Wierd Tick - Honda Prelude Forum

ensiferum · 11-05-2008, 06:30 AM

Hi, I'm new to the site but I've been reading the boards for quite a while now. I have a 97 Prelude SH , with around 160 000 km on it, and I was driving it yesterday when something happened, I'll be as precise as I can...

Here it goes, first I must say that since I've gotten it I've pushed it only twice I rarely hit Vtech....but yesterday was too much I think, I was driving on the Highway when an Impreza WRX showed up, we had a race ..:S

When I reached 210, the car wouldn't go faster (last time I had reached 235 easily) and felt like I was loosing some power so I slowed down and let him get away....till then the car runned fine....a little later driving right besides a wall I heard a strange ticking sound comming from the engine, at first I thought I needed to add some oil, stopped and let the engine cool for an hour, came back it was indeed missing some oil...filled it up and went to bed.

I had horrible dreams of the engine being blown , or having to tear the block appart to repair it...

Woke up this morning, checked the oil, was perfect. Started the engine , ticking sound is still there, it increases with RPM, sounds exactly like if you had a little metallic ball bouncing in the engine.....actually I don't know anything about mechanics but it sounds like a lifter tick or a piston hitting something everytime it moves...I used a metal rod as a stetoscope and the sound is louder from plain center/front of engine head.....

Any idea on what that would be? and how much it would cost me considering I probably cannot do it myself?

malone_ · 11-05-2008, 10:13 AM

could be an exhaust leak, just take it to a mechanic

prepreludesh · 11-05-2008, 10:39 AM

I think something has happened to the valves on the cylinder head. When you were racing, even if you didn't go past the redline, you might've still broken a valve or cracked a valve retainer. Either way, why don't you take the 15 to 20 minutes and take your valve cover off and see if there's anything obviously wrong?

It might've just happened to one of your valves, hence the noise you're hearing and loss of power.

Just my $.02

ensiferum · 11-05-2008, 11:32 AM

Thanks Pre, although like I said, only thing I did on a car was change the oil filter and change brakes pads....I've never taken off a Valve Cover...what should I look for? If there is a problem with my vavles will I see it right away? Should the engine run so I can see where the problem is? (Is making the engine run without cover any bad for the engine?)

Also if it's the vavles, does it require any professional assistance or I could manage it myself?

Thanks in advance for any replies, also for the record I looked around for a new engine in case it's something really bad, 1600$ for a 60 000km JDM h22 (including swap labor by certified honda tech)...is this a good deal?

ensiferum · 11-19-2008, 02:45 PM

Yep turns out prep was right!! some valves were bent... I had the choice to rebuild the head or swap the engine, decided to go with the second option. Now running a JDM h22 with new clutch and I am very pleased! it runs extremly smooth and feels stronger!