I hope this isn't a stupid question, but it's been bugging me a lot so I might as well ask it:

When I'm driving between 5,000 and 7,000 rpm, there's a rattling emanating from the engine compartment. What is this rattling? All I know is this:

1. It ONLY shows up between 5,000 and 7,000,
2. It gets louder the higher the revs are,
3. It sounds like gravel or a loose nut flying around a metal box, or in other instances like water hitting a surface (the roads have been dry around here for weeks),

and

4. It never happened before.

Anyone care to venture a guess? For now to save myself the irritation I'll just drive under 5,000, but that's where the fun is!

Thanks,

MikeL

 

Maybe take a look at the little clip that holds the hood prop rod in place. It looks kind of flimsy and somewhat loosely attached (mine is, anyway) to some kind of plastic bracket or shroud. I can imagine that you might get a rattling sound from the rod or clip at certain RPM.

 

Also, what gas octane did you put in? Could be a bit of detonation.

 

I think I have the same problem. It only occurs when I use the engine brake on sport mode, 3rd gear, around 3500 to 5000 RPM! It sounds like a rattling noise whenever I release the gas. Need info please!!

 

Go to the delaer guys that does'nt sound normal. And if they tell you its normal, ask to drive a demo.

 

It's more than likely a heat shield or other exhaust component rattling. I occasionally hear this on my car as well, just not predictably often enough to take it to the dealer yet. The last thing you want is for them to say "could not reproduce" and hand you the keys back with the problem unfixed.

 

I had a long stretch of road in front of me so i downshifted and floored it, the RPMS jumped, but right when i got to 5000-7100 RPMs... there was a loud buzz from the engine. I ran the car a few more times in the 5k-7k range. The noise sent chills though my back, i thought my car was broken already. However, i thought it might be something in my GLOVE BOX THAT WAS MAKKING THE NOISE.... and it was. I guess the engine RPMs are up so high that it rattles the crap out of the glove compartment. I took the junk I had in there, ran my car hard a few times and the buzz was gone..


CLIFFNOTES: take stuff out of glove box, try reving to 5k-7k...

 

Run higher octane.

In my old Jetta, I used to get a terrible rattle under hard acceleration (high revs). To me it sounded like the heat shield was loose and rattling. Then one day while getting the resonator replaced, I asked my mechanic to check the heat shield. He found it to be fine, so when I got him to come for a test drive and gave him a demo of the noise, he said "It's post-ignition pinging - use higher octane." I did, and it went away.

Your TSX has a high (10.5:1) c.r. - don't skimp on giving her the proper fuel!