Greetings,
My 2003 Honda Pilot (3.5L V6 V-TEC, about 25,000miles now, have changed oil @3,000mile religiously and currently using Mobil1) makes this faint, but still noticeable pinging sound whenever the car's under moderately to hard load between 2K-3.5K RPM. I think above the
3.5K RPM, the engine roar drowns out the pinging noise.Also, the pinging noise will develop into a louder crackling noise every so often at around the 3K RPM mark, especially when I keep the gas pedal down while the pinging noise is being produced. The noise is the same even though I've tried premium gas with higher octane and have tried different brands of gas.
I noticed this noise right from the start when I bought the car and have taken it to a couple of different dealers and had the technician go for a ride with me. But, even as I'm reproducing the pinging noise for them right there and then, they all said they heard nothing unusual.
But I know the sound is there. I drive this car just about everyday. Perhaps the technicians expected a loud pinging/knocking sound normally associated with older cars with serious carbon buildup problems when I said "pinging" sound.
I tried to write it off as a quirk in this particular Honda engine, but the noise substantially reduced after I had my timing belt auto-tensioner replaced as per a TSB issued by Honda. Supposedly, the dampening fluid in this part can leak and make an unusual sound.
I was finally relieved, thinking that this was the culprit of the noise I've been suffering from. I spoke with the technician who performed the timing belt auto-tensioner replacement, but strangely enough, he said that he found no fluid had leaked and there was nothing wrong with it.
But, I'm thinking that the pinging noise I was experiencing was due to the faulty functioning of the replaced part because the pinging noise has alleviated since the replacement. But since I'm still experiencing it, even if in reduced level, (both the pinging noise and the occassional crackling noise), I'm led to believe that there's still some abnormality in the timing belt related components.
What would you guys try to do or say to the service advisor to convince him to have a technician take a closer look at that area which might be attributable to my pinging/crackling problem? I know the waterpump was inspected when the TSB was being performed and supposedly was fine.
I just wish to hear the muffled roar of the engine when I punch the gas. I still thik that this is very nice engine, but the experience of driving it has always been tarnished because of this pinging/crackling noise. Thanks for your time and courtesy.