robs_silver_s2k

Hi all,

UK guy here but I wonder if you can help me out as my car has developed a strange noise from the rear end when she is hot.

So a bit of background on my car. First she is a 2005, 43,000 mile one owner car (me). She has the same engine as your AP1's. We never had AP2's in the UKDM. I drive very conservatively (she does get VTEC'd but not as often as she should!). I am very mechanically aware/ sympathetic and never push on too hard until she is nice and warm. She has never been tracked (but she did do one North Weald Driving training day). I never do full throttle launches to crack any 0 - 60 times or do-nuts in the car park. She is completely stock. I regularly (read nearly always) get 300 miles to a tank.

She has a full service history with Honda and has been loved. She had a complete fluid change at 1000 miles and numerous changes of engine, gearbox and diff oil over the years. This is usually done with whatever Honda supply but I have heard that different dealers use different brands. In think my dealer uses Castrol products or at least they do for engine oil. She is Geo'd every year (but not C of G'd). The brake discs are original all round but I replaced the pads (with original Honda ones) myself probably a year to 18 months ago but they weren't urgently required. She had her drive shafts re packed 2 years ago and the hub nuts replaced and re - torqued at the same time. (odo read 29K)

So that's a little about the car and now to the noise.

It seems to occur when everything is hot. I drove from Bristol to Swindon (35 miles). All motorway miles after the initial 2.5 miles and my destination was pretty much on the motorway roundabout the other end. When I got to the car park; always seems to happen at car park speeds and when the car is on a decent amount of steering lock (not necessarily full lock) she makes this graunching sound. Sounds like when a door hinge thatis starting to dry up rather than a full 'horror movie' door opening creak. It is not high pitched nor is it squeaky. I was cruising at an indicated 75 - 80mph all the way.

She has been to Honda for an initial assessment/ road test and nothing sprang to the master tech's mind although the car was making the noise perfectly. She will only do it when temps are higher. Driving round town all day will not reproduce the sound no matter how hot the engine gets. The noise cannot be replicated by driving in a straight line. The noise also requires some drive to the rear wheels either forward or reverse. Coast around the corner and she will stop making the noise. The noise definitely sounds like it is coming from the back. She will make the noise regardless of whether you are turning right or left. Low speeds tend to make the sound more noticeable. You can't hear it at higher corning speeds (but that might be other road noises disguising it). On hearing the noise I checked each corner to see if any one wheel or brake disc was hotter than any of the others and they weren't. The noise has gradually got worse but doesn't seem to have coincided with any changes to usage, service, oil change etc, etc.

She goes back tomorrow for a number of days where hopefully they will be able to rectify it but I would love your help.

I know it is very hard to diagnose noises over the internet! I have trawled the forum to seek others with a similar noise.

Many thanks in advance

Rob

Billman250

Have you done the axle nut tsb? It makes a rusty door noise also. Only when moving at low speeds.

robs_silver_s2k

Interesting thought as they have been replaced and re - torqued but not necessarily to the revised torque setting. In the UK we didn't get this TSB. But perhaps I will suggest this to the dealer

robs_silver_s2k

Hi all,

A quick update for you. The dealers have been brilliant and very thorough. They have done the following:

Changed the Diff fluid
Removed the rear brake callipers and checked for rust, any signs of potential seizing and brake pad wear/movement,
Removed rusty edge / lip of the rear brake discs,
Disconnected the rear anti roll bar, road tested and re-connected,
Packed drive shafts with grease,
Re-torqued the hub nuts to those in the US TSB settings,
Lubricated the face of the outer CV Boot.

Sadly all to a slightly disappointing result as the car still demonstrates the noise.

At this point the dealer doesn't want to suggest part replacement as it would be a complete guess.

So, the quest to find the answer continues but I am very pleased with the work the dealer did.

Thanks for your suggestions and please feel free to update the thread if anyone can think of a potential solution.

Rob

zeroptzero

try to find out what differential fluid they are using, it would be good to know - brand and viscosity ?

It also sounds related to the axle nuts still despite you stating that they torqued them, hopefully they rmeoved the axle nuts , lubed up the contact face of the nuts and torqued them to at least 220 ft lbs, if they missed any of those steps they could still be loose.

robs_silver_s2k

Thanks JFUSION I will find out what they did and the brand.

Rob

INDYMAC

If the dealer used Honda VTM-4 differential fluid 08200-9003 at any time, then you probably have issues related to using the wrong fluid. I sure hope not though.

robs_silver_s2k

Quick update.

The (US) only highest Torque setting did indeed work. Car now on 46K and all quiet.