This is one of those problems I have reported twice to my dealer, but always comes out of service with "no trouble found." When accellerating smartly, either in auto or manu-matic paddle shifter mode, my RL emits a very "tinny" engine sound as soon as the revs hit 5500 or so, and continues to red line. I've described this to my dealer as a "valve-tappet or valve-train vibration type noise." If you don't allow your RL to rev this high you would probably never notice it. Not sure if this is characteristic of all 05 RLs, but I drove a loaner RL from my dealer during the last service, and the loaner produced the same noise. It could be this vibration noise starts at about the time the VTEC valve timing changes, but that's just a guess.

To see what I mean ... get behind the wheel of an 04 or 05 TL (or an 04 or 05 TSX), and let it rev near the red line - it's as smooth as silk and does not emit a single "tinny" note. However, my RL sounds like it's coming apart in the upper rev range, and it's done this since it hit 1000 miles (I really babied it the first 1K, so did not notice it before that). As my RL has been in the dealer's shop so much, I've had the opportunity to drive several 04 and 05 TLs and TSXs, as well 2 other RLs.

So, any other RLs out there with this characteristic?

 

I don't think it's just your RL. I don't find the sound of the engine particularly pleasing above 5500 rpm's. Consequently, I try to stay below.

To me, the best thing about this car is how stable and quiet it is and the way it hugs the corners. It's not the straight line performance, but then I knew that going in.

 

Hmm, I have never driven the car wiht the stereo volume low enough to ehar the engine. Maybe next time I am drving it I'll turn the stereo off and listen to the engine rev up. I will say beforehand that I dont really care what it sounds like as long as the engine works.

 

What is RL's Vtec point? I mean which RPM RL's Vtec will be started. Thanks.

 

aphotog:

I notice something similar, but would have to say it comes on at more like 3500 rpms. The exhaust at that rpm sounds tinny and like the engine is straining. According to the RL brochure p. 23: "At lower speeds the amount of exhaust gas generated is minimal. So the RL's exhaust system sends it on a longer, quieter route to the tailpipe. As the rpms pass 3500, a valve opens to allow a straighter, less restricted way out. And that sportier exhaust note you hear is strictly intentional." I'm not sure that is what you are experiencing, or perhaps a combination of variable valve lift (VTEC) with the increase exhaust noise. I would suggest you test drive another RL or two and compare if this is unique to your RL. My .02

 

I think V-tec kicks in at 4800 rpm during all out acceleration runs. It almost feels like a turbo kicking in, a definite and strong pull and a rush to 6000+ rpm. My old 2000RL felt like it had much more torque al low RPM, but of course it ran out of air and got weak past 4500 rpm. I like my new RLs engine but it does not have enough torque at low rpm, and the power does not come on in a linear smooth progressive way

 

I am experiencing this exact issue. How did you get it fixed, if you did???

 

My Rl also sounds a bit thrashy at high revs. I just think that the engine/exhaust is not terribly smooth in the RL once the revs approach 4,500 - 5,000. I have also read this comment in several reviews of the RL. The tinny sound could also be virbration in exhaust parts and not strictly the engine, and that may be why it is heard in the RL and not the TL (different exhaust systems). Also, I read somewhere that the vtec valve changes happen at around 5000 rpm, but I could be wrong.

FWIW, I noticed in my test drives that German car engines are smoother toward the redline than Japanese car engines, at least among teh major competitors I drove.