So here's the run down, I bought the car from a dealership a year ago, the guy said nothing was wrong and the check engine light was just a sensor. Well after about 2 months the car started running like ****, was grogy and was having injection problems, so I did the basics of what I could, oil change,there was hardly any oil, it was thick and nasty, fuel filter and fuel drain. filter was even nasty, etc....After a while the tick(forgot to mention got it with the car) got a hell of a lot worse. So I took the dizzy off, head off etc. Turns out the rotor in the dizzy, wasn't the right one and wasn't even screwed in. It ate the whole inside off the of it. The valves, all but the first piston, were way off. I re adjusted them all and put it all back together and got a new rotor.After about 20minutes the tick came back. Got a new dizzy, and etc. The tick however is at it's worse. So my question here is, do I need to re-adjust my valves again, or replace them. It sounds like it would be just one or two that are doing it. This is my first honda, and I've been doing my best to build it back up, so I don't know much. Just enough of the basics.

 

First, what motor is in the car?

If it's an H22 [does it say DOHC VTEC on the valve cover]:
Is the ticking intermittent? Will it tick for a bit and stop, then start ticking again? If so, I would say its probably a lost motion assembly and nothing to worry about.

Lost motion assemblies are the rocker arms on a VTEC motor that only do work when you're on the high lift cam lobe. When they're old they'll tick at idle because they're a little loose. This doesn't affect their normal high rev operation because they're under load and locked in to the other two rocker arms.

I've personally never heard of a problem with them breaking loose or anything. That doesn't mean there's never been a problem, just that I've never heard of one.

If this the first valve adjustment you've done, I would say it couldn't hurt to spend the hour or so going back in and checking your work.

Also, if your oil sludgey I would run it for 100-200 miles and change it again, filter and all. You might also want to try some Lucas Oil oil additive.

No need to take the head off unless you get to the point where you really think its necessary. Try as much clean up and maintenance as you can first.

 

The guy who owned the car didn't give two ***** about it. I've been taking great care of it, but it's been a hassle. I'll re-do the adjustment, which I figured I should anyway. It is in fact a JDM H22a DOHC.

 

My H2B JDM H22 ticks intermittently, runs great, hauls butt in the top end too. My issue is an old LMA or two clicking around when there's no load on them.

I'll have 1/4 mile times this weekend I'm hoping ...