Automobile question

[Pilot124]

I have a 1995 Honda Accord EX V-6. Everytime I start it the engine tics untill it warms up. I think it's the valves but would appreciate any comments or suggestions on 95 Hondas. Do I need to worry about it immediatly. Thanks

 

[starvingcfi]

lifters?

 

[Pilot124]

What should I do? Is an an immediate problem that needs attention. It does go away when it warms up.

 

[sqwkvfr]

3.0 liter engine?

 

[Timebuilder]

It's pretty common for lifters to take a few seconds to "pump up" after starting. That's what you're hearing. The more mileage (more engine wear) the more this will be apparent.

Many OHC setups use a cam follower and a sort of "lifter" instead of the kind of lifter the old motorheads are familiar with, which rode on the cam and operated a pushrod, a rocker arm, and then the valve. Even though it looks different, it still operates like a lifter.

I'd just keep on doing the regular oil changes. I'm more of a Toyota fan, but Honda does make a good product, too.

 

[TR4A]

Could be Valves/lifters or fuel injectors. Try this Forum http://honda-tech.com/

 

[Dash8]

might try running a heavier synthetic BLEND, keep some more lube in the head and provide better wear protection, other than that, you'd have to strip the head down and change out the ticking parts (cam/"lifter"/drive chain/etc)

 

[Timebuilder]

Usually, injector noise won't go away until you turn off the engine.

Injector noise was so bad on the 3800 engine that GM decided to put a large plastic cover over the series II motor a few years back.

Why not visit the tech forum anyway? There are always interesting insights to be had.

 

[UnstableAviator]

I'd vote for the cam followers as well, but I'm just here to say that there are probably some excellent Honda tech forums out there to help you with your problem.

There's a forum for everything these days.....if a person looked hard enough I'd bet there is a forum on quilting.

 

[Dash8]

ask and ye shall receive

I'd vote for the cam followers as well, but I'm just here to say that there are probably some excellent Honda tech forums out there to help you with your problem.

There's a forum for everything these days.....if a person looked hard enough I'd bet there is a forum on quilting.

first result on google, easy as pie

 

[Chas]

Hydraulic lifters ?

Are the lifters mechanical or Hydraulic? If hydraulic I would bet that the noise is due to low oil pressure until warm up at which time they are getting "pumped up" Chas

 

[Pilot124]

Are the lifters mechanical or Hydraulic? If hydraulic I would bet that the noise is due to low oil pressure until warm up at which time they are getting "pumped up" Chas


__________________
They are hydraulic lifters. I have 120k miles on the car. Anything I can do to fix the problem or is it a problem at all? Thanks Chas

 

[JB74]

I'm no mechanic, but I agree about the lifters not pumping up. I believe the "tick" is the valves slapping into their seats (which will eventyally round off their angles, and they won't seat anymore). My wifes little '96 Neon does it also, just on start up (the car is starting to use oil).

You could have the heads taken off and worked. Get a couple quotes before you commit.

Good Luck

 

[Chas]

Best you can do ...

use 10 w 30 in winter and 10-40 in summer the engine will out live us both probably.Change the oil / filter with good quality stuff every 2500 - 3000 and just drive it . If you redo the heads on it they usually mill some material off the head . The new valves and higher compression will put more strain on the lower end. My 325 e bmw does the same thing but the valves are mechanical. In my case its piston slap.Its been doing it for years regards chas

 

[tk855]

Check with a Honda service department first, but either try a synthetic oil or go to your local automotive store and buy some Marvel Mystery Oil and follow the directions on the can.

tk

 

[Headwind]

The Honda engine has very small oil passages going to the camshaft. Sometimes (it's happened to me) we put in 20/50 oil which is too thick! This starves your camshaft of oil and puts wear the lobes. Change your oil to a very thin multi-grade. If it's not too late this could stop the clicking. If it is too late you will need a new camshaft.

Headwind

 

[Timebuilder]

I wouldn't worry too much about a little clicking on startup, especially if it goes away in short order. This is most likely those hydraulic lifters pumping up. Allowed to do this at low speed, such as idle w/o the AC on, you're probably just experiencing normal wear. I wouldn't open the engine for a little lifter click.

Wait until the lifter click stops before raising engine speed or loading the engine. Some of this problem comes from increased clearances in ALL of the bearings, which means more oil is escaping via bottom end bearings. Add in oil pump wear, maybe a weak bypass spring, and it takes longer to get the oil up to the top of the engine.

Make sure the oil filter you use has the correct design. I mention this because after 1984, Toyota redesigned their oil filters to prevent oil from draining out of the filter after shutdown. The Supra motor was having oil starvation at the top end on startup because the pump had to first fill the oil filter before any oil would be pushed up to the cams. An anti-drainback vlave in the filter fixed that problem.

Just in case, try a Honda filter next time, and see if you have your valvetrain getting quieter, and sooner.

 

[jergar999]

I agree with Headwind on this one. I had the same problem with the same engine, and ended up replacing the camshaft.

 

[empenage]

How many miles are on the car?

 

[Pilot124]

How many miles are on the car?


120k once it warms up I can rev it up once and that seems to make it go away too. I appreciate all the feedback guys. I need to get to the airport everyday. Thanks again

 

[Timebuilder]

Here is a list of Technical Service Bulletins for the V6 Honda in 1995.

Alldata Company charges about $24 a year for access to the information, including wiring diagrams, procedures, and the lot.

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/24/95240781.html

 

[Pilot124]

Thanks TB

 

[Timebuilder]

I agree with Headwind on this one. I had the same problem with the same engine, and ended up replacing the camshaft.

While nothing turned up in the TSB's for the car, your experience suggests that an oil starvation problem might happen on the Accord, just as it did on the Supra, which had a straight six instead of a V-6 when I owned one. Nice car, though.

Small oil passages. I wonder if Honda has modified that motor, or just designed a new one. It has been nine years since the car was made. Hmm.

 

[I.P. Freley]

>>>Change the oil / filter with good quality stuff every 2500 - 3000 and just drive it<<<

With all due respect...

Unless you are driving in truly harsh conditions (frequent sandstorms, drag racing, frequent heavy towing, etc.), changing your oil this often is throwing money down a hole. Just because your oil looks dirty at 2000 miles doesn't mean it isn't still good oil, it just means that the oil is doing its job.

Funny how the car manufacturers say, usually, 7500 miles... But the petroleum peddlers, the ones who want you to buy the oil, say 3000 miles. Hmmm...

Modern oils do not need to be changed this often. Ironically, the person who posted this quote has a BMW, and newer model BMW's have a computer that monitors the engine and your driving habits to tell you when to change the oil... And that interval is much closer to what most auto manufacturers suggest, sometimes over 10,000 miles. More than that, even, if you're using a straight synthetic like Mobil 1 (though other research shows that synthetic blends give you practically all the benefits of straight synthetic but at much lower cost).

For years I bought into the line "hey, every 3000 miles is cheap insurance" without question (good advertising by Jiffy Lube!). However, the difference between 33-34 oil/filter changes and 12-13 oil changes over 100,000 miles isn't very cheap at ALL. Furthermore, there's no evidence that more frequent oil changes helps anything, just that more frequent oil changes doesn't HURT anything.

I guess if you don't mind an additional 30 gallons of engine oil over a hundred thousand miles, you're not hurting anything. What you ARE doing is wasting your own money and helping out OPEC.

As for your "lifter noise"... No idea.

 

[wingnutt]

im with IP on this one...yall ever read your recommended service manuals from the car manufacturer? dunno about yours, but my 93 ford truck recommends 7,500 miles.

who cares what the suppliers say. hell, if you followed them thered be some filter/sensor/doo-dad to change every other week...

ive never changed mine less than 5,000 miles. and i dare say if i wasnt such a cheap bastard, and bought the synthetics, id probably run em right up to the recommended 10,000 miles

 

[Timebuilder]

IP Freely-

That avatar creeps me out, man.

 

[I.P. Freley]

Why thank you, sir.

 

[Chas]

RE: oil change frequency

we are talking about a car with valve train noise so changing the oil with good quality oil and filter at 2500-3000 is a very reasonable suggestion .
BTW do you not recycle your oil after draining it . ?? Its not like its being dumped into the sewer and for the $15.00( done at home ) its cheap insurance .
This is coming from someone who still drives a 30 year old car with the original engine . Chas

 

[Timebuilder]

Why thank you, sir.

I don't know. There's something reeally twisted about that picture. Where did it come from?

 

[414Flyer]

What should I do? Is an an immediate problem that needs attention. It does go away when it warms up.

No, it does not need immediate attention, as long as you have adequate oil and a good filter.

That is not uncommon in Honda and Acuras. I had an 91 Acura Intergra 98-99 that did that same exact thing. My friend who owns it is a mechanic too. I had asked him while I still owned it if it was anything bad and he said no. Obviously he thought it was not bad, since he later bought the car from me.

5 years later, he still has it and it is still making the same sound at startup, and has not had anything go wrong with it at all.