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More car problems
Topic Started: Jan 19 2016, 11:21 PM (682 Views)
Freeman
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The Family Man

I just want to reassure myself that my issue is what I think it is. My wife was on her way home and our Honda started marking a loud whirling noise. She drove it 10 miles home. It was quiet when I went out to look at it, but starts to make a whirling noise when you Rev it up. It sounds almost like a super charger.

Does this sound like an input shaft bearing failure on a manual transmission? My gut says it is and my wallet hopes it's not. We really aren't in the spot to spend a lot on car repairs.

Its 11:30 pm local time. I'll be calling out of work tomorrow, looking at it some more, and going to the local mechanic if possible. Hopefully I'll have some advice to wake up to
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Cobrajet25
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Does the sound appear when the trans is in neutral with the clutch out and go away with the clutch depressed?

I had this happen on three Metro transmissions, and it was not a 'whirring', per say, but more of a grating/grinding sound as the bearing got increasingly sloppy.
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Woodie
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Depress the clutch, put the transmission in any gear, and rev it up. If the sound stops, then it's the input bearing. If the sound doesn't stop, then it's probably on the belt end of the engine, water pump, alternator, idler pulley.
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Freeman
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The Family Man

The sound was there with the clutch in or out and got louder as RPM increased while driving.

Like all problems my wife finds, they disappear as soon as I try to look at them. The sound is gone. I'm HOPING it was on the belt side. I just hope it isn't the AC clutch again.
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Rondawg
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This may sound weird, but I assure you it works: Take a wooden Dowell or even a broomstick handle. Put one end against the alternator, waterpump, a/c compressor, near the tranny etc and the other end to your ear. It's amazing how the sound travels thru the wood, up to your ear. This might help diagnose where the noise is coming from.
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Freeman
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The Family Man

Rondawg
Jan 21 2016, 10:52 AM
This may sound weird, but I assure you it works: Take a wooden Dowell or even a broomstick handle. Put one end against the alternator, waterpump, a/c compressor, near the tranny etc and the other end to your ear. It's amazing how the sound travels thru the wood, up to your ear. This might help diagnose where the noise is coming from.
Not all that strange since I've done this with many bars. I'll keep it in mind if the noise comes back. It is literally silent again. Over night it disappeared.
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Murf 59
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My GF Honda has a noisy power steering pump.
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gamefoo21
2 Swifts n a Turbo Sprint

I'm going to say if it's engine speed dependent, clutch in, rev it up, then it's not tranny issue.

Honda's are very fussy about their power steering fluid, almost as bad as VW's. If the fluid is old, it can be that the pump is shredding the oil. I've also had an alternator bearing deciding it's life was ending make a similar sound, but I've also had very recently an A/C compressor make the same whine, the internal pump drive was eating itself, and they had to replace the compressor.

It's likely something attached to the front of the engine like Woodie says.
Edited by gamefoo21, Jan 21 2016, 12:30 PM.
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cwatkin


I am having this same issue with my 1992 Metro. It is DEFINITELY on the transmission end on my car. It was happening from the very get go and thought it might have been the TO bearing at first. I adjusted my clutch out a little farther than one normally would and the noise went away. You just had a quick chirp when depressing the clutch and then no more noise. The TO bearing was replaced when I did the clutch so it was new. It was suggested that the new TO bearings tend to rub on the fingers of the pressure plate and make this noise right as light pressure is applied so I just assumed it was that.

Then I started hearing the noise again with the clutch out in neutral or in gear so I assumed it was then the input shaft bearing going. I adjusted the clutch out a tad more as it had worn in and there was no longer any play in the adjustment. It wasn't tight enough to not allow a proper clutch engagement but wonder if somehow this was causing the TO bearing to chatter against the fingers again.

Now I just get a quick chirp now and then while shifting gears.

I used a Sachs kit in this car as I have all the others. It was a Duralast from AutoZone but simply a repackaged Sachs kit. The TO bearing was the Koyo or Toyo (the one everyone here suggests. One thing I have noticed is that the clutch in this is EXTREMELY grabby like a racing clutch. Anytime I drive a different Metro or other manual car, I notice this. I then REALLY notice it when going back to this Metro. I assume the pressure plate is just a lot stiffer than others for some reason. Maybe it will break in with time as I don't have a ton of miles on this since the clutch change.

The transmission shifts smooth except I have to really be sure I have the pedal all the way to the floor with how it is adjusted.

Conor
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Daox
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[ *  *  *  * ]
I third checking the power steering fluid. I rebuilt a 03 Civic and unless it was completely topped off that pump made a nice wirring sound.
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Hanuman
"The Almighty Grounds Cleaner"

I'm not aware of Hondas having temperamental noisy power steering pumps, but gm trucks will behave it that manner. Low fluid or cold power steering fluid is noisy...and even you can feel fluctions in pressure as you turn the wheel while cold...almost like the power steering cuts out momentarily.

Also check the idler pulleys, tensioner and vent the timing belts idler and tensioner for failing bearing. They can have intermittent sound in early in the stages of eventual failure.
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cwatkin


Definitely eliminate the timing belt tensioner or idler as a source. I haven't messed with too many Hondas but they seem to be interference engines for the most part.

The power steering in my 2000 S-10 is somewhat noisy until warmed up. It has always been that way. I knew of someone with an older 1990's Chrysler van that did this ALL THE TIME. This was one of those vans with a Mitsubishi engine that drank oil and left a cloud behind it but that had nothing to do with the noise.

Conor
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Freeman
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The Family Man

Power steering fluid seems to be popular. I'll look into it. I had thought it may be on the serpentine belt side (it has a timing chain by the way). I'll go through and check it all out.

This is my first car with functioning AC, power steering, or basically anything aside from an alternator.
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PTA2PTB
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I'm totally awesome! I swear.

Rondawg
Jan 21 2016, 10:52 AM
This may sound weird, but I assure you it works: Take a wooden Dowell or even a broomstick handle. Put one end against the alternator, waterpump, a/c compressor, near the tranny etc and the other end to your ear. It's amazing how the sound travels thru the wood, up to your ear. This might help diagnose where the noise is coming from.
Not at all. At the risk of being pedantic, and I'm sure most of you already know this, but air is actually, and relative to the more dense, non-pliable, solids, a very poor conductor of sound. Wood, OTOH, is a pretty darn good one. Sound travels through air at approximately 1100 fps. But through wood, it's ten times that, at 11,000 fps. Air go [*cough* sic], broom handle = stethoscope!

And I can personally attest to this huge density differential, as I was once smashed over the head with his guitar, after criticizing some impromptu amateur wannabe air-guitarist, for having missed a few licks in his Stairway To Heaven solo attempt. Didn't even hurt. *neer, neer, neer, neer, neer*

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