Mystery drone noise, bone stock Si ~2100rpm

RyeC

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So this is my 5th week with my Si, I love it. I have about 1200mi on it now. Just wanted to bounce this off you guys. . .either this noise just started within the last week or so, or it's been happening the whole time and in my excitement to get acclimated with the car I didn't notice it until now.

What I'm experiencing is a drone when decelerating or holding steady speed around 2100 rpm. Below 2000 I don't hear anything, above 2300 it also vanishes.

If you could imagine a semi using an engine brake, but a greatly muffled much more muted Japanese style version of that - that's the sound I experience.

I'm referring to it as a drone because I don't know how better to describe it, but it doesn't sound as persistent or annoying as an intake or exhaust drone.

I know our turbos start building boost around 2100rpm so was wondering if I'm just hearing natural sounds of our powertrain. Or, if something might be loose or vibrating that is happening specifically in that RPM range. It's not noticeable if I'm accelerating quickly up through that rev range, but when it just hangs in that rev range because that's my cruising RPM, it's pretty noticeable.

FWIW I have owned stock & modified turbo vehicles before and not experienced a sound like this.

I might have my dealer look at it (along with a very minor trans fluid seepage I noticed) but am expecting that they'll just say either "it's normal" or that they can't replicate it.
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SDAlexander8

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Could it be described as a “whirling” sound? Or whining

Droning is more like a loud vibration sound/feeling coming from the exhaust.

I haven't seen anyone having trans fluid seepage, you mean around the trans fluid pan seal? Could this be leftover oil from draining after doing an MTF swap, or maybe the drain plug/check bolt isnt tight.

The 10th gen civic have very different engine sounds/feels throughout the rev range. I think it’s because of the new cam profile system. You’ll often feel a bit of surging if you go WOT all the way through to red line. It’s not like VTEC from previous generations
 
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Gotch

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My Si resonates around 2k rpm. It has gotten louder as the miles stack up. I don't find it annoying at all, more like a deep exhaust note.
 
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RyeC

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Could it be described as a “whirling” sound? Or whining

Droning is more like a loud vibration sound/feeling coming from the exhaust.
It's a whirring. . .not loud. It only jumped out at me because I really didn't notice anything for the first 800 miles, now the last 300 miles or so. I can't stop noticing this sound at 2050-2300rpm when I'm decelerating or holding RPMs. I actually thought it might be my stereo picking up revs somehow, I've had that happen in the distant past, when your car is throwing off electrical interference to the speakers and you hear a hum that rises and lowers with the RPM. . .except in this case it's a medium volume and only in a range of RPM.


I haven't seen anyone having trans fluid seepage, you mean around the trans fluid pan seal? Could this be leftover oil from draining after doing an MTF swap, or maybe the drain plug/check bolt isnt tight.
A tech at a tire shop pointed out to me that where my trans and engine bolt together that though there was no noticeable fluid at the seal but that there was a tiny amount of fluid directly below it that had seeped out. See pics. Generally this small amount wouldn't alarm me, but it had like 150mi on it at the time of that pic. . .maybe just breaking in. . .dunno.


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Honda Civic 10th gen Mystery drone noise, bone stock Si ~2100rpm IMG_2250
 

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SDAlexander8

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A tech at a tire shop pointed out to me that where my trans and engine bolt together that though there was no noticeable fluid at the seal but that there was a tiny amount of fluid directly below it that had seeped out. See pics. Generally this small amount wouldn't alarm me, but it had like 150mi on it at the time of that pic. . .maybe just breaking in. . .dunno.
The rear main seal should not be leaking engine oil on a car that new. I’d suggest getting it resealed under warrantee. It’s not a big deal, now but it will cause you problems down the road. The oil even looks like it came right out of a fresh bottle.
 


SDAlexander8

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It's a whirring. . .not loud. It only jumped out at me because I really didn't notice anything for the first 800 miles, now the last 300 miles or so. I can't stop noticing this sound at 2050-2300rpm when I'm decelerating or holding RPMs. I actually thought it might be my stereo picking up revs somehow, I've had that happen in the distant past, when your car is throwing off electrical interference to the speakers and you hear a hum that rises and lowers with the RPM. . .except in this case it's a medium volume and only in a range of RPM
If this sound is the same as what I’m experiencing in my Si, it is very common on all the 10th gens with turbos. I think it’s just some noise the turbo makes when it’s not in boost. I can hear it at low rpms when decelerating when the A/C is on low and the car has been running for awhile at operating temp. Unless it gets much worse or you get drivability issues, i wouldn’t worry about it.
 
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RyeC

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The rear main seal should not be leaking engine oil on a car that new. I’d suggest getting it resealed under warrantee. It’s not a big deal, now but it will cause you problems down the road. The oil even looks like it came right out of a fresh bottle.
I agree. . .I'm going to call and make an appointment to have them check it out. Appreciate your $0.02!
 

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This oil seems to be transmission oil, if it were motor oil,
it would be browner, in my opinion.
If this happens to me, I will go to my dealer, there are
only 2 quarts in the gearbox.
 
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RyeC

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This oil seems to be transmission oil, if it were motor oil,
it would be browner, in my opinion.
If this happens to me, I will go to my dealer, there are
only 2 quarts in the gearbox.
My wheel guy (who is an ASE mechanic) spent literally 15 seconds looking at it, but he also thought it was from the trans. Just made an appointment at my dealer to bring it in in 2 weeks. . .will post their findings.
 

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Get that leak fixed ASAP.
 


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You wouldn’t describe it as a loose panel or exhaust vibration? I’ve got a 19 with a faint resonant rattling sound under the car at just over 2k rpm and it’s drivin me nuts! It sounds like a plastic panel. My wife and kids say I’m crazy...
 

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The RPM range is the same as the A/C tube noise. Try turning the A/C off and see if it goes away.

The A/C compressor is a variable vane design and its pulses seem to resonate an evaporation pipe under our dash. It goes away after about 50,000 miles. if turning the A/C off doesn't stop your noise, then you were on the right path all along.
 
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RyeC

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You wouldn’t describe it as a loose panel or exhaust vibration? I’ve got a 19 with a faint resonant rattling sound under the car at just over 2k rpm and it’s drivin me nuts! It sounds like a plastic panel. My wife and kids say I’m crazy...
Actually I think it's some exhausts resonance, only at certain times (not every instance above 2k rpm, but some of them. . .so weird).

I made some videos of it and have an appointment to have it looked at. Gonna ask that they tighten down all the bolts from the exhaust manifold back because that's vaguely the kind of sound I think it might be.

It happens when not in gear too so it's not a trans/diif whine. It happens when the engine is warm or cold, and ambient air temp is high or low. It's mild, if you didn't know it was there you might not notice it, but if it's your own car that you drive 100mi daily you notice it. . .
 
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RyeC

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The RPM range is the same as the A/C tube noise. Try turning the A/C off and see if it goes away.

The A/C compressor is a variable vane design and its pulses seem to resonate an evaporation pipe under our dash. It goes away after about 50,000 miles. if turning the A/C off doesn't stop your noise, then you were on the right path all along.
Appreciate the troubleshooting tip, this was not on my radar at all but could make sense. I will try with a/c on and off!
 

aethecarfanatic

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I did a little drive test on my way home from work and I get a resonance through the car from 2000-2200 rpms when letting off throttle either in or out of gear. I'm stock with 3,000 miles, I would assume it's normal
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