I've noticed a vibration recently that didn't use to be there. Its only under heavy throttle and when accelerating from around 2800rpms up to 5000rpm or so. It occurs in every gear, but isn't as noticeable in 1st (might be b/c it accelerates through the rev range there so quickly). Coiuld this have something to do with my harmonic balancer on the main belt? My alternator (least I think it is) has been screetching a little bit sometimes when the car's idling when cold.

I'm also hearing a slightly clunking noise coming from the left front of the car when accelerating at low speeds.

And no I'm not getting another car while living in NYC so nobody suggest that. I'll probably take it to the shop next week but for now I'm curious.

1/4/2008 1:53:36 PM

how many miles?

1/4/2008 2:20:37 PM

it might be that you have about 750,000 miles on your car and it wants to jump out of the hood

1/4/2008 2:48:30 PM

^^ a lot

does it do it in neutral? get a friend to rev it up, and look under the hood.

then jack it up to find your left front clunking problem

[Edited on January 4, 2008 at 2:50 PM. Reason : ]

1/4/2008 2:49:43 PM

inner cv axle joint perhaps

1/4/2008 4:10:00 PM

motor mount bushing

1/4/2008 6:52:19 PM

^ahhhhhhh, yeah that could be it. Wouldn't cost much either, yay!

^^^I can't jack it up. I basically have nowhere to do that (since I'm in NYC).

1/4/2008 6:55:12 PM

time for a new fuckign car

1/4/2008 7:30:22 PM

get the hyper-flex kit and the motor mount bushings. i did this to my old 'teg and man what a difference.

http://www.energysuspension.com/

1/4/2008 8:15:57 PM

put a ratcher strap on the motor

1/4/2008 10:08:12 PM

sure the bushings/mounts are cheap.

but be prepared to spend a day just on the rear tranny mount.

1/4/2008 11:07:57 PM

I know the parts are cheap but labor intensive

1/5/2008 11:07:33 PM

So I'm dropping the car off at the shop for the weekend and am having them look into the following:

-clunking noise under low speed acceleration from left front (engine mounts?)
-previously mentioned (in this thread) vibration (engine mounts?)
-oil leak (no freaking clue what seal this is coming from, but its on the side where the tranny bolts to the engine
-coolant leak (no freaking clue)
-windshield wipers don't work as of this morning, the linkage broke.
-check accessory belt (occasionally squeaking)
-check/replace timing belt (its been about 80k since its last replacement)

fucking hell, I'm about to be taken to the cleaners.

I need a new DD

[Edited on January 9, 2008 at 1:35 PM. Reason : k ]

1/9/2008 1:34:54 PM

how many miles this crap have on it now 300k?

1/9/2008 2:40:24 PM

you must really like that car to keep throwing this kind of money at it.

as for the vibration, i would guess motor mount off hand also. the clunking could also be a result of that. a worn cv joint could cause both also.

1/9/2008 3:15:20 PM

On my first gen Teg, I had an inner CV joint create the very problem you are talking about. It was a reman half shaft, and the tripod joint had worn the fuck out. And it would vibrate exactly as you describe.

One thing that none of us (with the exception of TKE-Teg) knows is the frequency range of the vibration...and that would tell us a lot.

Is the vibration at a low frequency, feeling almost like driving on a tire with a busted belt, but only under load? I'd say inner CV joint.

Is the vibration at a much higher frequency range, at times sounding and feeling very buzzy and often creating resonations in the body? I'd say engine mounts.

If you don't hear the vibration or resonations very much, but can definitely feel it somewhat, then chances are you might have an imbalance in the reciprocating assembly, crank damper, or other engine components (but I'd consider this very rare).

I don't even know if the B-Series Honda engines even use a formal crank damper with a rubber isolation ring and a tuned mass. I know the D in my first gen was a solid pulley.

1/9/2008 5:28:47 PM

I think you need to write a book

1/9/2008 5:55:54 PM

Crazy you should say that...because I actually like to write. But I have an attention span shorter than my penis, which is to say: damn short. I'd have to write a chapter a week...a page at a time.

But you know what? I think I'd like to do it.

1/9/2008 6:17:46 PM

^^^its not a constant noise, it is at lower speed, but its not fast enough to be a CV joint. Plus, I've had inner and outer CV joints go on me, so I know what those sound like.

To answer the mileage question I'm at 266,xxx. I'd be further along but ever since I moved up to NYC the mileage has been accumulating at a snails pace (since I stored the car in Charlotte most of the time).

Perhaps something that I'm not mentioning is that the clunking noise and the vibration aren't related. I can have one without the other and to my knowledge have never had both of them at the same time in sync, or even at the same time at all.

[Edited on January 10, 2008 at 12:53 AM. Reason : k]

1/10/2008 12:52:45 AM

my windshield wipers broke on Wednesday morning...

There's a thunderstorm outside now, this is gonna be an interesting commute. (car's going to the shop today after work).

Time to put RainX to the ultimate test!!!!

1/11/2008 7:22:06 AM

Here's the diagnosis:

-all 3 engine mounts pretty much gone
-both axles shot
-power steering belt needs replacement
-alternator belt needs replacement
-oil leak is either distributor seal or valve head gasket seal, he's working on figuring that out
-plastic windshield wiper linkage is broken
-timing belt is past due (been about 80k) so getting that and water pump done
-AC compressor is seized up

I told the mechanic to do it all excep the AC compressor...


Now who wants to play the Price is Right?

1/13/2008 1:31:20 AM

how much is he charging per hour? that could easily be over $1000 in labor

1/13/2008 4:21:33 PM

^I'm not entirely sure. I've used him before and he's pretty good. Plus he told me that b/c a lot of the work is related he'll be able to save me a fair amount of money on labor.

Couldn't give me exact prices on everything, but said before any labor discount that the engine mount replacements are $460, each axle replacement about $180, the timing belt & water pump about $375.

1/13/2008 11:16:30 PM

depending on where he gets the axles, they cost around $50-70

so thats like one hour labor for 2 axles. not bad for a shop.

1/13/2008 11:37:54 PM

Quote :

"-oil leak is either distributor seal or valve head gasket seal, he's working on figuring that out"

i didn't see this for some reason. most likely your cam seal.

you should be looking at ~$1400 total.

1/14/2008 9:01:47 AM

^I talked to the mechanic earlier this morning, and when I mentioned the oil leak again he said cam seal this time, haha.

He suggested that if I'm having the timing belt done that I also have the timing gears and tensioner replaced (both are stock at the moment). I told him to do it, but haven't really heard of timing gears wearing out.

I think its gonna end up being closer to $2000 than $1400

1/14/2008 1:18:18 PM

tensioner and seals are normal replacement, cam pulleys arent

1/14/2008 1:22:52 PM

Hmmm, he said the tensioner and cam gears came as a kit with the timing belt (also told me timing belt can come alone, as I knew). Interesting.

1/14/2008 1:38:48 PM

hell no they dont. cam gears arent part of the package.

i ordered a timing belt package for the R, came with timing belt, water pump, accesory belts, tensioner and spring, and cam/crank seals

1/14/2008 1:46:07 PM

tensioner, yes.
cam gears, no.

1/14/2008 6:38:10 PM

Oh man, it feels like a new car! So smooth, and much improved shift feel.

This is all that was done:
-all engine mounts
-both front axles
-windshield wiper linkage
-VTEC cam seal
-valve head gasket
-timing belt
-water pump (just preventative maintenance, but as it turns out the existing one was leaking coolant into the engine)

I'm happy...until I look at my credit card bill next month

1/16/2008 6:15:56 PM