jcleland

Anyone hear a low pitch rattle/fast-knock when stabbing the throttle ~2-3k with the clutch DISengaged? It sounds like rapid hammering and I can feel it in the clutch pedal (only the clutch pedal). Can't make it happen with the clutch engaged in neutral or when driving in any gear. I do hear it sometimes when I shift (as I clutch) or when I take off in first (releasing the clutch), but once the clutch is engaged, it doesn't happen.

?

John MI blk/blk '01

My does the exact same thing. I believe it is some sort of noise from the clutch. Runs fine otherwise.

jcleland

Wow, I'm glad to hear that. Thanks for the reply John! Do you also get that rattle noise (very faint) around 2500-3000 rpm under VERY light acceleration? Like when you are maintaining speed in, say, third gear going up a slight hill or something. Sounded to me like ping at first, but it happens when I blip the gas in neutral (no load on engine), so I figured it's probably clutch noise. This noise is there for me even when i'm in gear, but it's hard to hear with road noise when you are in any gear above 3rd.

Also, have you had and TSB work done?

Thanks again!
James

John MI blk/blk '01

I have approximately 1600 miles on the odometer and have noticed this noise since new. When shifting, if I let the clutch very slowly I can also hear the noise and I can feel the clutch pedal pulsate under my foot when the pedal is almost completely let out. I haven't had any TSB's performed but I will let a Honda tech look at it when I have the first oil changed. The transmission was very notchy when new but is breaking in nicely now. I have never smoked the tires nor dumped the clutch so I am perplexed. Perhaps the clutch is not seated properly? I have no slippage. I know, maybe I need to do a smokey burnout.

jcleland

I've tried beating the clutch a little, but nothing changed. I don't hammer my car well, however. I think it's just a noisy clutch as this point. Especially because the high pitched rattle (not the knock) seems to occur when there is no load on the drivetrain. It sounds like there is some play somewhere in there when the motor is neither accelerating nor decelerating, but always ~2500 rpm. I bet the TSB work fixes it. I'm still not sure if I'm going to have it done though.

Good luck! Let me know if your mechanic has an opinion on the noise. Mine just shrugged "it's normal" and "come back if it gets worse", so I don't know anything for sure.

J

John MI blk/blk '01

jcleland,

I think the noise that we are experiencing is normal. I drove a new Oldmobile Intrigue (my sister-in-law's car) and it was making the same noise--in fact, I even felt the slight pulsating of the pedal. I hope this eases your mind.

jcleland

Thanks for the reply. Makes me feel better. You are hearing the high pitched rattle too, right? That one happens to me in gear and out, clutch in or out too. Sounds like ping, but I don't think that's what it is. Just a rattle like a BB in a coke can. Only passing 2500-3000 under REALLY light load.

ironwedge

Have you checked this out?


https://www.s2ki.com/notices/buzzinfromengine.php

jcleland

I have read that bulletin, but I don't think this is what I'm hearing. I do get a 'buzz' in 2nd and 3rd gears coming through 4-3k, but what I hear is faint rattling in the 2500-3000 range when there is a very light load on the engine. At first, I thought it was ping. I still think it might be noise in the immediate drivetrain, but I wasn't sure. I wanted to find someone with an S2000 of the same model year (01) to compare, but I don't know anyone The dealer only has one on the showroom floor and doesn't want to move it, so I'm outta luck so far.

jcleland

Just to follow up, my car is in for service right now. Another S2000 arrived at the dealership the other day and I was given a change to drive it and compare the noises it made to my car. Well, the knock with the clutch disengaged was there, although it was much lighter. This doesn't concern me because the car also doesn't have miles on it. The rattle, however, was not present in the new car. Neither was the overwhelming amount of VALVE NOISE. I mean, you couldn't even hear the new car running next to mine because of all the noise. Anyway, it's in for valves today. Left it there overnight to cool, but I haven't been able to get hold of the guy thats looking at it.

I had another thought on the rattle though. Does this car have timing chain (as opposed to a belt) and, if so, a hydraulic tensioner? I had this same kind of RPM-specific rattle in all my CBR's and it took me a while to realize that this sounds almost EXACTLY the same.

Thanks