Weird Idling noise
 

Hello,

I have owned a 1987 Honda civic hatchback for the past two years. The car has always been reliable and has treated me well, but there is a noise that it makes for the first 5 minutes of idling when it is first started in the morning.

I will start the car in the morning and it will be very loud and noisy (very! and parts sound like they are rattling, ect...) but then after about 5 minutes of sitting making its weird noises it will then all of the sudden turn very quiet, and idle very healthily and calm. I am no expert, but it seems like a problem with the choke? Anyways I am selling the car soon, and was just wondering if you had any tips or comments about this obnoxiously loud noise on start up.

Thank you very much.

p.s. maybe its just the natural noise of a 35 year old car? lol

Clattering noise when cold means that the valves should be adjusted. Unlike most cars it does not have self-adjusting lifters. The procedure for adjustment was actually in the owner's manual, if you still have it. It's supposed to be done every 30,000 miles to compensate for wear, but in practice you can go much longer before they get very noisy.

Properly adjusted, some valve noise is still going to occur especially when cold. The car is only 25 years old.