kill

description says it all...it sounds like a fluttering sound anything above idle...till 4-5k rpm. it gets louder as rpm increase but after vtec you can't hear it(dunno if its still there, too loud). it is speed independant...happens when i'm stopped or moving. also doesn't matter what gear its in if its in a gear. now i've read all the posts about the timing chain tensioner and i'm going to do the stethescope thing tonight to see if its actually that. i don't feel any loss of power or anything but its pretty loud at 4000k. at first i thought it was valve noise but valves tick and don't flutter. i've read so many posts that people have the EXACT same problem i'm having but noone will answer them to what it could be...and if the person gets it fixed they never put the answer on the thread they start(kinda weak IMO). so has anyone else had this and found out what it was...and SHARE WITH US PLEASE....like i said i'm gonna do the stethoscope check tonight and if it turns out to be the TCT i will let everyone know...thank you in advance if you reply to this and if you have the same problem SPEAK UP lets get it figured out!!! i know soozookabluS2k was having the same problem, i wonder if he fixed it...

brimstone

I think I get this sometimes.

This "fluttering" comes from the engine, or at least sounds as if its coming from it. Doesn't interfere with performance, happens between 4-5k, or at least is most audible between 4-5k. doesn't really happen when not in gear, although I haven't revved it up to 5k without load.

You can pretty much recreate it almost every time, especially when you decelerate it happens around the same rpm range.

Is this it? I've been meaning to get it checked, but I have no actual negative symptoms to report besides a noise.

I would define the noise as more of a metallic ringing rather than fluttering, it reminds me more of resonance rather than flutter/air... perhaps I'm talking about a completely different thing.

kill

ok well i'm gonna have my dad bring home his stethescope tomarrow so i can actually listen to the timing chain tensioner. he's a diesel mechanic so he really doesn't know what an s2000 is supposed to sound like and he said he couldn't hear the fluttering noise...i think his hearing is going bad hahaha i hear it really pronounced but...under all the other sound like its background sound or something...also i've noticed it gets more pronounced after the car heats up and i don't hear it when its cold...come on guys help a nubcake out

kill

also could it be a worn accessory belt? for some reason mine looks like its never been changed...damn dealer i bought it from didn't do the service at 45k i think....

kill

and brimstone i really don't think your problem is the same as mine...it might be but i don't know. the only thing though is mine is def not a metallic ringing sounds...its more of the playing card in a bike wheel with spokes...its very very soft but i can EASILY identify it at anything above idle...what makes me think its not the TCT is that i don't hear a thing at idle at all...not even during startup( i don't hear it till the engine is nice and warm).....now like i've said in my previous post the serpentine belt seems really old and where its connected to itself it looks like its stiched end to end...could those stiches cause the noise when they hit a certain pulley? i'm gonna replace the belt this weekend because it just bothers the hell out of me looking all old as it does but if it was the belt wouldn't it make the noise when i start it???

kill

for people who think i didn't put enough information about my car...its a 2002 with 45k miles everything is stock to my knowledge. the previous owner had a cold air on it but either he took it off or the dealer took it off and put the stock box back on (stupid if you ask me..it woulda saved me 250 bucks for one heh) but yea i'm not gonna be able to do a noise check today probably tomarrow. i'm really wondering if its not the accessory belt just because it doesn't sound extremely fast fluttering sound...it kinda sounds like if the accessory belt had a bump on it or something thats what would cause it...like i've said before once i figure out what this is i'm gonna post here so everyone else can learn from my experience.

kill

ok i had the belt checked by the mechanic today that did my alignment...turns out a full race bred s2000 was in the same week for a customer specific alignment which is cool as hell to me because that means there's hardcore s2k people in my area . i'm thinking of organizing a lehigh valley s2000 club if there isn't one...i havn't seen anything but hey any full blown race s2000 gives me a woody even thinkin about it.

ANYWAY i noticed that the cat on my car looks straight up brand new when the car was on the lift...last time it was on the lift i seen the plastic cuts for a cold air intake so i'm guessing the cat was put on new by the dealer. what further makes me think the noise might be coming from the exhaust is that when i pulled up to my girl's house the car was like 2 inches from the curb and when i opened the door to see how close i was ( i really DO NOT WANT CURBAGE on my wheels heh) i noticed that the sound was very pronounced and seemed to be echoing off the curb...like i said whatever this noise is i'm gonna find it and let everyone here know in case people have the same problem.

Wisconsin S2k

can you tell WHERE it is coming from? you said it sounds like possibly from the exhaust underneath? also, can you try to better describe it? fluttering can be interpreted many different ways. try to give us what it sounds like. (for example, it sounds like fluttering, like a playing card in the spokes of a bicycle, etc)

kill

i'm really sure its coming from the exhaust catalytic converter..i was told it only has 2 gaskets so i'm gonna see whats going on with it... i'm going to take the car to my grandparents house tomarrow to see if the cat is loose in some way..thank you so much for responding wisconsin...like i said i'll let everyone know what i find out tomarrow...

mxt_77

If it's near the cat, it's probably an exhaust leak. But if everything is stock (and has always been stock), then that seems unlikely to me.

However, the description of "bicycle card in spokes" is stereotypical TCT description. The first time mine went out, it didn't make sound at idle, however it made sound just off-idle (like 1200RPM). Sometimes it made sound at other RPMs, but it always fluttered just off-idle.

If you can't get access to a true automotive stethoscope, take a really long screwdriver... put the pointy end against the back of the TCT, and put the handle in the cup of your ear. This should transmit/amplify the noise sufficiently to diagnose it.

Edit: Re-read your post about parking next to the curb & the cat looking new. If that's the case, then there's only two gaskets on the cat... I'd say order both and replace them. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't put one of the gaskets on at all... from what I hear, one of them is very small/thin, and if it doesn't come with the cat, then they probably wouldn't think to add it on there. The other is a compression donut gasket, and should've been obvious if they missed it (though they may have re-used a damaged one, which could cause a leak).