Weird sound from Civic

[SiR]

Sat in my mate's late model Civic VTi-R hatch tonight and noticed a weird sound resembling a piece of metal plate rubbing against something? It's hard to describe since it was only periodically audible. We were driving around and the sound was audible for a couple of minutes, like I said, something like a metal plate rubbing causing a screeching noise that could be heard inside the cabin and outside when the window was down. Once the car came to a halt, the noise would disappear.

We stopped the car and I told my mate to give it a few revs - after the revs returned to idle, I could hear the same noise, but much much quieter. It was audible for a split second and then returned to normal. This happened for the couple of times he revved the car.

Afterwards when we drove off, the noise was gone. Needless to say, he's a little worried. As we're no tech. junkie, I would appreciate some advice I can pass onto my friend.

Many thanks.

SiR

[bumthology]

i had a similar noise.. kinda like vibrating metal onto metal
it turns out that the air con compressor was doing it
because it has no belt
but now i took it all out soo its good

[wynode]

At worst its engine knock.

[EG4]

bumthology: so does that mean ur riding wifout the air con compressor, coz mine is making the same noise and i was wondering do i need to replace it??

[bennjamin]

my EG5 makes a grindy noise...but only on backoff - its from the exhaust SOMEWHERE....something is vibrating . . . BUT WHAT ???




oh well. nite ! Ben

[one more chance]

its not a pinging noise is it???
or is it the cat ticking after u have given it abit of a fang???

[SiR]

nah, it's not a pinging noise. It sounded as if some metal plate was scratching against something causing friction. I think the noise came from beneath the engine bay or definitely towards the front of the car.

My mate says the same thing has happened before, but it just comes and go. The last time it happened before last night was around a month or so ago.

[ATSE]

Does it make like a "tatatata" sound? Does it go away when he presses the clutch down? Cause I had a similar noise, and whenever i pressed the clutch in.. it went away.. but once i release it, it would come back... but this problem only lasted a day for me.

[SiR]

Does it make like a "tatatata" sound?
Nope, it makes a screeching noise.

Does it go away when he presses the clutch down? [/quote]
Nope, it only goes away when the car has come to a complete stop.


Anyway, thanks for the feedback guys. It's so hard to diagnose a problem over the internet so it's best if my mate lets a mechanic take a look at the car.

Cheers!

SiR

[TODA AU]

Check your brake pads.
Sounds like the squeal shims are letting you know the pads are worn.
The sound is the same as you describe & will come & go as the tip of the shim tang gets hot & breaks off... (It touches the disc to indicate worn pads)

[d16tuner]

Yep, if it is coming from the front end it does sound a little like brake squeal. Even if the pads aren't worn down, it could be squealing due to vibration. Try some Anti-squeal on the backs of the pads (Not the rotor side. Do'ah! :shock: )

[kimbi]

hiya

i have a 96 vtir hatch and it occasionally makes a "turbo" kinda sound when changing gears - no joke! someone said it could be alternator interference with the stereo, but even when the stereo is off it occasionally makes it!?

very odd indeedy! :?

any clues what that could be - and i dont have a turbo! Weird!!

[2ds]

This sounds like what my car is doing at the moment. vey high pitched like metal rubbing on metal, used to only happen while I was moving but i can hear it at standstill now. i don't think it is the aircon I got the belt replaced rather recently and it was occuring both before and after that.

Once you find out what it is can you post agai =)

-2ds

[stoned1974]

could be the bearings in the dizzy ?!?! mine got a bit mashed and made a scraping screeching kinda noise. was easy to locate with ears with hood up!!

paul

[SiR]

This sounds like what my car is doing at the moment. vey high pitched like metal rubbing on metal, used to only happen while I was moving but i can hear it at standstill now. i don't think it is the aircon I got the belt replaced rather recently and it was occuring both before and after that.

Once you find out what it is can you post agai =)

-2ds

This sounds really similar to what I experienced in my mates car, though we couldn't hear it at standstill.

[2ds]

could be the bearings in the dizzy ?!?! mine got a bit mashed and made a scraping screeching kinda noise. was easy to locate with ears with hood up!!

paul

what the hell is a dizzy!??!?!

[vti-2]

what the hell is a dizzy!??!?!

Electronic Distributor...?

:roll:

[Nairda]

metal against metal.....yur mates car would be lowered i would guess??? could anything be scratching the floor?

[stoned1974]

yeah the distributor, if the bearings and cage have gone it will lead to futher problems. easy solution is to take it to a mechanic or sparky and see what they say !!

paul

[SiR]

Electronic distributor? Alright, I'll make note of that.
Btw, what further problems would it lead to? Nothing serious, I hope...

[stoned1974]

it can cause some big probs but can't remember what the mechanic told me !!!! :(

but it don't cost anything to ask

if it is it, then it will cost about $150 to get it serviced by a sparky

paul

[2ds]

Okay got the distributor checked. nothign wrong with it.
aparantly the timing belt wasn't adjusted properly and my aircon belt had come off AGAIN!!!!!. but the consensus is it was the timing belt. could be something for you to look into if you can't find anythign else =)(

-2ds

[A'PEXi]

my car does the momentary tickin sort of sound after its turned off... not sure what it is, but i dont think it does any damage...

[luzinit]

YEH waht the hell is that noise??

when i turn off engine n get out of the car, TICK TICK TICK TICK.. wtf???
is it something coolin down and contractin or wot??

[bennjamin]

YEH waht the hell is that noise??

when i turn off engine n get out of the car, TICK TICK TICK TICK.. wtf???
is it something coolin down and contractin or wot??

Thats usually the exhaust manifold...or another bit contractiing after a good stretch.


Check ur CAT ( catylic convertor) - my car was making a rattling noise after easing off the go pedal - turned out the cat had just blown thru , stuffing up my entire system in the process !

LUCKY for under axle 8)

[RGD2]

A high pitched squeeling noise - turned out to be the airconditioning belt tensioner - where it's positioned if you don't have a belt installed (as we didn't because of a new engine) the belt tensioner can work it's way loose through vibrations and can come to rest on the main belt drive.... which makes that horrible intermittant squeeling noise...

the belt tensioner is this little arm with a aircon belt wheel on it, it's held on with one bolt and is used to apply pressure to the belt from the inside, to stop it slipping.

What ended up happening is the bolt holding it on wasn't tightend by the dolts who put the engine in (long story) and it eventually worked it's way loose after a month or two.
Eventually it just fell out! (one of the most horribly scary moments ever)
however where this belt tensioner is, it's wedged in there pretty tight. I was able to get it out without tools, which of course stopped that horrible noise...

Hope this helps.

[SPEEDCORE]

Ok here is one for you guys.... in my G/F's Vti-R when you get get into Vtec then ease off and the revs fall below the vtec engagement (5500rpm), there is like this HISSING sound that resembles, out of all things a really really quiet blow off valve.

WTF is it???