help, weird sound when stepping on gas....

[chaego]

ok i dunno what's up but my honda civic is making these weird hissing sound ( can't really describe it but sounds somewhat like...static or someone blowing lightly on a whistle ) whenever i step normaly on the gas, if i step hard it doesn't make the sound...

this is starting to get annoying and it really bugs me, anyone have any idea what's going on? has this ever happen on your civics please help

:confused:

[masterballer]

ok i dunno what's up but my honda civic is making these weird hissing sound ( can't really describe it but sounds somewhat like...static or someone blowing lightly on a whistle ) whenever i step normaly on the gas, if i step hard it doesn't make the sound...

this is starting to get annoying and it really bugs me, anyone have any idea what's going on? has this ever happen on your civics please help

:confused:

air intake?

[cluless]

Can you pinpoint where the sound is coming from? (i.e., front or back) ?

[picco_savage]

toss the old civic.

[seftonm]

Sounds like a vacuum leak which may be caused by a loose or damaged vacuum hose. Could also be air intake related.

[mau108]

Depending on the milage, I'd look for any leaks in the pipes, secondly if the car is above 100k, do a valve adjustment.

It's hard to diagnose a sound over the internet, so try recording it and postinga file or take it to a reputable mechanic (not honda :P)

[bunga]

ummm, could you explain why not Honda?


Depending on the milage, I'd look for any leaks in the pipes, secondly if the car is above 100k, do a valve adjustment.

It's hard to diagnose a sound over the internet, so try recording it and postinga file or take it to a reputable mechanic (not honda :P)

[mau108]

1 word

STEALERSHIP

[chaego]

its comming from the front engine...i don't think its the intake but ill try ad record the sound...i just got this car a month ago and only has 102,000km on it

[Canucklehead]

Could be something as simple as debris caught somewhere on your vehicle? As the air passes through, it whistles - like the moose/deer whistles that you put on your hitch to scare away the animals. Higher speeds, more intense sound?

[chaego]

yea sounds like that but only when i push slightly hard on the gas if i push hard or lightly it doesn't make the sound....i checked the under the hood nothing is stuck there ...also i installed a new aftermaket intake so i doubt it is the intake because it was also making this sound before i install the new intake...its just louder now :confused:

[Pete_Coach]

1 word

STEALERSHIP
I would suggest to you that the dealership has more tools ands test equipment than your local mechanic and also has exclusive access to the latest technical information on that vehicle. Also, I would hazard a guess that the hourly rate is quite comparable to the local mechanic.

Try cleaning the throttle body with a cleaner and a q tip. It may be that the butterfly is not closing completely and air is bypassing. All the other advice regarding air leaks is also good advice.

[kingsley]

They put a turbo in your car!!!

[gman]

Is it from your stero system?

[bunga]

all very good and valid points, add on to that the dealer technicians know their brand of cars like the back of their hand.

If only you knew how many times a private mechanic will only do half of a job or misdiagnose it simply because they don't know exactly what they're dealing with. Guess where they send the customer after that? Good ol' dealer that has the tools, experience, and access to information to fix it correctly

I would suggest to you that the dealership has more tools ands test equipment than your local mechanic and also has exclusive access to the latest technical information on that vehicle. Also, I would hazard a guess that the hourly rate is quite comparable to the local mechanic.

Try cleaning the throttle body with a cleaner and a q tip. It may be that the butterfly is not closing completely and air is bypassing. All the other advice regarding air leaks is also good advice.

[Slimfast]

They put a turbo in your car!!!

haha that's what i thought when i heard that there was a whistling sound.

Enjoy the extra performance! :lol:

[chaego]

lol i know what turbo sounds like and this is NOT turbo more like a broken car, where's the closest honda dealership in downtown?

[enko]

Exhaust gasket has corroded and is leaking - at the head or one of the ends of the catalytic.

[chaego]

Exhaust gasket has corroded and is leaking - at the head or one of the ends of the catalytic.

im not sure what your talking about, the exhaust tube in the back?....well the whole exhaust is stock and it has not rust nor holes on it to be leaking

[Pete_Coach]

im not sure what your talking about, the exhaust tube in the back?....well the whole exhaust is stock and it has not rust nor holes on it to be leaking
Exhaust noise only gets louder when you step on the gas but, when my son was younger he put one of those aftermarket (Candian Tire) exhaust tips on the car. Makes it look like there is a big muffler (show...no go), ayway, it had a little wire mesh in it that made a stupid whistleing sound at low RPM's. Just another thought?

[enko]

im not sure what your talking about, the exhaust tube in the back?....well the whole exhaust is stock and it has not rust nor holes on it to be leaking


Between different segments of the exhaust there are gaskets to seal them together - they are metal rings that get squished that cost about 5$. These can slowly corrode and cause a leak which will make it louder.

There's also a gasket between your engine head and your header - it'll cost a bit more and is a bit more difficult to change.

[Pete_Coach]

Between different segments of the exhaust there are gaskets to seal them together - they are metal rings that get squished that cost about 5$. These can slowly corrode and cause a leak which will make it louder.

There's also a gasket between your engine head and your header - it'll cost a bit more and is a bit more difficult to change.
Most exhausts are clamped and/or welded together, very few gaskets used nowadays. If it is exhaust noise, it does not go away, just gets louder.

[enko]

Most exhausts are clamped and/or welded together, very few gaskets used nowadays. If it is exhaust noise, it does not go away, just gets louder.

I guarantee there's a gasket between the header and the cylinder head. And then there will be gaskets between your catalytic converters and your exhaust piping, and most new cars have 2 cats.. etc ect.

His car has 102,000km, it's not a new car.

[Pete_Coach]

I guarantee there's a gasket between the header and the cylinder head. And then there will be gaskets between your catalytic converters and your exhaust piping, and most new cars have 2 cats.. etc ect.

His car has 102,000km, it's not a new car.
Man, you don't get it ...he has a whistleing noise that goes away when he steps on the gas....not exhaust...
Some cars have individual seals between block and manifold, some cars have sealing tape between the pipe and he catalytic converter...etc etc...we are trying to help with a noise problem

[P90Puma]

Vacuum or Intake leak and/or (Crimp/blockage/etc). Period. F*cking dsm's teach you to check those lines.

[enko]

Man, you don't get it ...he has a whistleing noise that goes away when he steps on the gas....not exhaust...
Some cars have individual seals between block and manifold, some cars have sealing tape between the pipe and he catalytic converter...etc etc...we are trying to help with a noise problem

Sorry - read his post further down and saw it's more a "whistling" sound ;)

[chaego]

not a high pitch whistle ...more of like someone trying to blow a whistle but they're blowing out spit kinda thing if you know what i mean, try to record the sound on my phone but couldn't get, and i don't have a real recorder

[Pete_Coach]

Vacuum or Intake leak and/or (Crimp/blockage/etc). Period. F*cking dsm's teach you to check those lines.
OK, you got me, I am not so savvy when it comes to aconyms, that is why I always spell things out but, I think I could use one of those "F*cking dsm's teach you to check those lines." if they teach you so much. What is a dsm's?
I will agree that a crimp or blockage in the exhaust may give you this noise, vacuum or intake noise will almost always be accompanied by a performance problem as well.

[chaego]

i'm thinking i need to change the spark plugs...since now that i listen to it more it sounds electrical....how easy is it to change sparkplugs on a 96 civic?

[stevethewheel]

I'm backing the poster who mentioned exhaust. It is possible to get a high pressure leak sound at the front end, either where the manifold meets the block or where the first section of pipe meets the manifold. It doesn't have the heavy sound of a rotted exhaust, and it does go away under mild or severe acceleration. (can also go away as the car warms up)

You are most likely to get this condition after you've pushed a car hard that has not been pushed hard much before, example racing your mother's car.

If it is an exhaust leak then it's easy to fix between manifold and first pipe, most muffler shops would do it for free or almost free. If between manifold and block, well, that's ugly.

[chaego]

I'm backing the poster who mentioned exhaust. It is possible to get a high pressure leak sound at the front end, either where the manifold meets the block or where the first section of pipe meets the manifold. It doesn't have the heavy sound of a rotted exhaust, and it does go away under mild or severe acceleration. (can also go away as the car warms up)

You are most likely to get this condition after you've pushed a car hard that has not been pushed hard much before, example racing your mother's car.

If it is an exhaust leak then it's easy to fix between manifold and first pipe, most muffler shops would do it for free or almost free. If between manifold and block, well, that's ugly.

hey i think you are right cuz i remember it happened right after i pushed it hard on the highway....how do i explain this to them? like what do i say...so they know right away