I bought my car new and know it like my pubic hair so I'm not imaging things like the mechanic suggested. After getting a new clutch/timing belt/water pump/accessory belts replaced. I immediately noticed it drove differently in the parking lot. Idles fine. But as soon as you give it gas it sounds different (something not balanced and a belt whine comparable to a eaton supercharger whine though not as loud) and there is a vibration you can feel through the steering wheel and pedals (gas and brake). It's not a violent shake but noticeable up until 60mph where wind and speed drown out the shake. It definitely doesn't accelerate like it use to either. Anyone come across this.

I know how my car use to drive and driving it now just infuriates me because it seems broken now. I love my car but now just want a new car or new engine.

 

check the belts for tension and timing

 

sounds like the timing balancer belt isnt balanced and possibly out of time if it isnt performing the way it should

 

it's a 2001. timing is non adjustable. says it replace ecm if off by more than 2 degrees.

 

^That's only the ignition timing, not valve timing.

Either the timing belts are too tight or the outer belts are too tight causing the whine. Vibration is from the balance belt not being in time.

 

I'm in a similar situation, minilogoguy, are you saying that his lack of acceleration is also due to the belts being too tight? How tight is too tight? mine doesn't vibrate, and I'm pretty sure I lined up everything correctly, but I'm curious how one would know if the belt was 'too' tight

 

No the lack of acceleration is due to it being out of time most likely. Is your check engine light on yet? If your still using the hydro tensioner the timing belt will not be too tight but the balance shaft belt could be. need to read a helms it will tell you exactly how to tension the belt. I do it by feel, kinda hard to explain through a forum.

 

Just got the car back from the shop and it's still the same. Vibration up until 4-5k rpms and then the shake and noise becomes much less noticeable. It just generally runs and sounds a little rough in the lower rpms and makes that whine. My friend also thought it was the balance shaft. I'm dropping it off to Honda tomo. I have no time to deal with it.

I've heard a car off a tooth on the timing and it ran like crap. That's definitely not the issue with mine. THanks for the help guys!

 

Their cam may have been off by one tooth, but which cam and in which direction? Or both cams? There are many ways they could have jacked up the timing by accident, and I imagine that certain mistakes will cause different degrees of misbehavior.

Disclaimer: I am no pro. However, given that you just had the timing done, I would triple check each part of your timing: cams, oilpump, waterpump, crankshaft.

 

This would make me raise an eyebrow toward anything related to the flywheel >>> clutch area. But I need more info before i start assuming. Try these free tests:

1 rev in neutral with the clutch engaged and disengaged? Does it whine under only one condition, both, or neither???

2 While driving (and you can hear it whine) put it in neutral and decelerate with the clutch pressed down to the floor. Does it whine while decelerating? Rev it up while in neutral but clutch engaged and disengaged...does it whine?

As you can see, you can perform misc tests to rule out certain moving parts...all the way from the crank pulley to the cv axles...speaking of which, I ponder the idea of brakes dragging slightly...

Please try to clarify which conditions eliminate the whine so I can narrow down the problem area?

--TJ

 

I work at the dealer, we get aftermarket shop f-up's like this all the time. Only thing about this car and the timing belt is space can be a bit tight when removing the covers but the rest is easy, don't see how they managed to mess it up so bad. Timing off, balancers off and belts too tight, next you'll be saying they didn't replace any of the oil seals behind there and oil will leak all over your new belts.