potentially severe problem!!

[dosterschill]

recently, or at least as recently as a couple of months, my car has been making a sort of grinding noise up around the 3k rpm mark. (96 civic dx w/cold air) i live in northern missouri, and this phenomenon tends to make itself known in the colder mornings rather than after being driven a while. now, the vehicle has about 140k miles on, however, it runs fantastically (CIVIC). could anyone direct me as to what might be wrong under the hood? any help would be greatly appreciated.


dosterschill

 

[94RedSiGal]

Is that grinding noise in all gears? How many miles on your tranny? How long since you've changed your tranny fluid? Is it time to change it? Maybe add a quart GM synchromesh to it with the balance being Honda MTF.

 

[j954drgsr]

at 25 mph try turnning your wheelsterring left, right, left, right as far as 20 degree to 45 degree and hear if the noise go away. If it does then its your wheelbearings.

 

[dosterschill]

thanks guys...
firstly, the tranny also has 149k miles on it, and i have no idea of when the fluid was last changed. secondly, this grinding noise occurs in the lower gears more pronouncedly, and yet tonight, for instance, didnt occur at all.
im going to try that trick about the wheel turnign tomorrow.


thanks
dosterschill

 

[dosterschill]

anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[Nick7]

Shift into 2nd, and accelerate.. than slow down, and shift into 1st, rev to some 7000rpm, and let go of throttle (so it slows down in 1st gear).
When is grinding more noticable? On acceleration, or decelaration (while in 1st gear)?

 

[dosterschill]

ill check; thanks


dosterschill

 

[asmallsol]

umm, you give us nothing to work on. Were is this grinding noice coming from. Does it happen when you shift gears, when you turn. Just saying you have a grind from somewhere doesn't give us any info what so ever.

 

[TurboMirage]

maybe its your main tranny bearing?

 

[SOHCD16y8]

there is nothing wrong with your car at all. if you are hearing what i think you are then it is like a tapping kind of grinding sound. that sound is the rocker arms hitting the cams before the engine oil warms up. that is why you hear it more when it is cold and it goes away as the engine warms up. you may just be noticing it now which is why it seems so sudden, also as miles go on the engine valve lash changes which also contributes to the noise. you cant get rid of it but you can quiet it by adjusting valve lash, letting engine warm up in cold weather and changing to a thinner oil in cold weather that can move around easier in those tight clearance that hondas have

 

[dosterschill]

it occurrs when i go through the previously stated rpm range. the grinding, sort of aching vibration can be heard if the radio is off and things are relatively quiet; however, it cannot be felt through the shifter or any other vehicular contact. also, turning does not affect this noise at all.
i hope this info is satisfactory...
thanks again; hondaswap.com is an excellent forum


dosterschill

 

[SOHCD16y8]

like i said above

 

[asmallsol]

well, does it actually happen when you shift at that RPM or does it just grind when driving. If its not when you shift, you can almost rule out a tranny problem.

 

[dosterschill]

it occurrs any time i enter into that range, whether it be fromn down shifting, or simply accelerating...
thanks sohc, the only thing is its not really much like a tappin noise... so i dont know...

dosterschill

 

[b18c5crxtasy]

does it happen mostly clutch out in any gear? b/c my 91 si makes a killler grinding noise i only notice when i warm it up and my tranny just chills at 1.5-2k in neutral...clutch in, noise gone. i know my tranny is going but if you cluch in and it's better you know it's more of a tranny problem. sorry if this resonse is too obvious and already overlooked.

 

[dosterschill]

thanks dude, i was concerned this topic was dead. none of the previous suggestions seem to work or accurately nail the problem down (thanks anyways though guys). when the clutch is in and i rev the engine, the noise is gone completely. what exactly does this signify?

dosterschill

 

[reckedracing]

ok, so it only makes the noise when you are moving correct?
and the noise fluctuates directly with throttle? or directly with speed?

sounds to me like it just the normal tranny noises before the oil/mtf warms up...

you could try changing your tranny fluid...

 

[sleepercivic]

I had a grinding noise in my d16z6 tranny it only happened in 1-3, while 4th gear the noise was gone, turned out to be my main power shaft bearing, if it makes noise in all gears or just 1st - 3rd

hope this helps

 

[dosterschill]

the grinding occurrs only in the lower gears, i.e. first through third. furthermore, the noise is proportional to rpm, not speed or the like.
so this might be the result of a shot bearing? could this affect anything else if not promptly replaced?

dosterschill

 

[b18c5crxtasy]

i have only ever referred to that noise as the crx tranny death noise. it starts and depending on how much you baby it, it will last anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 and a half months in my experience. mine has been grinding since dec 2nd into third. i notice it most when i start my car in the morning and it's in neutral with revs about 2 and some change.

i think the reason you only hear it in first through third is b/c road noise takes over after that. i hear it most when i take off from a stop or warm my car up.