Hey folks - I've got a 2000 Civic EX with just a hair over 100k and it's starting to make some irregular noises. It's kind of a rattling/chattering sound, almost like valve clatter but less pronounced.

It's significantly worse when it's cold out and only seems to happen when enough throttle is applied, regardless of what gear you're in, although I do only tend to hear it between 2-2.5k. I thought at first it might have just been the heat shield over the headers that was rattling but it doesn't seem loose. The car hasn't been abused (in the past 75k miles that I've had it) ... to me, it sounds kind of like it might be valve clatter but with it only having 100k it just seems a little odd.

What do you guys think? I'll probably just end up taking it to Tao (it's about due for a timing belt anyways), but I'm curious to see what you guys think.

12/10/2007 6:38:03 PM

Yeah, you got a little piston pin journal wear, methinks. Nothing you can really do except to drive the car. My Accord makes a little bit of noise when cold, and my Sentra did the same thing. Same for my ex-wife's '95 Civic EX.

You might let your car warm up a little bit before you take off, and then apply only moderate throttle. Different rates of expansion between the cast aluminum pistons and the tool steel wristpins. The pistons have thermal expansion control struts cast into them, but you can't account for everything.

12/10/2007 6:47:42 PM

if the valves haven't been adjusted check that first.... if its still clattering, then chalk it up as pin slap like ^ said

my 95 civic sounds like a damn diesel if i take off before its warmed up on a cold day- but it has 215k hard miles, tho i believe it started making a bit of clatter shortly after 100k

12/10/2007 6:52:54 PM

get your valves adjusted.

12/10/2007 6:53:02 PM

He says it only does it when throttle is applied. I won't argue; the best thing to start with is to adjust the valves...but given all the symptoms, I'm gonna say piston pins...

12/10/2007 6:54:53 PM

Could be simple spark knock. Run some kind of top end cleaner through it to clean out any carbon that may have built up in the combustion chambers.

I'll probably get hammered for this, but from what I've seen and heard, wrist pin knock will quiet down when the engine is loaded.

[Edited on December 10, 2007 at 8:42 PM. Reason : .]

12/10/2007 8:41:29 PM

Great responses - I appreciate it!

12/10/2007 8:58:24 PM

i'm gonna go with piston slap, only things that change clearance significantly when it warms up, my truck has done it for the last 100k miles

12/10/2007 9:04:41 PM

my civic sounds like a diesel truck

i think about doing the routine work on it : valve adjustment, 175k on original timing belt, changing the oil but its a POS and I'm really just going to test its limits. I'm about 10,000 miles away from its entire purchase price being paid off in gas savings from my other car. I guess if it blows up at 9999 miles I will actually feel a little regret.

bring over an engine hoist in a few months baonest

12/10/2007 10:22:31 PM

lol.

why did i have the urge to check this thread?

12/10/2007 10:30:19 PM

mine does that too. i wish i could take it apart and fix it. i loved how quiet the engine was when new.

12/11/2007 2:10:53 AM

THAT IS YOUR VTAK KICKING IN!!!!!

just kidding, i think your valves need adjusting. with those miles go get a timing belt job done and make sure they adjust the valves too. Honda gives out coupons sometimes, which should make the job closer to what some bum down the street would do it for.

12/11/2007 7:39:40 AM

Quote :

"why did i have the urge to check this thread?"

b/c it says civic in the title?

12/11/2007 10:12:35 AM

12/11/2007 10:13:01 AM

try 90w-140 oil

12/11/2007 4:02:36 PM

speaking of civics acting up- my head gasket gave it up today
cant decide b/w workin on it tonight or waiting til this weekend

12/11/2007 6:38:07 PM

is it a v-tec if it is sometimes the v-tec solonoid clicks and clacks make sure the soloniod gasket is not leaking oil

12/14/2007 7:18:14 PM

lol

silly noob.

12/14/2007 10:38:17 PM

wtf

12/15/2007 9:39:05 AM