Silver9k

Ok...so I went to an AutoX today and drove the car pretty damn hard there...but not any harder then I would normally do at an autox, but harder then probably other S owners as my top time with street tires was 75.9xx and average for S2guys with race tires was 73...so I'd consider myself driving it pretty hard...

Anyway, I came to notice that my car is making a weird noise...it only happens when the car is in neutral, and wont start until the wheel is turned at least say umm 2/3 to a full turn in either direction...or at least 1/2, it seems to be about 1 clunk every second at 6mph...not sure how many turns of the wheel that is, but as soon as the car is going straight or atleast mostly straight, the noise stops like it was never there. Also any kind of turning in any gear is normal, no noise at all...

anybody have any ideas?

RACER

Yes, I have an idea. This a classic case of loose spindle nuts. Mine does this in reverse sometimes and has done it several times exactly the way you described what your car does.

Honda has addressed this issue. Honda recommends replacing both spindle nuts with brand new spindle nuts, applying a small amount of grease where the nut contacts the hub and re-torquing to 220 ft lbs of torque from the previous, I think it was something like 180 ft lbs of torque.

You do this and clicking you will hear no more. I haven't gotten around to doing mine yet. I don't drive it that much right now.

RACER

I hope you do mean clicking right If it is clunking, that can't be good

Silver9k

hmm...well I'd kinda call it a little of both...it kinda goes, click-clunk, click-clunk, like a "2-step" noise...

I can try to video it tomorrow and upload a video...I just don't know where to upload videos to, I know I could at least email a video...

ohh and what are "spindle nuts" cause if I know what they are, maybe I could try to figure out if it sounds like they could be the problem...or I could at least check them...

hondamanwill

Creak or Grunt From Rear of Vehicle at Low Speeds:

Silver9k

ok cool, sounds good, and sounds like I could tackle this myself...so I'll try this once I get home...I shouldn't have a problem driving this car home, should I...

home being from Prescott AZ, to San Luis Obispo CA...about 560miles or so

cause it only makes the noise in neutral, if its in gear its perfectly fine

RACER

I thought Honda upped the torque from 181 to 220 ft lbs of torque

Silver9k

ok...so after driving today and trying to figure this out better, I found out that I can "feel" the clicking in the shift knob if I hold on to it while doing the "manuever"

does this still sound like everything you guys are saying?

RACER

It is possible that the vibrations from the cv's (if this is where the vibrations are coming from) are being transfered through the chassis and into the shifter. I was once told not to hold onto the shift knob while driving. Something about damaging the syncro's


I don't think anyone mentioned feeling the clicking (vibrations) in the shifter knob

Silver9k

No, I know not to hold onto the shifter while driving...however while I was doing this I happened to feel it in the knob when putting it in neutral...so then I started holding it while hearing the noise and I can feel it...

also I know nobody mentioned feeling something...I was just wondering, if with this problem I could be feeling something