Recently I've noticed my RDX acting up, the video attached is of the engine running and I can't tell if it's knocking or if it's running just fine. I've also noticed the engine exhaust sound different, louder than usual when cold as if the exhaust has a hole in it but not that loud, when I rev the engine the sound doesn't carry and sounds normal, I don't understand why that is.

https://youtube.com/shorts/4n9TdVdUhqk

How many miles are on the car and when's the last time the timing belt + water pump got changed? I'd also look at all of the surpentine belt pulleys as well. If it's none of those then it could be something inside the engine, but that's on a more severe scale.

148xxxkm on the car. Performed timing belt service at Acura dealership around 140xxxkm.

Did this noise ever get diagnosed? Similar to what I hear on my RDX 2014.
thanks

Bump!

Sounds like a bad timing belt tensioner to me...on a timing belt service that's only 5k miles old. He doesn't say what he did or the resolution...I would've taken it back to the dealership ASAP

If yours is a timing belt tensioner (like mine was on my 2013) that noise typically persists on startup and generally goes away once the car gets to operating temp. Unlike the OP, ours went away with the installation of a new timing belt kit.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for response!