the sound pretty good and how quick it is. It sounds like its at the header/ head of the car. I can leave my hand on the valve cover and do not feel any abnormal vibrations.

I need to check the timing, I have done 2 oil changes and air filter already. Hopefully changing plugs this upcoming weekend. Should I do an entire new wire set and cap/rotor too?

EDIT: Checked plugs, they are burning fantastic, nice and dry.

Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpM2EhrA0zw

 

Did anyone ever figure out what the noise was? My 04 sounds exactly like that.

 

Post up the numbers, if it is an EGR, fuel or spark issue, the gasses measured will tattle-tale on the engine.

 

The thread is pretty old I was just wondering what the noise was.

 

*Squint*Well ****, 2010 looks like 2013 at this time of night...

I've been had!!!