clicking sound from engine on cold start
#1
09-07-2011, 06:19 AM
clicking sound from engine on cold start
hi,
i know it is hard to diagnose a problem from noise but here goes.
i've noticed recently that when i perform a cold start on my car (1996 civic) that i hear this clicking sound from the engine. I guess it's not a clicking sound but more of a clack. it is timed to the engine too and it is kind of soft. as i drive the car and the engine revs it increases and decreases with the engine being revd. eventually it goes away as the car warms up.
for instance at idle it is a clak...clak...clak...clak...clak
but on accelerating and decelerating the engine it is clak...clak...clak..clak.clakclakclak.clak..clak.. .clak...clak
sounds a little like dice in a yahtzee cup but a little quieter.
is this something i should be worried about?
is it just my engine warming up?
i know it is hard to diagnose a problem from noise but here goes.
i've noticed recently that when i perform a cold start on my car (1996 civic) that i hear this clicking sound from the engine. I guess it's not a clicking sound but more of a clack. it is timed to the engine too and it is kind of soft. as i drive the car and the engine revs it increases and decreases with the engine being revd. eventually it goes away as the car warms up.
for instance at idle it is a clak...clak...clak...clak...clak
but on accelerating and decelerating the engine it is clak...clak...clak..clak.clakclakclak.clak..clak.. .clak...clak
sounds a little like dice in a yahtzee cup but a little quieter.
is this something i should be worried about?
is it just my engine warming up?
Last edited by briceman124; 09-07-2011 at 06:21 AM.
#2
09-07-2011, 07:11 AM
Briceman,
Ah, the classic Honda valve chatter
I've driven, owned and worked on a plethora of Honda models for many years now and I've observed this clicking sound on nearly every vehicle. Honda engines are known to exhibit noisy valves upon cold starts, so the noise you are hearing is indeed normal (some have indicated that the sound could be originating from a loose valve spring seat, pictured as ref #14 in this diagram).
Although the sound may seem like cause for alarm, look at it this way- it's always better to err on the side of caution and have a little extra valve clearance than none at all. If the latter scenario happened then you could very much so burn a valve, which obviously would not be optimum
Ah, the classic Honda valve chatter
I've driven, owned and worked on a plethora of Honda models for many years now and I've observed this clicking sound on nearly every vehicle. Honda engines are known to exhibit noisy valves upon cold starts, so the noise you are hearing is indeed normal (some have indicated that the sound could be originating from a loose valve spring seat, pictured as ref #14 in this diagram). Although the sound may seem like cause for alarm, look at it this way- it's always better to err on the side of caution and have a little extra valve clearance than none at all. If the latter scenario happened then you could very much so burn a valve, which obviously would not be optimum
#3
09-07-2011, 07:20 AM
Briceman,
Ah, the classic Honda valve chatter I've driven, owned and worked on a plethora of Honda models for many years now and I've observed this clicking sound on nearly every vehicle. Honda engines are known to exhibit noisy valves upon cold starts, so the noise you are hearing is indeed normal (some have indicated that the sound could be originating from a loose valve spring seat, pictured as ref #14 in this diagram).
Although the sound may seem like cause for alarm, look at it this way- it's always better to err on the side of caution and have a little extra valve clearance than none at all. If the latter scenario happened then you could very much so burn a valve, which obviously would not be optimum
Ah, the classic Honda valve chatter
I've driven, owned and worked on a plethora of Honda models for many years now and I've observed this clicking sound on nearly every vehicle. Honda engines are known to exhibit noisy valves upon cold starts, so the noise you are hearing is indeed normal (some have indicated that the sound could be originating from a loose valve spring seat, pictured as ref #14 in this diagram). Although the sound may seem like cause for alarm, look at it this way- it's always better to err on the side of caution and have a little extra valve clearance than none at all. If the latter scenario happened then you could very much so burn a valve, which obviously would not be optimum
#4
09-07-2011, 07:26 AM
Yes as long as it gets quiet once warm it is OK. If it continues to make more than a very slight noise warmed up, you should adjust the valves. Be sure to follow the adjustment procedure exactly because like the other guy said, improper adjustment can damage your engine.
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