TooFly

Ok, I'm new to the board but I've had my S for a while. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Car is '01 with 63K on it currently. I baby it and don't drive it hard. However, about 2-3 months ago, I noticed this weird sound that occurs immediately after cold starts in the morning (for about a split sec). Then usually after that I don't hear it all day (car drives perfectly fine and everything). That occured once the first time and I didn't hear it agan for about 3 weeks afterwards so I didn't stress over it. Then I heard it agan about 1.5 months ago. Now, it's like 2-3 times a week. I know there's definitely something wrong with it, I just don't know what. I've searched the forum and it sounds like a faulty Timing Chain Tensioner. I've also gotten suggestions that it could be my Starter? Both seem like easy fix, but I don't want to replace them if they're not really the problem. I've included a link here for a quick video clip of the sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70hDPdXzmDo

Please turn up your volume as the clip is pretty "low quality." There's two startups in this clip, one right after another. It's quite a distinct noise. This noise occured immediately during this cold start right when I was about to go to work. I immediately turned off the engine and started it up agan. As you can see, no more noise the second time. This noise only occurs the very first time every other morning that I start the engine. After that, it's fine all day. Please help!
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

silencertk

IMO TCT GL

plokivos

can't see vid...(websense censors me )

but if it sounds like a whistling sound, it's the air being pumped into the engine to help cold start.

I thought it was my transmission whining/whistling, but just found out that's not the case.

only on ap1 too.

TooFly

ok, after some more research and hands on experiment, it definitely sounds like a starter problem (or at least, it sounds like it's coming from the starter). the sound occurs only at cold start and it sounds like the sound of not releasing the push start button. i can actually imitate the same sound by idling the car and then just pushing the start button. it's the exact same sound. so is it the starter or the timing chain tensioner? should it be either one, will replacing it, "cure" the problem?
there's another thread on here with TCT problem and it sounds nothing like what i have. check it out (w/tct problem):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24CiL5_9YvQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7YWObOi5zQ

It seems this TCT problem is constant. Mine occurs only at cold start and disappears immediately after startup. HELP!

bcs

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=460131

We're trying to figure it out. I'm going to get a video this weekend of my sound.

TooFly

well, it seems we have more than a handful of people that claim they have this problem.
ok here's another video clip from inside the car from this morning. check it out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nSoTfw3rrk

turn up the volume and you can hear what i mean. it's very distinct. like i'm holding onto the start button (which i'm not). it does this for a split second and disappears. as you can see, the car is perfectly fine afterwards. oh, i have the comptech exhaust so it's crazy loud inside my garage. any suggestions as to what's wrong with it?

bcs

Yup, that's the same sound. Still a little tougher to hear. I have a stock exhaust, so I'll see if that makes any difference. I'm gonna post this video in the other thread as well.

kchandra

I have sort of heard this on my S as well when I start it for the 1st time in the morning -it sounded to me like a little BRRRRR noise and goes away. I thought it was valve chatter till oil gets circulated. Sounds like I may have something to be concerned about?

YENS2K

I HAVE THAT EXACT SAME PROBLEM!!! I could replicate that video with the exact same symptoms. Only on cold starts does it make that noise. I have done a good amount of research on the area as well and have found that that problem is not the TCT(cam chain auto-tensioner) I replaced mine thinking it would be the problem and sure enough same noise. I have narrowed it down to the starter. After reading through the helms manual a few times and trying to understand how the starter on our cars works, the manual said sometimes over time the distance between the gears in the starter wares out which could be atributing to this noise. I however find it wierd that only on cold starts does it do this. I will be going to a honda master tech to talk about the problem and will post a final review once and for all on this specific sound. Any information or light on this topic would greatly be apreciated

TooFly

Thanks for the input because i was gonna order a new TCT and install it this weekend. yup, still not sure where the problem is coming from, although i'm pretty positive the starter has something to do with it. yea, i'm just all confused now...
yea, this morning the car was fine. no noise, no nothing. drove perfectly. this noise, it comes and goes whenever it wants...