Going to turn to you guys again to hopefully help me diagnose this strange noise coming from the belt area. Of course it's windy today, so the audio is pretty bad... but you can hear it. One is from outside the car, the other was me inside trying to shield the mic from wind. :P

Background:

1. Had all belts replaced within the last 1,000 miles.
2. Never heard this noise before the belts were replaced.
3. Noise doesn't always happen. Only noticeable at idle. At a stop light it will sometimes sound like this, other times it's silent. Noise seems to occur once engine has warmed and idle is low.

Inside the car:

Outside:

 

That sounds a lot like a power steering pump running dry. Is the fluid full? USE ONLY HONDA FLUID OR FLUID THAT IS LABELED SPECIFICALLY AS SUITABLE FOR HONDA. Other generic fluids will damage the seals.

If it's not that you can take the belts off and spin the component pulleys by hand to try and isolate it. Also start the engine with the belts off and confirm the noise is gone.

 

Okay, I finally got down to this today. The power steering pump is full of fluid and makes no other noises while turning, etc., and the belts and pulleys seem fine and noise free. There is something worth mentioning though. I think the sound is coming from underneath the plastic cover for the timing belt. I did have my timing belt replaced with my other belts. Could that sound be coming from there?

 

My 2000 civic sounded the same when I changed the timing belt. Took it to my honda mechanic and he said it didn't sound right and that the timing belt was probably too tight. He tore it down and put it back together and sound was gone.

I blew that motor about 7 months later and had a different company put one in. The new motor sounded exactly like yours (and my previous one). They reused all my parts including the tensioner and 4 months in it completely seized and caused some trouble. Luckily I caught it soon enough and only needed new timing belt, tensioner, and plastic covers.

I'd take it back to the mechanic and have them redo it and check the tensioner and/or replace the tensioner. They're like 70 bucks I think...can't remember.

 

Thanks for the good info and it sounds totally plausible. After eliminating the power steering pump possibility, I sat with my car for a long time and closed my eyes and listened. LOL It's exactly what I imagine a too-tight belt would sound like. Of course, my mechanic is a a dirty SOB and admits the sound may be coming from there, but says "it doesn't affect driveability," without even a reinspection. I guess this is what I get for letting them have me over a barrel with On Credit repairs. I am just going to hope it lasts until I find a job and then find a new mechanic.

Will post any updates if/when I solve this problem.