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[2012 Si] Ticking Noise while Idling -> Normal?

38K views 28 replies 22 participants last post by  immajackuup  
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everyone,

I'm a new Si owner, so I don't know much about this car. My Si has been making some ticking noises while idling and I'm not sure if it's something I should worry about or not. I don't drive it hard. Maybe 2-3 days a week I get the i-vtec engaged once or twice. But nothing for long duration, just some fast take off to get a feel for the car. My car is new, has less than 600 miles on it. I'm probably paranoid but the oil says 90% already and I am not sure if this ticking noise is normal or not. I don't remember hearing it at the dealership when testing it out.

To explain what I mean, it's a noise similar to that of this video. Maybe a little quieter.


Some advice on maintenance, from someone who has owned an Si for a long time would be extremely helpful. :eek3dancesmiley:
 
#2 ·
What has the ambient temperatures in your area been like? Its most likely being paranoid. I've found the Si tends to have a noisy valve train when cold but I also know that Honda uses LOUD injectors and PCV solenoids on the intake/TB.
 
#4 · (Edited)
It has been cold at night (30 degrees), and warm during the day (70~). I live in Indiana, so the weather changes quite a lot.

This sounds like what happened on my ex. I didn't notice it for a while until I installed a CAI and had the engine idling for 10+ minutes really listening to it. Now I notice it all the time. I think it was always there and I just never listened for it long enough. Once I started thinking back my old 2001 used to do it too and i never found it odd.... I was paranoid since this is my first new car.... As for the oil I don't have the Si but I've noticed a lot of threads on the Si burning oil on break in. Check a few of those out and see if that helps.
I was just curious because my Grandfather drives a Honda Accord, it doesn't make this ticking noise. I understand that his car is more "luxurious" than my Si, but I was becoming concerned when I heard this noise. You would think a new vehicle wouldn't make such a noise. I suppose I'll keep checking stuff online and reading others comments as you suggested.

It is probably more noticeable on the Si because the Oil is so thin and moves like water (when hot), so it doesn't absorb as much of the sound. As for the Accord, the oil is more "standard" and have a higher viscosity.
 
#3 ·
This sounds like what happened on my ex. I didn't notice it for a while until I installed a CAI and had the engine idling for 10+ minutes really listening to it. Now I notice it all the time. I think it was always there and I just never listened for it long enough. Once I started thinking back my old 2001 used to do it too and i never found it odd.... I was paranoid since this is my first new car.... As for the oil I don't have the Si but I've noticed a lot of threads on the Si burning oil on break in. Check a few of those out and see if that helps.
 
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#7 ·
I listened to that video, there is no bad noises there. He is just referring to the Valve train noise. Can't do much about that as its normal.
 
#9 ·
So luckily I build Honda engines for a living, it's actually more injecter noise than valve train noise, nothing at all to worry about, completely normal. Injectors are shooting fuel into the cylinder at idle around 250 times a minute x4, they make a lot of noise. A lot of people hear it and think that the tappets are out of adjustment when it's just the injectors firing.
 
#11 ·
I just got a 2012 Honda Civic Si with 6k miles and hear the same noise. You can hear it more distinctly inside the car. Like it was mentioned in the original posting, I did not hear at the Honda dealer. It may be because it's the first time you get to drive it and are not in tune with the little nuances of the engine. I did pick it up yesterday in my second ride since I bought it. It's driving me crazy because usually in my previous cars, this meant there was some type of problem with the engine.

The only thing that's giving me some comfort at this point is StevieOntario's reply. Is this something common in other Civic models?
 
#19 ·
It's hard to say what is normal or not, it's so hard to hear over the injectors, most modern injectors especially Honda's are loud. When you lift the hood and hear all that ticking, that is the injectors. If you hear ticking INSIDE the car with the windows up THEN it MIGHT be a tappet or two out of adjustment. They are adjusted by hand at the factory, humans are not perfect, if you think it isn't normal then get it checked out, if they find them to be in spec then they could and likely will charge you. Could be a "bad" injector too that is louder then it should be...

Hope that helps :)
 
#15 ·
It's the injectors that make most of the noise, the valve train adds to it as well. All my Si's have done this. RC550 injectors were quite noisy on my 99. On my SRT-10 it sounded absolutely horrible but bigger injectors make big noise and there were 10 of them. So, the noise is normal and there is nothing to worry about.
 
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#18 ·
My Si makes an annoying metallic "tapping" sound similar to a bad lifter sound on a pushrod motor. But it doesn't do it at idle. It does it when you just barely press on the accelerator, and goes away by about 1700 rpm. It doesn't matter if you're stopped in neutral, or if you're driving. It seems to go away after it warms up.


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#20 ·
Since it only has a 6k on it take it in and if it is a misset tappet then have them re-adjust it, sonething like that should be covered under warranty because the tappets shouldnt need re-adjusted after only 6k. well i didnt know that injectors were that loud that is good to know

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#23 ·
Sounds like it needs a valve adjustment. They sound loose which is better than them getting tight. All my Honda's have had some sort of ticking issue but if there is no other problem with performance or mpg then its considered normal.
 
#24 ·
I've had 3 Civics now, a 2003, 2010 and 2012. They all sound this way, tapping and noisy as crap but its normal. If you think the Civic is loud then you should hear my wife's 2007 Corolla, that thing sounds like its going to rattle apart but at 90k its still going strong. I wouldn't worry one bit about it.
 
#26 ·
It's the injectors, there just noisy.


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#27 ·
Mine ticks all the time. I have a Mazda3 that is pretty noisy as well. In fact, most 4-cylinder motors that I've owned sound similar. It's hard to tell by a description of the noise, but the ticking is normal most of the time. I always joke about my Mazda sounding like an old sewing machine or something when it's extremely cold or humid outside. My Si gets pretty loud as well depending on the weather.