Hi guys,

Recently I bought my first car, a red 1995 Civic EX auto, and shortly thereafter joined this forum. I've learned a ton here, love the forums, and love my car.

This past weekend my mom wanted to borrow the car, and I forgot to tell her to disengage the handbrake. I come to find she put it in D and used the accelerator about 3 times, each time stronger than the last, but I didn't notice the car having moved from where I parked it.

Later that day I drive my car, and notice a metallic rattling noise whenever the car shifts up or down. The sound it makes is similar to rattling of thin aluminum sheet dragged on the pavement, a metal shovel being dragged on the pavement, or for those of us who live(ed) in the city, those metal security curtains/gates that stores pull down over their windows after closing.

I did research the subject, and found that the handbrake only locks the rear wheels, so if anything my engine and transmission was put under some stress. I know if she drove it a distance, it could have messed up my rear brakes. I also read, perhaps by pure coincidence, something came loose on that same day and now vibrates whenever my car's muffler resonates at certain rpms/shifting. I think its important to note I bought this car from a friend of a friend who was selling it cheap ($1500 with 132,500 miles) and he installed an CAI and a muffler, so it isn't quiet.

The only thing I did was test to see if the hand brake worked, I never really used it other than for parking so I don't know if its any worse than before. I did used it to slow from 30mph coast, and had the car in D and R with it on to make sure the car wouldn't move.

The one last thing I wanted to mention is that the sound isn't always there, mostly when I first drive it. Also, the car doesn't "feel" different, aside from the sound. I just concerned my transmission is damaged and thats $ right there.

Thanks for reading guys and sorry if I left any important details out.


Modified by devi0us at 6:58 AM 7/21/2008

 

Help? Has anyone experienced this issue before?

I found that the sound only happens when I first start up the car. After a few minutes of driving it goes away. I don't know if anything warming up has to do with it because I drove about 10 miles yesterday, got out of the car for about 20 minutes, and the sound was there for a bit again when I got back into it.

I've done more reading and it could be a loose heat shield among other things, although I don't know where to begin to look for that. This being my first car, I've started learning the basics of car maintenance. I installed NGK spark plug wires about two weeks ago.

http://www.amazon.com/NGK-HE76...5M24U

and also poured a whole bottle of lubeguard platinum into the transmission, since I found out that Hondas should only use Honda ATF.

I wonder if that might have anything to do with it? I've read about knock or pinging, but I don't think its that at all, since it goes away after a few minutes.


Modified by devi0us at 6:38 AM 7/22/2008

 

From the sound you describe i don't think theres anything wrong with the transmission. epecially if it still works the same. They'll take a fair bit of abuse anyway, far more that what your mother did. What i'm thinking is exhaust heatsheild as you mentioned. Jack the car up and get under it and start looking for heatshields that are loose, usually there rus out around the bolts that hold them to the car, if that is what happened you can either replace the heat shield, use a big washer with a small hole in it compensate for where the heatshield rotted away around the bolt, or just remove the heatshield.

 

Hmm, I pretty much convinced myself it couldn't be the tranny either. What a relief.

I did more reading and it seems all cars from F-150s to Subarus experience this. And most people have been saying the same thing, something is loose and is rattling to the resonating engine rpms. I just wonder why it goes away after a few minutes? If its loose, it would just stay loose, unless it heated up and expanded or something.

Actually about the jack, the car didn't come with one and I was meaning to ask what kind to buy because the car has these wedges that come off the frame where the lift points are.

You really think the transmission can take a fair bit of abuse? To be honest, I've always driven other peoples cars, and have learned to baby cars. It lends to my good and calm driving habits. In contrast, I have friends who mash the throttle time and time again and I wonder if its really wearing down the car much. Also the car is an automatic, I would've wanted to shop for a manual but the price was too good and non-stick driving family members need the car sometimes as well.

Thanks for the help.

 

for heatshields rattling i've seen all kinds of stuff go on, the last one i had a problem with was very intermitant. For a jack i have a 2 part suggestion for you, go to a junkyard and get the factory jack out of a civic, might as well get the whole tool kit that goes with it, they should almost give it to you, its probably the only one they will ever sell. The other half of my suggestion is buy a good trolley jack 2 1/2 ton or so for jacking the car up at home, if you planning to get under the car, buy jackstands you don't want a honda civic falling on top of you. As for the transmission i've seen them take quite a bit of abuse, neutral drops, reverse to drive, things like that, i wouldn't recomend any of them, they aren't good for the transmission, and they're really hard on axles, but the point is that transmission will take far more abuse than what your mother did to it. Personally i'm standard guy, my civic was an automatic when i got it too, also got a really good deal, free actually, so i swapped in a 5 speed, if you ever get the chance get a standard civic, very smooth shifting easy to drive manual with a nice clutch.

 

Man, thanks for all the information. I'm really learning a lot. I will definitely try to go to a junkyard and get the jack and tool kit. I was meaning to go there cause a week after I got the car, a bunch of 2x4s fell off a truck bed on the highway and I couldn't avoid it. I ended up running most of it over (along with the car ahead of me) and it tore off my front right mud guard.

I'd to do a manual swap but I just don't have the time or resources. With this auto, it goes to 2nd pretty quickly under normal driving, but then takes forever to shift to 3rd. I'm riding 2nd gear all the way to 3000rpm or more and by the time it shifts, I'm almost at the stop sign. (driving in the city, block to block.

I also noticed that in this car, when I release the accelerator to coast, everything is fine til it drops to 2nd gear and I can feel the car engine brake (I think thats the term). The car slows and the rpms stay around 2000, til 1st gear, then the rpms are under 1000 and I can coast freely again.

I've never had a car with a CAI or exhaust but would that have anything to do with it. I've driven other sedans and I don't remember this behavior. I definitely would've noticed the sudden slowing due to the gear. Its especially noticeable in this car cause the muffler is loud and makes certain noises at certain rpms and gears.

Thanks again 94EG8.

 

91 CRX SI rattling noise after I...

Hey Peeps need your expertise!!!
i'm new to Honda's in general but here we go.

I bought this car...fast and shifts like a monster i mean hits..
Well 1 day I shifted too hard and it now it rattles loud enough that peeps stare when i drive by.

Sounds like metal is turning and stops when i stop basicallly.


2nd Problem: Next day i was fustrated that the car rattled and got pissed off at a light and busted a U-Turn pretty sharp & fast and my left wheel went bonkers! It sounded like it didnt turn and was dragging and made a metallic thumping...and hard vibrating.

Anything helps i screwed up a good car so far.

 

^. Wow, did you mean to post in the CRX/EF thread? Did you also mean to actually post a thread?

To the point, like 94 is saying, if you don't feel anything diff., it's not your tranny. I have a bad bearing in my 5spd and I can feel it vibrate sometimes, so I know what's going on there. The whole thing about hearing and not hearing it, well that has a whole lot to do with metal resonance and crap. Like when a piece of metal hits a certain frequency, it'll stop making noise or begin to basically sit in place. It just has a lot to do with physics, don't worry. You are definitely hearing a pan or heatshield just vibrating under your car. A heatshield is just a piece of bent iron that displaces the heat of the exhaust from the cab. You'll see the metal sitting in between your car and exhaust.

The car is a unibody, so it'll only have those four jack lips, not an actual frame. Those lips will hold a jack just fine, just remember to use jack stands with it! If a Honda falls on you, even at stock height, you're done (this is why i liked owning a raised jeep!)

Hondas can take tons of abuse Bro, people don't believe it and I didn't either but until you own one, you'll never believe I suppose. You'll see as you keep driving it.

 

This swap would only take you maybe a day and basic tools. Sockets, wrenches and wire strippers.