HELP!!!! - Honda Civic Type R EP3 Grinding and Rattle on righ side underneath seat..

[mkirelenko]

Hi All,

Needing help here - I've recently started to experience grinding and some rattling on the right side and ocassion ratting directly underneath my seat.

When i first experienced i thought my recaro chair was moving but i soon realised it was the rattling that was occuring.

It occurs on throttle in any gear and it will last for several minutes as im driving and will intermittently go away. When it is in neutral the grinding and rattle goes away. When i REV it in neutral from memory i think it also makes the grinding sound like its being supressed.

RIt has happened for 2 days now and I dont want to cause any more damage. Right now it's at a friends house and I dont want to drive it causing more damage and want to make sure Im looking after it.

I am unsure what to do and want to fix it as soon as possible, any help would be great. Also if anyone could recommend a place to take my beloved car to in Sydney that would be much appreciated.

[brody]

Happens in both dry and wet?
Does it vibrate your seat like crazy?

[mkirelenko]

funny u you mentioned the wet and dry, it first started when it was raining, and the past 2 days it has been raining.
i can feel the vibration under my seat, it like a rattle that stops... when i try to throttle and accelerate it makes a sound like its struggling. tonight when i idled it made the noise..
so far its happened in the wet only. it first happened a week ago, and only started again the past 2 days, in the wet.. any ideas?

[RPS.13]

I used to get it, only in really heavy rain. Where there was a lot of standing water. Only happened twice in about 12mths.

The problem has never come back after i upgraded the headers.

Some info here: http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2398533

And a lot more info here: http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?80848-dc5-strange-noise-when-its-wet

Unfortunately i don't think anyone has figured out what the exact problem is.

I`m thinking its either something to do with an excessive amount of water hitting, or entering the headers or o2 sensor. Somehow causing it to vibrate.

[brody]

It happens to mine as well but I can see that my b pipe is hitting the chassis due to cat being re welded just out of position. Will be buying PLM header soon so hopefully that will rid of my problem.
But seeing many people having the same issue.. am a bit concerned but still pretty positive as it wasn't doing this until I installed ny catback.

[Mikeyy168]

did u recently put in a new exhaust? majority of us ep3 owners notice this happens after putting in a new catback system. some have tried putting the OEM ones back on and the problem still existed. some say its been fixed after aftermarket headers were installed.

this will only happen in the wet so when it stops raining. just drive with low revs and when u dont need to, leave it to roll on idle. you'll get it home without any problems.

[mkirelenko]

i just bought the car ive made no mods. ive had it for a month... i have just confirmed it only happens when it rains and its wet. im not sure what i can do... do you have any recommendations? i am planning to take my car to a mechanic soon, does anyone have any recommendations on a after market header for my ep3? im gutted this has happened having only purchased it :(

[Mikeyy168]

Which means the car was probably modded and changed back to oem before it was sold to you. Like I said, some people have put the stock exhaust back on and it still happens. Some people have changed the headers and it still happens. No one really knows what it is and a lot of mechanics havnt been able to work it out either.

I've got the same problem. Gonna put in a high flow cat in and maybe weld the cat to the cat back. Let u know if it works lol

[brody]

With the amount of people saying that their mechanics/exhaust shops cant find anything causing the problem, I definitely wouldn't waste my money going back a second time. If your thinking of changing the exhaust anytime soon (which you probably are), Id just wait and see what the change does. If you plan on getting the whole deal, headers, hf cat, catback.. then you can rule out that changing the exhaust does nothing. Which is why I'll be getting headers soon. Dam rattle is annoying as sh*t

[white_ep3_civic]

It's just something that happens to EP3's I think from memory mine only did it twice in 12 months. I don't think it causing any damage.

[Mikeyy168]

hey guys, i think ive confirmed what the rattle is. ive fixed my last week.

went to put in a high flow cat and found that the catback pipe (where the flange connecting to the cat is) was too close to the chassis. to give you an idea how close it was, you couldnt put your fingers in between the space. basically got the hi flo cat customised so that the pipe sat a bit further from the chassis and that changed everything. its got something to do with the water hitting the hot pipes making it expand and vibrate.

this also explains why getting new headers changes it because it also moves the pipe further away from the chassis.

anyways, hope this helps!

[white_ep3_civic]

It will be good if that is the problem. How many others have changed their cat?