xviper

You must realize that the timing chain tensioner is only a "possibility" and a guess. The symptoms seem to be very similar. When you first give it gas, the noise happens. This is the point the tensioner needs to do it job. If it is doing its job, there should be no such noise.
Getting at the tensioner is not a simple job. It requires removal of most of the stuff in the front of the engine as well as the oil pan.
I suggest you get a mechanic's stethoscope to listen at the two locations. Noises can migrate and only with this scope can you "home in" on where it is. These stethoscopes only cost a few dollars.
I was conferring with another owner in another province and his started as an odd, mild ticking that just got worse. A few things were tried and nothing seemed to work. It wasn't till the tensioner was changed that the noise stopped.

hondaS2001

k thanks....... when he listened for it, where was it coming from? I dont know if I mentioned this, but when I listen for it ANYWHERE else, i.e near the timing area, in front of the motor, anywhere, I cannot hear it, I cannot even hear it if im an inch away from the valve cover. But when I put my ear up to the valve cover, right on the H emblem, or near the V on the vtec, I can hear it very clear and it sounds like its coming right from below so my first thought would be rocker noise, or do you think I should check my plugs and make sure they arent loose for good measure?

hondaS2001

also, racer, when you get a chance can you see if its doing the same thing mine is? make sure its fully warm (but not too hot otherwise it will hurt) and then listen by the H or V..... hold the throttle lightly, then listen for the sound the second you give it some throttle, if you end up trying it let me know, thanks...

xviper

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hondaS2001
when he listened for it,

hondaS2001

definitely, a valve adjustment will probably be coming, however, if I knew for sure that it was just a loose valve or two I probably wouldnt be worried as much and wouldnt adjust them til it got more noisy.Most people probably dont hear this because they probably dont stick their ear up to the valve cover once its warmed up/care lol. Are you familar with the prelude h22 auto-tensioners? They had a much bigger problem with failures etc etc and I had to do it on mine. The sound was VERY prevalent even when listening a couple feet away from the motor, but it was making the noise on acceleration, and deceleration. Once the tensioner was changed, the sound went away, but it was a royal pain.

hondaS2001

ok, i did some more diagnosing which leads me to believe it is valve train noise..... The first diagnosis wasnt completely accurate..... the noise happens the whole time while i slowly rev from 1k-2k or 2k-3k then gets lost in the shuffle as other engine noise drowns it out. I can hear it distinctly in my ear and it almost sounds similar to if you tapped a coconut shell with something. If I hold the throttle in position, it doesnt seem to make the sound, but if I rev, it seems to happen the whole time while the rev is going up, rather than just the SECOND I rev like I stated before.

hondaS2001

This also seems to be another interesting observation...... when it is warm it does it, but it seems to do it much more when the car has been driven for say 30+ minutes of fwy driving, then if I shut the car off for 20-30 min and start it up, it does it less, until its been driven til its hot, could this be because the oil is thinner after getting it really hot or does this still not sound like its shaping up to be valve train noise?

RACER

Valve adjustment Bra!!

My car Makes the sound that you describe. I can hear it standing in front of my car with the hood open. If I listen carefully, I can hear the rockers while sitting in the car. I took a broom and removed the broom from the handle and placed one end of the handle on the rocker/valve cover, then placed the other end on my ear. It sounds like the ticking you would normally hear but 5 times louder, kinda like an alarm clock. My S kinda does what your S does - tick tick...tick...tick tick tick...tick...tick tick...tick tick tick tick......tick tick ect. You could not have described it better. The sound is NOT in rhythm.

Dude, every ohc/dohc car I have ever owned has made a little valve tappet sound at the rocker cover. This is normal. As a matter of fact, I once owned a 67 Plymouth Barracuda with a 273 CI small block V8 that had solid lifters. With the valves adjusted perfectly, I could hear the valve tappets tick.

Like I said earlier, I think this is normal for EVERY S2000. Dude, just have your valves adjusted by a reputable mechanic and call it the day. If something is wrong with the tensioner, the mechanic will advise you at the time of the valve adjustment. With a Helm manual and some mechanical aptitude, you could do the valve adjustment yourself. If you decide to have a professional mechanic do the adjustment, make sure the mechanic is reputable and you trust the mechanic.

hondaS2001

I do not believe it is the tensioner at this time, but did you diagnose the other thing I was talking about? To where when you rev it a little bit you can hear the quick tapping if you are listening under the valve cover? That is what I was most concerned with, not the tapping/ticking at idle..... the real question is, why is it more prevalent after a long drive than a short one, I know the valves get tighter with more temp, but maybe a longer drive is thinning the oil more so the noise is more prevalent?

RACER

Yes, mine does this. Off the subject, I have also known quite a bit of 4 cyl cars to make like a knocking sound below 1,200 rpm. Even my S makes this sound.

You could be right about the oil thinning after getting hot and in turn making the sound around the valve train louder.