Grinding/Rattling Sound when in gear - Honda Prelude Forum

92preludesi_TX · 01-15-2007, 07:22 PM

I have been noticing this more and more lately. I have searched and found some thoughts but nothing that seems exactly like my problem:

Symptoms:
If I am in 2nd gear and I press on my brakes (as I am slowing down for a turn), I feel grinding/rattling through the brake pedal. It is makes a rattling sound from the front of the car.

More recently the same feeling has started to happen if I am cruising in 5th on the highway and I come to a hill. As I increase the throttle to maintain my speed, the sound occurs. If I downshift to 4th, the sound isn't there but if I shift back to 5th it will be there again.

Things I have thought of:
-I changed my front engine mount and want to change my rear mount when the weather is nice enough and I have the time.
-I want to check my transmission fluid. I am running Honda MTF right now and it is only 6-8 months old. If I have to change it I might put syncromesh back in.
-The clutch I installed when I did my engine swap was used. It was only supposed to have 5K miles but that might not be true. This is something I am thinking about replacing in hopes of resolving the issue.
-I should also just check to make sure nothing is loose under the car.

My setup:
Stock Suspension other than front strut bar.
JDM H22
Stock Si Transmission
Fidanza Light weight flywheel
Clutchmasters Stage 3 clutch (I got used after ~5k miles)
ES Motor mount inserts
New Front motor mount

Any suggestions are welcome. It is a very weird feeling. I don't feel it when I am out of gear so that makes me think transmission or clutch. It seems to happen when the engine is having to fight against the brakes or against the cars weight when cruising.

some threads I have checked to see if anyone else has had similar problems:
Transmission Fluid
Clutch Problem

Please Help!

92preludesi_TX · 01-16-2007, 07:33 AM

I found someone else that seemed to have this problem on HT but they didn't post what the problem ended up being...

http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1390941

right now I am just looking for places to start looking.

edit: another
http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1022814

92preludesi_TX · 01-21-2007, 01:13 AM

Update...while doing some searching on HT I figured out why I was needing to block off my egr valve to get the car to run right: reversed vacuum

So I fixed that, adjusted idle and timing. As I am working I start hearing a vibration/squeaking sound coming from transmission area...I somewhat disregard it because it is currently 35 degrees outside. After I finish with the adjusting, I took the car around the block to make sure everything was ok and noticed that the clutch pedal was vibrating and the engagement was different as well. When i get back to the apartment, I pop the hood and can see the release fork vibrating. I put my hand on it and the noise stops but I can feel the fork vibrating like it is from the clutch assembly.

I don't know what could be causing it but it wasn't like that until today. Hopefully this will lead to fixing the "grinding" problem described above.

the flywheel is only 6-8 months old...could something have come loose and be causing the vibration?

92preludesi_TX · 01-21-2007, 12:10 PM

I spent some time under my car this morning looking around. I found that three of the four bolts that hold my rear motor mount to the engine were loose!!

One had actually come completely un-threaded. So as I tightened these down and noticed some oil residue on the back of my block. I traced the oil all the way to my VTEC Solenoid. I pulled it off and checked the gasket/filter. It was intact so I wiped everything down and reinstalled everything. I may see about replacing that gasket if oil continues to leak around there.

Now the only problem still left is that annoying sound coming from my transmission. I have concluded that it is my throw-out bearing because if I push the clutch pedal in just a little bit it stops. From what I have read, this can be correctly pretty easily by just adjusting the pedal play. Now I just have to find a short enough adjustable wrench to get to the locknut so I can adjust the pedal.

I hope that is everything. I haven't test driven the car yet to see if the motor mount bolts were causing the car vibration and that adjusting the pedal will correct the sound...

92preludesi_TX · 03-16-2007, 10:23 PM

Well...bringing this back to life...

I was able to change my throw-out bearing and my axles today in the hopes of fixing the vibration problem.

Unfortunately, the vibration is still there...the vibration makes me feel like something is loose, but in the process of changing the bearing we reinstalled everything that seems to have anything to do with the drive-train so I don't see how anything could already be loose.

The vibration is more prominent when climbing a hill at steady throttle (like cruising on the highway).

So far I have replaced my front and rear motor mounts, throw-out bearing, axles, and my front upper control arm bushings.

My next guess is to inspect every suspension component for loose bolts as well as replace my upper and lower ball joints and then start replacing bushings. My worst fear I guess would be that the problem lies within the transmission itself but I don't see why that would be the case...

I am still open for suggestions
thanks

chester · 03-16-2007, 11:03 PM

Is it a vibration like when if accidentally start in 2nd instead of 1st? Does the car shift smoothly when it's not doing this vibrating thing? Clutch fluid alright?

92preludesi_TX · 03-17-2007, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chester

Is it a vibration like when if accidentally start in 2nd instead of 1st?

no not really

Quote:

Originally Posted by chester

Does the car shift smoothly when it's not doing this vibrating thing?

Everything shifts smoothly, other than some 3rd gear grind every once in a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chester

Clutch fluid alright?

Clutch system feels well bled and there is plenty of fluid.

I need to take picture of my passenger's side axle to see if you guys think it is all the way engaged into the differential. It gave me a lot of trouble getting past the C-clip. I think it is all the way in, but after thinking about it some, it might be able to push in a little more.

So if someone can take a picture of where their passenger's side axle connects to the differential that would be helpful.

92preludesi_TX · 03-17-2007, 01:21 PM

here are some quick pictures of where the axle meets the differential...as I look at it, to me it does look like they are mated correctly....

any other opinions?

chester · 03-17-2007, 08:39 PM

Maybe the diff. is wearing out?

92preludesi_TX · 03-18-2007, 09:02 PM

How could I test to see if it is an internal transmission problem without swapping it out with a known good one?

chester · 03-18-2007, 10:15 PM

Do you have magnetic drain plugs?

92preludesi_TX · 03-19-2007, 08:11 AM

no....I just pulled the transmission off last week in order to change the throw-out bearing. When we drained it, there wasn't any noticeable debris so I doubt that there is any catastrophic failure.