Engine Whine - Honda Prelude Forum

03yama · 03-18-2010, 02:51 AM

Well i have noticed a whining noise comming from my engine and i believe it's my timing belt. When i bought the car 3 months ago i had to drive it home which was like an hour drive and there was oil leaking from my valve cover onto my cams and onto my timing belt. I ended up going through a quart and a half before i made it home. So i know my timing belt needs changed but i also read up on the auto tensioner failing but i have no clue if the pervious owner replaced the tensioner but i know they put on a brand new timing belt before i bought it. Now my question is should i go ahead and replace the auto tensioner along with the timing belt or should i do the manual tensioner replacement? Also should i replace the Balancer Timing Belt too since it might of gotten soaked in oil along with the timing belt?

would this be all that i need for the manual tensioner?
Manual Tensioner Conversion Kit for H22A Series Engines :: Timing Belt Tensioner :: Belts :: Import Replacement Parts

this would be the timing belt i would use
Timing Belt - OE Replacement (Continental) :: Timing Belts :: Belts :: Import Replacement Parts

KraserK · 03-18-2010, 05:21 AM

You replace everything to do with the belts. Don't just replace one part at a time. And yes 100% do the conversion. Use a proper honda belt HONDA HONDA HONDA!. What else hmm. A video of the whining would be great plus there has been a couple of threads around and theres the search button how come you didn't use that hmm?

03yama · 03-18-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KraserK

You replace everything to do with the belts. Don't just replace one part at a time. And yes 100% do the conversion. Use a proper honda belt HONDA HONDA HONDA!. What else hmm. A video of the whining would be great plus there has been a couple of threads around and theres the search button how come you didn't use that hmm?

Thanks for the information and yes I did use the search and I was searching for about 3 hrs. I just wanted to make sure it's my tensioner or timing belt and I will try to get a video up tonight or tomorrow

03yama · 04-01-2010, 12:23 PM

i finally got time to take a video of the engine whine.

KraserK · 04-02-2010, 05:42 AM

Hmmm sounds totally diffrent to what I thought it would sound like! Could be your valves too?? Have you done a compression test on your engine?? And it defintly sounds like theres something up with the belts too do you normally run with the belt cover off? Those should be on your engine at all times **** can get stuck in there and you do not want anything in there.

03yama · 04-03-2010, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KraserK

Hmmm sounds totally diffrent to what I thought it would sound like! Could be your valves too?? Have you done a compression test on your engine?? And it defintly sounds like theres something up with the belts too do you normally run with the belt cover off? Those should be on your engine at all times **** can get stuck in there and you do not want anything in there.

There is no belt cover the idiots i bought the car from cut the valve cover so the cams are exposed at all times. I haven't done a compression test yet but there is no change in engine performance just the whining.

-Sandi · 04-03-2010, 01:44 AM

Like mentioned above do all your belts. had the exact same problem with my car (97) However after replacing all my belts. timing belt. balancing belt. auto tensioner, water pump..i still had the noise..now i know its my valves for sure

get on it as soon as you can !

KraserK · 04-03-2010, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 03yama

There is no belt cover the idiots i bought the car from cut the valve cover so the cams are exposed at all times. I haven't done a compression test yet but there is no change in engine performance just the whining.

Hmm I reckon you should buy a cheap cover and possibly give that a try and see what it sounds like. It might reduce the whinning sound you hear.

03yama · 04-03-2010, 09:25 PM

I went ahead and bought the auto to manual tensioner kit and it took 2 days to get here! I also went to my dealer and got a timing belt and now all i have to do is get the balancing belt from a friend who bought it new from the dealer but never used it. I need to replace the timing belt and balancer belt since they got soaked in oil and not sure how much longer they will last. I'm sure it's my tensioner making the whining sound and i know you can hear my valves but those will come at a later time.

IconOfSin · 04-05-2010, 11:51 AM

if they got soaked in oil i wouldnt drive the car till they are changed...oil kinda eats rubber.

and the vid it sounds like you need a valve adjustment.

videogmike · 04-05-2010, 07:34 PM

Please keep me posted on the outcome of your work, just bought an 01 SH and its making a very similar noise, shop it came from claimed to have done new belts and tensioner as well.

03yama · 04-06-2010, 11:08 AM

I will keep everyone posted. Once I find another family vehicle i will start to tear into this and do the manual tensioner conversion and put the new timing belt on and hopefully it will get rid of the whining sound.

Smoothrigoletto · 04-10-2010, 06:18 AM

My engine is a JDM H22a and it whines after I put a new timing belt on. It was a mild whine but after I did the manual tensioner, the noise projects even louder because the belt is somewhat tighter than it originally was so hence the louder sound. It sounds like a wannabe supercharger but a nasty one just like the sound in the video. BTW I bought both my belts from autozone (maybe thats why)? Let me know how honda's belts work out and if it does, I gonna put an end to that embarassing sound cuz it's noticeable from a mile away.

Lude Acts · 04-10-2010, 09:35 PM

valve adjustment +1. Not the cause of the whining noise, but it is the cause of the sewing-machine-like clacking.

03yama · 05-10-2010, 10:01 PM

well i finally got aroundto doing my timing belt and the manual tensioner swap and it f*cking sucked. Once i got the tight ass timing belt on and kept the timing aligned then everything went on easy after that. Now the whining is really loud just like smooth was saying. So i'm going to apply some belt dressing and hopefully is makes it quieter. I used OEM Honda Belts too.

03yama · 05-11-2010, 12:33 AM

I added some belt dressing to all of my belts and the loud whine has gone away. Now i am hearing sort of a sound like they are describing in this post.

Help with accessory belts

The sound wasn't there when i put all the new belts on and started it and drove it home. Hell it didn't even do that before i came to work so who knows now

klager01 · 05-11-2010, 03:46 PM

hah! thats my car. I commented on this and posted that thread under my BFs old account (videogmike) before i got mine.
Yeah it was total b!tch to get that timing belt on, i got sick thinking I'd made a huge mistake taking this on ourselfs.
so now we're getting all kinds of idea of what it might be, from alternators to ac clutches. I swear my car made that noise before though, when would first start it, it would make a chirp and it might still be that just sounds louder with the hood poped and splash guard off? either way we're trying to figure it out.
My engine whine turned out to be the crank shaft pulley rubbing on the outside of a belt cover that had been glued back together >

Smoothrigoletto · 05-12-2010, 10:46 AM

So, does anyone know how to fix this sound? Or am I going to have to just enjoy it? I know the timing belt is tight which makes the sound. Any help? Some people don't have the sound and I want to know how it was done. Remember that we have the manual tensioner. Do all manual tensioner's have that sound? if so, i'm doomed.

S&S · 05-03-2011, 10:38 PM

I'm having pretty much the exact same sound coming from my 97 lude. I need to do a valve adjustment because like Lude Acts said its the source of the sewing machine sound. But i'm still looking for more answers as well.

itsthatprelude · 05-04-2011, 09:30 AM

i have heard that the sound comes from the balance shaft belt being on to tight