I have an issue here and would like some feedback from users on this board. My NSX is a 92 and has about 52k miles. Its rarely driven. Anyhow it drives fine when I start it once very 1-2 week. Anyhow today when I started it up and notice a noise coming from the engine. I'm not sure exactly and thought it might have been the rod bearings but it sounds different. I dont race and only cruise the car so I dont understand why it would be making that noise. I drive the car lightly with 60-70% throttle at most. Today when I started it, it make a loud ticking noise. It doesnt seem to be coming from the bottom end, in fact, it seems like its coming from the head close to the rear seats. I listened to the other head by the exhaust and it idles quietly. Has anyone experience this? With the miles at 52k, should I be experiencing this? It just doesnt make sense to me why all the sudden it started making this noise. I thought it might be the valves but it seems to be louder than a ticking valve. Please give me some input.
Noise from Engine bay
- Thread starter rdtech
- Start date
Sounds like your LMA's just died a common issue on early V-Tec engines,
These are hydraulic lifers that tension your v-tec lobes.
We have OEM Honda replacement kits with redesigned LMA assemblies that solve the issue permanently.
Later NSX's and V-Tec engines have them fitted from factory.
#15 on this diagram:
These are hydraulic lifers that tension your v-tec lobes.
We have OEM Honda replacement kits with redesigned LMA assemblies that solve the issue permanently.
Later NSX's and V-Tec engines have them fitted from factory.
#15 on this diagram:
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shawn110975
Suspended
1 the car is getting old.
2 the car is never driven
3 starting it up 1-2 times a week is a (placebo for your mind) thinking its keeping the car alive its not. at least let the car idle till it reaches full operating temp half way mark.
4 53K miles doesn't mean anything since its a 92 ( your only keeping the miles down for the next owner to rack them up and enjoy the car like it was designed)
5 is it cold outside cold temps make the NSX act funny till its to temp. especially the knocking sound.
6 it may need a valve adjustment ( back to is it cold outside so it may not need one )
7 your letting the car die slowly by not driving it have a heart drive it more.
8 try harder to drive it more.
9 since you seem to think since its low miles that the timing belt and waterpump are still good rethink your logic. 22 year old rubber timing belt?? I would even start the car anymore till that's been done.
10 what state are you in we can direct you to the best local NSX mech in your area.
11 sell the car so the next owner can put miles on her
goodluck
2 the car is never driven
3 starting it up 1-2 times a week is a (placebo for your mind) thinking its keeping the car alive its not. at least let the car idle till it reaches full operating temp half way mark.
4 53K miles doesn't mean anything since its a 92 ( your only keeping the miles down for the next owner to rack them up and enjoy the car like it was designed)
5 is it cold outside cold temps make the NSX act funny till its to temp. especially the knocking sound.
6 it may need a valve adjustment ( back to is it cold outside so it may not need one )
7 your letting the car die slowly by not driving it have a heart drive it more.
8 try harder to drive it more.
9 since you seem to think since its low miles that the timing belt and waterpump are still good rethink your logic. 22 year old rubber timing belt?? I would even start the car anymore till that's been done.
10 what state are you in we can direct you to the best local NSX mech in your area.
11 sell the car so the next owner can put miles on her
goodluck
Where does it say that the timing belt hasn't been done? As far as not driving the car enough, some people have to work for a living and can't be driving around all day every day.
Thanks for the feedback. I drive it once every 1-2 weeks for about 40 20-40 miles. Yes the weather is colder now but I left it running till it warmed up and its still making the noise. Clutch, timing belt, and water pump all done at the dealer at about 48k. I'm in california and I'm thinking Driving Ambition is the closest one around here. Finally I do need to drive it more.
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AS Motorsports. How much does it cost for the LMA set? I see your not in the US.... hows shipping like these days.
Pay no attention to Shawn, he has to make sure to pepper in some annoyance into every post to balance out his useful advise.
Great info, what year did Honda begin putting in the redesigned LMA assemblies?
shawn110975
Suspended
Pay no attention to Shawn, he has to make sure to pepper in some annoyance into every post to balance out his useful advise.
have you been talking with my wife LOL
The King I assumed he had not done it since 99.9% of people think that a low mile car doesnt need anything they forget about age on the rubbers.
to answer the OP I think its the cold weather the NSX doesnt like the cold, every year when the cold hits my NSX starts making noises then I run around replacing everything and it returns every year. and I repeat the process even though I know when the cold is gone so are the noises.
but for peace of mind take it to an ACURA dealer not a HONDA dealer LOL
Thanks all for the info. I will probably take it to a the dealer to see what they say. What does everyone think about the LMA from SOS?
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Aaron - I have thick skin. LOL.
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Aaron - I have thick skin. LOL.
New SOS LMA has been installed, valve adjusted but it's still making the same ticking noise from the same head. Any insight what it might be? Would a bad coil or spark plug cause this? Just seems odd to me that it's still happening and I cant think of anything else. The cams and cam caps along with rocker arms are in great shape. The old LMA were definitely bad so I thought that was it.
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The SOS LMA's helped my noise level. But I still had alittle, then a month after service I had a cel that ended up being dirty injectors. Installing cleaned and balanced injectors cleared the cel but also helped the noise output. I mean you still hear ticks here and there but some is to be expected.
I'm not sure at all that that's your issue but figured it was worth mentioning.
Good luck and once you figure it out let us know.
I'm not sure at all that that's your issue but figured it was worth mentioning.
Good luck and once you figure it out let us know.
If it was a bad plug or coil, you would probably be getting a CEL. do you hear the noise when you are sitting in the cabin, or just when you head is in the engine bay?
Chrisbailey13, I hear it in the cabin as well. It's just very odd. I'm going to switch the coil and sparks around later to see what it does. I can also clean the injectors to see if it helps.
Ditto. Check em. Though if you had the LMA's done wouldn't they have pulled the motor/exhaust to do that and would have noticed? I had a tapping sound......this was the cause...
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blodi,
thanks for the advice. I'll take a look at the exhaust gasket as well. Any ideas will help. FYI - I did the LMA without pulling the motor.
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Kertong, I had not let it warm up to see if the issue still exist. I will do it later. We'll see.
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Here's the video I took before the LMA installed. The ticking is still there.
http://paulsvang.com/nsxticking.mp4
thanks for the advice. I'll take a look at the exhaust gasket as well. Any ideas will help. FYI - I did the LMA without pulling the motor.
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Kertong, I had not let it warm up to see if the issue still exist. I will do it later. We'll see.
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Here's the video I took before the LMA installed. The ticking is still there.
http://paulsvang.com/nsxticking.mp4
When I first saw the original posting I was hesitant to respond given my lack of deep understanding of NSX engine internals, but since you have already tried a lot of what learned people here have suggested, lemme go ahead and post.
A loose spark plug can cause a very pronounced ticking sound. Easy to check, won't cost anything to remedy. Left loose, though, and you risk the plug messing up the threads on the head, so might be a good idea to check it. Hopefully it's not too hard to get to the front bank and check them.
A loose spark plug can cause a very pronounced ticking sound. Easy to check, won't cost anything to remedy. Left loose, though, and you risk the plug messing up the threads on the head, so might be a good idea to check it. Hopefully it's not too hard to get to the front bank and check them.
dquarasr2, thanks for the input. I've checked and rechecked the spark plugs and they are tight. I thought it might be the coil plugs but they are working (tested it via pulling one off at the time to take note of the difference in engine tone).
it sounds like its in the head. did you check the cam lobes when you did the lma's? but it goes away in warm weather? could be oil pressure or a clogged oil passage going to one of the lifters. sounds like no oil is getting to one of the lifters to me. when you did the lma's did you have to pull the cams? and if you did, did you check all the oil passages? since it comes and goes with the weather, it would almost have to be that.
venomous42, When I did the LMA, I pulled the cams and checked them out. They all look good. I've checked and cleaned the cam caps but not sure about the lifters. I'm assuming you're refurring to the SOS LMA.... the bottom is flat so I'm not sure where and how the oil gets to them but I know that they are getting oil based on the old ones that I pulled out.
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could be a sticking lifter too. since its hot/cold related. the only problem is ive never been in one of these motors, so its all a guess from working on gm, ford, toyota, ect.....
venomous42, the lifters are spring type and they've just been replaced. When you say lifters, i'm thinking LMA
NSX does not use hydraulic lifters for the valves, hence the need to periodically adjust clearances. I believe the upgraded LMA use springs pressure and not hydraulic?
chussey, correct. It's a spring design for the LMA.
yea i was looking at the part pic above and it looked like it had a hyd. lifter, beside the spring, so i wasn't for sure. sorry i couldn't help more.
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