I read many threads where Prelude drivers have problems with various sounds and noises coming from their engine bay. Maybe we could try to build some database of various noises with it’s reasons and solutions. This database could help many users to solve their problems.
RULES:
1. The sound should be recorded and converted to MP3 or video format. Recording is very easy with a laptop or cellular phone and will make it a lot easier to find a solution to your problem.
2. What year and engine has your lude.
3. Describe when you started to hear the noise (e.g. after timing belt change, after valve clearence settings etc.).
4. Where is the noise coming from (e.g. valvetrain, top/bottom, timing belt area).
5. Do you hear the noise only at some conditions? (idle, >5000rpm, cold/hot engine etc.)
6. What did you try to solve the problem? (tightened this and that, replaced something etc.)
7. Did you solve the problem? If yes, how?
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I wil start this database, here is description of my “noise�:
You can here the sound
here.
As you can hear, it is some kind of crunching noise. The noise started right after timing belt change (I reused the old autotensioner, which was not the source of this noise – read below). Engine is H22A2 (European model).
The sound is there only at about 800-900RPM, not at idle or anywhere else. The noise is coming somewhere from the timing belt location. Exactly the same noise made my old F22 Prelude 4G, but it made it at idle and at 1800RPM, so this sound is not auto-tensioner related (F22 has manual one).
I tried perhaps everything:
- removed the PS pump, A/C and alternator belts, no change.
- changed the auto tensioner to the manual H23 one, so the tensioner pulley is a new one. No change.
- removed the balancer belt, no change. So the balancer belt/shafts is not the problem.
- after disscussing this problem with Todd Marcucci (thank you!), I also tried to change the water pump with fresh coolant fill, no change.
- I tried to grease the pulleys that are on the crank shaft and also grease the pin, for the case that it would have some play. No change. Don't worry, the belts are not greased.
So even if I have only the timing belt connected to the engine (all other belts are disconnected, including the balancer belt), the sound is still there.
With the manual tensioner, I found the only thing that can remove this sound: loosen the timing belt a bit. When I make it a little loose, the sound disappears, but my timing belt is vibrating at some speeds while it's running. Anyway, with the "right" tension (with a good autotensioner or with the manual one with tension set according to the Helms) it makes this terrible sound!
So it seems to me that it depens ONLY on the tension of the timing belt, nothing else, so probably it is the valvetrain or the timing belt itself (I have aftermarket one).
I didn’t solve this problem yet, anyway, it seems that the noise is not as loud as it was before (I made about 7000 miles with the new timing belt).
Linear Mode
