Please Help - Valve Lifters Bad?

[_THC_]

Hello,

I currently own a 1994 Honda Accord vTEC 4 cyl 4 door with a F22b 2.2L engine... automatic...

I have noticed for quite some time now a ticking during idle coming from what sounds like the header area but probably the block area. The tick has gotten much louder during the past 2 weeks. I notice the tick especially at startup idle, it's less obvious but can be heard when idling at a stoplight. I can also hear the ticking increase in speed sometimes at startup when I accelerate from stop.

I have over 160k miles now and my guess would be something with the valves... valve lifters.. springs... whatever.

Your guess is as good as mine, but if someone can help please tell me what the problem might be and how I go about fixing it -- or even, how can I open the head to check the lifters for damage or adjustment? Anyone have any links?

[97integrals]

Sounds like you need to adjust your valve lash to me.

[_THC_]

and how do i go about doing this?

[97integrals]

Originally Posted by _THC_

and how do i go about doing this?

Well first you need to find out the clearance specs for your engine. I have never worked on an f22 before so I’m not sure whether you will check the clearance between the camshaft lobe and the rocker arm or the valve stem and the rocker arm. You are going to need to check the clearance when the engine is cold. You will first remove the valve cover and place the number one piston at top dead center on the compression stroke. Then you will be able to check and adjust the valve clearance for the number one cylinder using a feeler gauge. You will then place the next piston in the firing order at top dead center and check and adjust the clearance. Proceed down through the firing order until you have adjusted all the valves. This is a very short explanation of what needs to be done. If you don't understand anything I am saying I would suggest you don't attempt to tackle this project. Once again I have never worked on an f22 before so there is a lot of info that I left out. Maybe another member with more experience on your engine might help you by filling in the blanks, but I would really suggest buying a Haynes manual for your car. It will explain everything that needs to be done step by step with pictures. Hope I was able to help out some.

[Mendari]

If you can afford it, purchase the Official Service Manual from Helm, Inc. It's very easy to do once you read the manual. I've done it to my 1992 Honda Prelude Si (F22) It took under 2 hours. No fluids need to get drained and the car doesn't need to be lifted off the ground.
Find a cool shady spot, bring a radio and have fun.

[_THC_]

Wow thanks a lot for your help guys. I'll get this done today and let you know how it goes...

The only question I have now is where can I get one of these feeler things and how much is it going to cost me?

[mikester_91]

My car (92 honda prelude si 130,000) has been making a really loud ticking sound coming from the head too. I brought it to a mechanic and they said it was the distributor, because when i stomped on it one day a big cloud of black smoke came out meaning unburnt fuel. I put a different distributor in, and it's still ticking away in the head. Also, when i turn the engine off there's like a air wheezing sound coming from under the hood. Would mine be valve lash too?

[whtteg]

Originally Posted by mikester_91

My car (92 honda prelude si 130,000) has been making a really loud ticking sound coming from the head too. I brought it to a mechanic and they said it was the distributor, because when i stomped on it one day a big cloud of black smoke came out meaning unburnt fuel. I put a different distributor in, and it's still ticking away in the head. Also, when i turn the engine off there's like a air wheezing sound coming from under the hood. Would mine be valve lash too?

I would try to adjust the valve lash and then worry if that does not fix it. As for the air sound, do you have an aftermarket intake or a OEM intake box? If you have an aftermarket intake then the air sound is normal.

[_THC_]

WoW mine's making that exact same air wheezing sound his does. Yes, I have an air intake installed but it's not the same sound for sure. The sound sounds similar to what you would hear if you cut a high power fan off, and after the power is gone you can stear hear the blades whizzing/scraping to a stop. keep in mind this sound is after the engine is turned off, so it's definately not the intake, and it only lasts about 2 or 3 seconds as I'm sure it does with the guy with the prelude, too

[mikester_91]

Mine's a stock airbox.

[mikester_91]

Mine does the same thing after you turn the engine off you hear the wheezing sound like a fan turning off.

[_THC_]

and sometimes when you're driving, does it feel like you lose power especially at the low end of 4th gear? my guess this is oil pressure loss from the valves...

and maybe one of the valve heads are coming to a screeching stop because of lack of oil (possilby damaged)

but this is all just my guess.. i'm have no mechanical knowledge whatsoever lol

[mikester_91]

Yea, sometimes it feels like it doesn't have as much power as it should, and sometimes it runs fine.

[whtteg]

Originally Posted by _THC_

and sometimes when you're driving, does it feel like you lose power especially at the low end of 4th gear? my guess this is oil pressure loss from the valves...

and maybe one of the valve heads are coming to a screeching stop because of lack of oil (possilby damaged)

but this is all just my guess.. i'm have no mechanical knowledge whatsoever lol

The valves have no effect at all on oil pressure. The air sound is pressure bleeding back through the intake from one of the cylinders that was on the intake stroke, when you trun the motor off the pistons stops moving and the vacuum stops, so that air has to go somewhere. Make sense now? Trust me that sound is normal.

[_THC_]

so why then do we notice it now and not when we got our cars?