Civic 97 - loud ticking sound

Hi everyone,


I started hearing a loud ticking sound when I first start my car, a
'97 Civic with 68,000 miles. This sound appears after the engine idles
for a few minutes. I can hear it more distinctly if I kneel and listen
from below. After 10 minutes of driving the sound disappears, and the
engine sounds just right when idling. I don't think this is "piston
slap" because it's much louder. I also checked the oil which was fine.
I also checked all other fluids and they were in norm.

A few months ago I had the idler pulley replaced with a new one. My
mechanic suggested I replace all three belts some time.

Can this ticking be attributed to the timing belt alone? Is there a
point in replacing all three? How much of an expense am I look at?


Any advice is much appreciated.

 

+++++++++

I'd try changing the oil to 5w-30 and see if there's any change. Did
this appear after the last oil change? Have you ever had the valves
adjusted, and is the noise half-speed of the engine noises?

'curly'

 

Yes, this is way past the last oil change. Actually, it was 5w-30 they
put in last time. I've never had the valves adjusted because the
engine has been in great shape so far.

This morning I listened carefully where this sound was coming from,
and it was clearly from the pulleys (not sure which one). I always
thought a worn-out belt produces a loud squealing sound (you hear it
all the time because people don't bother replacing their belts).

I'm not sure if the noise if half-speed of the engine noises, but it's
roughly 2-3 loud knocks per second. The engine does tick quietly but
my Honda mechanic said all Civic engines "tick" a little.


Thanks!

 

The ribbed belts that they use now make a rattling sound, very similar to a
failing timing chain when they get hard and start cracking in the ribs. If
your belts are still original, go ahead and change them, they're due anyway.
If that doesn't eliminate the sound, then look for a failing pulley.

 

+++++++++++++++

I wonder if he didn't tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt properly ? It
might 'flop about' until everything heated up, then the noise would
stop. I'm not saying he should have used LockTite...that's verbotten.

Why in the world was the pulley replaced the first time, and how bad was
the original one messed up?

'Curly'

 

Well, the original one started leaking oil and being *really* noisy. A
bad rain one night pretty much finished it. I saw it---it had traces
of oil going from the bearing.