Grant!

I have a 2001 car w/ 97k miles. I've taken a look at the service records and all regular maintenece has been performed. Long story short... I bought the car about 3-4 months ago and have not had one single problem out of it. There are, however, a few little quirks that are raising my eyebrow, and may be holding a problem.

During about every other startup cold or warm, it doesnt matter, for about 2-3 seconds the car makes a clicking/tapping/chattering noise that sounds similar to a rock shaking up in a tin can. I'm assuming valve noise... but here lies the problem... i had the problem about a month ago, adjusted the valves.... and now it's back again... within days of the valve adjustment.

There is also a problem with the transmission and diff. During low speeds the car, while turning, makes a chattering rotation. It's somewhat hard to hear but with the windows/top down its apparent. The transmission grinds alot but not always and quite frankly i just wish something would break so i could fix it and get the hell on with my life and stop worrying about whats going to go wrong with my car.

I may have a few solutions to my problems but I'm willing to hear some feedback from whoever would like to help. I know alot about the typical problems with the cars... tops wearing out, clutches going bad, rear diffs going out, and all that stuff. And I would prefer I put another 100k on my car before any of that stuff happens.

well number 1, I'm planning on changing the tranny fluid to redline MTL. what is the correct amount to use?

secondly, I plan on changing the oil up... I'm guilty of taking the car to midas and paying $17 for an oil change (the hook-up). lol and I will be switching to mobil 1 and using the 7500 mile interval based on information I've gathered.

and lastly I will be changing the diff fluid.... i believe the mobil1 75w90 is what i was referred to use

If all else fails... i'll buy a warranty at the dealership i work at that covers everything for $800 and make my shit fixed. Last resort decision.

now, I know I should probably wait to see the results of all of this performed before I start asking questions but its sunday... im at the dealership (selling cars) and there is nothing going on and I'm serching for answers or help.

thanks

Grant!

another thing to add that I forgot about... the car also (during some situations) has this idle problem. this may be depending on operation and element temp but somtimes when you rev it up, the car almost dies and then re-idles it self. WTF!>!>!>!!?!?!?!?!?!!

slalom44

That knocking you hear at startup could possibly be caused by inadequate lubrication. Is your oil light on very long at startup? Since you went to Midas for your oil change, you likely aren't using the Honda PCX oil filter. And if the weather was relatively cold, that conventional oil may take a while to quiet down the valvetrain. Going with a good synthetic like Mobil 1 may help. Consider using a 5W-30 grade for better viscosity at startups.

That chattering rotation during turns - It's possible that the former owner didn't use the correct oil in your rear diff. Sometimes dealers have been known to use the wrong fluid. link

The correct amount of oil for your tranny is a little less than 2 quarts. Redline MTL should be okay, but I would recommend that you go with Honda MTF. They have changed their formula, and many people on this site are pleased with its ability to reduce notchiness. Another option is GM Synchromesh Friction Modified. Make sure that it is rated GL-5 or GL-6.

That idle problem - have you had some significant temperature change lately? Sometimes the car has to "learn" the changes in climate, and it takes a few days for it to get it right. Give it time and see what happens. Some people have suggested cleaning out your throttle body. If interested, do a search.

s2kforlife

#1 Timing chain tensioner (guess)
#2 hub bearing (guess)
#3 don't know

There are some videos here and on youtube about problem #1. see if it matches your symptoms.

GT_NFR

I think the first one is just normal symptoms of a noisy valve train. He may need a little more oil than the recommended 5qts. The difference b/t that and the tct is that the tct will be prevalent a while after the car has started, the symptom the OP describes on;y happens for the first 3 seconds at start up.

As for the other two, I'm not sure about.

jyeung528

Grant...

1 - i have the same startup rattle. people have said it could be the TCT...there are 2 descriptions of a faulty TCT. 1 - bumbling bees on idle AND acceleration. 2 - chatter on startup.

i bought a new TCT but haven't instaleld it yet. we'll see if that fixes the problem.

2 - your rotational noise is most like a wheel bearing/hub issue. identify which side it is on and replace the bearing and hub. i did this last week and the noise is gone.

3 - the idle issue is probably the map sensor, search for the TSB on this. there is a replacement map sensor and zip tie procedure.

3 - i recommend the new honda mtf...better than everything i've tried, lasts longer as well.

4 - diff, use 90w, or 75w110. although not proven, 75w90 may not be sufficient. le 1605 is what we would use.

5 - i'm skeptical about mobil 1. i use amsoil.

Grant!

I appreciate the advise. although, no offense but I really understand with the code language. lol decipher plz!

I just got the oil changed up to the mobil 1 and it runs smoother but it still made the ticking noise and it actually started out quieter and the ticked off till the end louder.

I also ran and got the new and proper Honda MTF... which clear my shifts up by 70%. It was a very significant change. I'm actually thinking about running a short shift with a heavy Skunk2 Knob or similar.

The rear end is still making noise obviously and we'll be taking care of that tomorrow.

Any comments?

jyeung528

^
did you not read my post...?

S-Turn AP1

The start up rattle is most likely The Timing chain auto tensioner and be sure if your going to us the mobil 7500 to check the oil level on a regular basis. s2000's use oil!!!

The idle suge is a very common trait and alot of diiferent things can cause it ( fuel, temp, humidity), The first thing i would do is a tune up, PCV Valve, new air filter.

And be sure you are using at least 91 octane fuel and try to avoid the super cheap fuel stations, i know its had not to want to save money but the gas is not always up to par.

The map sensor is also a common problem, BUT it's not the sensor itself its the conector, over time vibration wears the terminals down to were they will lose conection and cause the car to run bad. The repair kit is a new sensor and a conector harnes zip tie that pulls the conector up tight the map sensor.

The noise in the rear sounds like etheir the fluid needs to be replaced or the LSD is worn out, at 97K i would not be surprised if it was time to rebuild

Just start with the basics and go from there

jetboater

TCT=timing chain tensioner
lots of recent threads on here about the noise it makes--not only at startup but frequently all the time at idle--has been described as a "playing card in a bicycle spoke" sound. It's about $50 and takes about 15-20 minutes to change