b16 goes tick, tick, tick

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Dude, it is the most common problem with hondas that there is and i guarantee it is your problem. It is the timing belt tensioner. When they start to go bad they tick, replace it and i will bet 500$ it will go away. I had the same problem with my b16, tried everything till i realized what it was.

You know what, I think your right here... I had the stethoscope on with the pointer all across the board over the valve cover and it all sounded the same, but a tad bit louder near cylinder #1. And I SWORE it was the timing belt, but it felt fine. The sound seemed to be coming from the cam gears...monday ill get it up in the air and check the tensioner.
 
just a tip for listening to hard-to-find sounds... take a large flathead scew driver, hold the handle to your ear, and attach the other end to any part of anything that you want to hear. for instance, if you think it might be an injector, test the screw driver on each one, etc. does this help you??

:)
 
LOL @ homemade sthethoscope ;x i knew about that too
 
jjlk

Just to clarify for others in this situation... I too am trying to figure out a tick that seems to have just showed up...

The idea for others, if there is an exhaust leak, you hear the sound of the valves, etc. more than usual (muffler effect is gone)...

I assume its similiar on the intake side... Check the intake side for holes, cracks, etc...

I have yet to do my valve adjustment and from you guys have said, I wont hold my breath...

My coworker seems to be good with hondas and he said that its sounds like the "normal honda tick"... I'm just a little thrown off as it seems to have been a recent development...

I will be pulling out the stethoscope method soon and i will listen for the injectors as well as the valves.. Anything else anyone can suggest would be good...
 
jjlk

Just to clarify for others in this situation... I too am trying to figure out a tick that seems to have just showed up...

The idea for others, if there is an exhaust leak, you hear the sound of the valves, etc. more than usual (muffler effect is gone)...

I assume its similiar on the intake side... Check the intake side for holes, cracks, etc...

I have yet to do my valve adjustment and from you guys have said, I wont hold my breath...

My coworker seems to be good with hondas and he said that its sounds like the "normal honda tick"... I'm just a little thrown off as it seems to have been a recent development...

I will be pulling out the stethoscope method soon and i will listen for the injectors as well as the valves.. Anything else anyone can suggest would be good...
 
It's an overhead cam engine, I haven't heard one that doesn't tick.
 
What's up, Everyone here knows I don't paricipate in long threads but I had to get in on this one.

While everyone is telling you what they think it is, just go out and get a new set of LMA, 100% guaranteed that is what it is. I have had several vtec heads that tick (always a little bit louder than the normal honda tick)
The trick to knowing if it's just the valves needing adjustment and the LMAs is the inconsistancy of the ticking, it's never constant, when valves are out of adjustment the tick is almost perfectly constant.
You can replace the LMAs and then do another valve adjustment while the engine is stone cold, I guarantee the ticking will go away.
 
ok... i had the same prob when my p.s. pump went... take the belt off for the power steering and start it.... just a idea if you haven't fixed it yet...
 
wow, I didn't even see that one, lol o well, at least it wasn't me that brought it back from the dead.
someone can close it now :)
 
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