Engine pinging

Friends,

I have a 1993 Honda Civic 5 speed with about 80 M miles on it.

Over the past 3 months I have begun to experience "pinging" or what sounds like "pinging" when the engine is first started. After driving or warming up for 5 minutes the sound goes away? I have had the distributor cap and ignition wires replaced and changed the filters. I just changed the oil, but with no apparent affect.

Any thoughts as to what the problem is? I can't afford to spend another $250 on not solving the problem.

Thanks for any ideas on this

Greg

 

[ivymike]

Is it a tickety-tickety-tickety sound that gets faster when you rev the engine a little bit?

One guess that comes to mind is that you're hearing clicking in the valvetrain due to excess lash. If you've never had it done, it's probably a good time to get the valve lash adjusted.

Have you had the car for more than one winter? I would expect, even with properly adjusted lash, that you'd hear this valvetrain noise in very cold weather. The valvetrain components will contract slightly due to the low temps, resulting in extra clearance (lash), and the potential for increased noise. As the engine warms up, the components expand, and the lash decreases. I would suggest that you try not to rev the engine too high before it warms up a bit - each of the little clicks is due to a collision between valvetrain components, and the collisions are more severe at high revs. Over time, there is the potential for increased wear.

I've recently posted on the same topic in The Honda Civic Club on Yahoo, you might want to check it out:

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/thehondacivicclub

 

IvyMike,

Thanks for the insight. This sounds exactly like the problem. I have owned the car for 3 years and have never expereinced this problem previously. Is there anything that I can do to correct/fix the problem. In the short term I can warm up the car as suggested, but I would really like to fix it.

Thanks again.

Greg

 

[ivymike]

As I suggested in the previous post, the fix _may_ be to adjust the valve lash. If the valve lash is properly adjusted and the problem continues, then there's really nothing more I can suggest besides "move to a warmer climate." Parking in a warm garage would help.

An important reason why you wouldn't want to reduce the cold valve lash to a lower-than-spec value: If cold lash is too small, then when the engine warms up (and the components expand), the valves may not seat properly. The valves need to seat firmly to allow heat transfer, otherwise they can overheat and fail.

 

[visitor]

check for silencer clooging. /oil pump gear setting & oil pressure.

 

[ivymike]

visitor,

When you say silencer, are you referring to a hydraulic lash adjuster? If so, recent Honda engines used in the Civic don't have any. The valvetrain is overhead cam, with mechanical (screw) lash adjustment. The cam end of the rocker arm runs directly against the cam lobe, if I remember right (no pushrods or separate followers).
The valve end of the rocker arm has a screw-adjusted rocker tip that runs directly against the valve tip (again, if memory serves).

 

[cycle]

One more thought on this,you have fairly high mileage. And in the past 3 months the temperature has dropped quite a bit. It takes a few seconds for oil to reach the valvetrain,hence the "clicking" noise you here.Make sure you use a good multi wieght oil,important more so if you live in the north.And yes,as Mike said,if you have not had a valve adjustment in a number of years you are due. Craig....