Lost Motion Assembly(All Sorted,Loose Nut On Alternator!)

Post by **Greg-SiR** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 10:53 am

I only noticed the noise since swapping in an alternator the other week and had the car running for a bit to make sure all was good and charging but the noise was pretty evident,worrying at the start but after a few searches i am not overly concerned,just another minor issue and yet something new for me!

Just wondering has anyone had dramas with theirs recently and what did it take to get it sorted.

Cleaning i hear can work.

Expensive but easier to replace?

Easy enough to do on the PITA scale?

Post by **vanzep** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 11:06 am

I had noisy/sticking lma's shortly after fitting type R/S cams - was rattling/noisy at idle.
Had it rechecked, noise went away and no problem since then - mechanic said it was sticking lmas and that they should free up.
Id just clean them up - if that doesnt work for you and you want to swap lmas or put more aggressive cams in then you could get a head from a 5th gen A8/Type S & Sir or ATR which has improved design of lma

Not sure how easy to swap lmas but may be easier to swap head over and those mentioned above have a better flowing head i believe.
You might want to start with a quick engine flush and oil change - just a suggestion and im sure others on here know more about this than i do.

Post by **Vtecmec** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 11:38 am

Quite a mission to remove the lma's. Cams out (and therefore cam belt shenanigens) and then you have to slide the rocker shafts out too to get at them.

Post by **Greg-SiR** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 1:07 pm

The cam belt coming off was not the news i hoped for.

The whole cam section looked reasonably clean last yr when the timing belt was been done,i always keep good oil change routines but it's the rest of the cars history too that adds up but still these parts wear down regardless.

vanzep i have always been told steer away from engine flushing in our Vtecs,olde wives tales?

Would be the easiest try though!

It's still in every day use and delivers 100%,just on start up then idle it's there,is it ok to keep going till i get the time and funds to address it or could it be doing damage?

I'm hoping just 3 weeks till bb2 is leaving the shed for it's errands so that would be ideal if it can just hold till then.

Also whilst here bit of a novice Q but can the belt be taken off to release the cams without going in the whole engine mount off/casing off/timing belt change procedure?

Just remembering i had Itr cams & aftermarket cam gears long ago in my Sir Integra and when it came to selling it the tuners that fit them took them off for me to sell on after and i remember them regarding it as not a biggy

Not this year but if i still have the bb4 in 2017 it will get a whole engine swap,bigger and better things hopefully,nice if it keeps up the pace till then

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:59 pm

Always been dubious about how much harm/good engine flush can do, as well. However I used it in Lisa's Lude (on the basis I had a low mileage spare engine anyway) and it was fine. That's just the short run stuff btw, not something you put in and run for ages.

Post by **Vtecmec** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 5:30 pm

If you just take the rocker cover off, you can check the lma's with your fingers to see if any stick.

Post by **vanzep** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:01 pm

yeah im not keen on engine flushes per se - stuff ive used is Forte and its only in for 5 minutes at idle and then thoroughly drained and new oil put in

but your prob best just removing the rocker like Vtecmec says and having a prod/clean

NCCMUR · Post by **NCCMUR** » Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:37 pm

vanzep wrote:yeah im not keen on engine flushes per se - stuff ive used is Forte and its only in for 5 minutes at idle and then thoroughly drained and new oil put in )

I got the forte flush and it says put it in and idle for 35 -40 mins???

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:04 am

You do need to leave it in long enough to warm up and properly work, otherwise it's pointless and I think could probably do more harm (might just soften things a bit, leaving them to suddenly shift as a big lump later, instead of properly breaking them down at the time?)
Can't remember what stuff I used, but I think it was probably run at idle for something like half an hour - whatever it said to do, anyway. I was nervous before putting it in, but after starting it I was fine - you can hear it wasn't doing any damage, the engine sounded same as normal, not any louder, more clattery or whatever, so the stuff is clearly fine as a lube while it works it's magic.

Post by **Greg-SiR** » Thu Apr 21, 2016 1:16 pm

vanzep wrote:yeah im not keen on engine flushes per se - stuff ive used is Forte and its only in for 5 minutes at idle and then thoroughly drained and new oil put in
but your prob best just removing the rocker like Vtecmec says and having a prod/clean

So is it possible to get at them this way to get a little cleaning in you reckon?cotton buds and all

So was talking to the Hondarec guy when i was picking up alternator for car 2 and he suggested a flush too and thicker oil(currently using Castrol edge 5W30 1yr+)

Popped the hood and let it idle for him to hear,but yeah not a sound

I mentioned the LMA's he went "The wah?" The Lost Motion Assemblies sit under the cams you know---"Nope" arghhhhh "

He's a good guy to have on the side,lots of experience just surprised it was new to him,i won't hold it against him!

Managed to get a snip on Youtube,sounds pretty clear as day as it is in person,terrible!

https://youtu.be/1Uf1I6hPo1w

Thanks for the opinions on the flush too guys,never done it on any of my Hondas or any other car in 20 yrs driving just a bit weary