Fabulous_omelet

Okeey Dokeey, this is my first post on S2Ki, despite having used the site for a while for DIY's and whatnot, so hear goes. My 2000 AP1 (130k) has been having extremely loud valve chatter for some time now. I took it to Honda, and had an adjustment done, and they told me the valves were very loose. It barely quieted the motor at all. Next, I installed an InlinePro TCT, assuming the TCT must be bad, and it remained painfully loud. I had Honda look at the valves again, and they insisted "it's just loud valvetrain noise" and that it's in spec, and that its not a knock, which it doesn't resemble anyhow, having compared it to plenty of videos. The car runs and pulls fine, but I can hear the valve chatter over my exhaust at idle and its got me very concerned. Oil has been changed, spark plugs, coils, and I'm out of good ideas.

Here's a video on youtube of the noise recorded on my iPotato, so let me know if the link doesn't work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9_Wxgmtyhk

Any help would be awesome.

rmerchant3

It does sound a little loud. I wouldn't say insanely loud, but a little. Why not check the valvetrain yourself. Pull the valve cover off and have a look inside. The cam lobes could be starting to pit.

Roger999

Sounds just like mine. I've done 2 valve adjustments on it, replaced the TCT. The valve clearance was actually too tight on mine rather than loose.

However I can't hear mine at all unless the bonnet is up.

jkelley

I believe typically with this car there is more noise from tight valves than loose valves. In fact (actually, not a FACT but something I have read), properly adjusted valves will have more noise than some that are looser than spec.

Pleas note that I am not a mechanic.

bgoetz

That engine sounds normal to me. If your convinced it is louder check the gasket around the header, you could have an exhaust leak.

Slowcrash_101

You want a little valvetrain noise, that engine sounds fine to me.

zeroptzero

Does it happen primarily when the engine is cold ? , piston slap is common in some engines when cold , but it goes away when the engine gets fully hot.

As the others have said the engine doesn't sound bad. The injectors will click loudly as well and add to the noise on these engines. You could have some injectors going bad, but that is purely speculation on my part, it is really hard to diagnose issues through videos.

Naz

im no mechanic either but i do know when the s is runnning normally its not that loud. if its like a previous member said, a cold start and then warms up and the noise eases up then thats normal especially if its cold as crap outside. But like i said im no mechanic, but i have pulled apart my engine completely and putting it back together as i write this. But not sure another possibility is a stretched timing chain, since you said you have replaced the tct. As a previous membe mentioned and honda assured you the valves are within specs , i know the valves are a bit tricky to get correct depending on if you go to the tighter end of the spec or the looser end. Still like the other member said, you should pop off the valve cover line up piston #1 to TDC and measure the valves yourself at least to eliminate that as the issue. Also you can pm wadzii and/or billman on the forum.