Ive been working with Honda on this one, I am a tech at a dealer. This is my personal car and have had this odd clatter since about 10k miles, and has only gotten worse. It is definitely coming from the lower end, sounds like a loose wrist pin to me. However, the cylinder cancellation test yields nothing. Car has had a new head assembly for starters, as instructed by field tech that was at our shop. I will post more as I know...

Up top:
YouTube - M4H00392.MP4

Below car:
YouTube - TECHLINE 3108877

Compared to normal Fit out of used car inventory:
YouTube - M4H00394


Noise is not the normal injector/valve noise, listen carefully, it is the clattering or knocking heard over the rest.

 

Whoa, mine sounds just like that. The clicking tends to be louder when it's cold, and dies down a bit after it warms up. I think it started sounding like that after 15k (it's at 37k now), I asked about it at the dealer and they said they don't hear anything wrong. I also have this running water sound, it somethings sounds like a flush or bubbling, started maybe at 20k, they said they don't hear this either. I'm beginning to think they are either deaf or incompetent.

 

That sounds like a rod knock to me...remember, this is s very small motor.

 

It sounds like a connecting rod bearing to me too.... Unfortunately it is a sound I became familiar with at an early age and have heard way too many time over the years.

 

i'm interested in what you find out because mine's been making this same noise for freaking forever.

it sounds like crap but i never figured it out and just gave up/got lazy because it hasn't seemed to have any adverse effects.

 

A spark plug that is improperly torqued and leaking on the power stroke sounds the same except is louder on the top side of the engine... You might check yours out, a loose plug can cause a lean burn condition in the combustion chamber it is igniting and cause damage to the head, valves and top of the piston.

 

That sounds like rod knock... if this is your daily and you have access to your resources at Honda as a tech I would yank the pan and check out your rod bearings.

 

tagged. i have this same clatter.

 

You guys getting this bottom end clatter...do you let the engine warm up before standing on the throttle? I suspect that you don't let the engine warm up enough...

 

I have the same problem and I think it might need a valve adjustment. Let me know what is the cause before I throw money away for unnecessary adjustment. Thanks

 

My 07 has 92k on it and I first noticed the same noise at around 40k. Like tin, mine is much quieter when warmed up. In fact, in the summer time if My car is good and warmed up it won't make the noise at all but that's after a good fifteen minutes of hard driving. In the winter it'll make the noise any time I let the car idle. Also, I've noticed that the noise is a little erratic. In other words, it doesn't happen on every single revolution of the engine. It's more like seventy or eighty percent of the engine revolutions. I personally don't think my engine would have lasted this long if it were rod knock. I think it's piston slap which could explain why it tends to be quieter when it's good and warm. I think piston slap was a pretty common problem on certain fit models before Honda brought the car to the US.

 

sounds like a good valve adjustment is needed.

 

I think the valves are probably on the quiet side when they need adjusting. Also, doing an adjustment made no difference on the messed up sound coming from the bottom end of my engine.

 

Piston slap is rare in water cooled gasoline engines that aren't set up loose for racing... My engine is loud when first started when cold and always has been.. It takes about half a mile at 2500 RPM with little throttle and a lightly loaded engine in 1st or 2nd gears before the cold engine light goes out and the noise stops... I kind of think the noise has to do with the thermostat being closed and is coming from the water pump.

 

I agree that piston slap is rare but it certainly isn't unheard especially with modern over square and short piston skirt engine designs. Accord's, Chevy Silverado's and Subaru's have all had wide spread piston slap problems.Also, Do a Google search for honda jazz piston slap. You'll find plenty.

 

That sound is on its own phasing though, it sounds like a single unhappy rod bearing.

Piston slap is possible through wear of course even on a tight modern OE motor.

But then you would probably hear it on more than one cylinder which is what has me leaning to rod-knock.

 

No doubt that the sound on the videos of the OP's car is big end connecting rod noise.

 

Is it something that needs a repair? Piston slap, rod bearing or rod-knock? I haven't open my hood to examine the sound but the sound my car makes is very very similar in location of the video OP posted. Don't know if its related but my car also vibrates when idle or at low rpm. Warm or Cold

 

Sounds like piston slap to me, high compression and aluminum motor. What type of oil used? Synthetics will make it louder, because of a cleaner motor. Where is the thrust bearing located?

 

I would have never thought of that but makes a lot of sense.... A problem with piston slap seems to coincide with the need for high molybdenum content oil and extended first oil change.... British motorcycle enthusiast were using Molybdenum fortified oil after engine rebuilds back in the late 50s and early 60s..