2009 Honda Fit Sport w/auto tranny. When it's first started in the morning and the engine rpm's are high, after backing out of the driveway the tranny makes a very noticeable clicking noise when shifting from reverse to drive.
The dealer's service dept. said it's normal, and to let the engine run for a few minutes before putting the car in gear to prevent the noise. However, I prefer to put a load on the engine ASAP as continued periods of extensive idling can have detrimental effects over time(dilutes the oil with gas, varnishes the cylinder walls, causes carbon build up inside the combustion chambers, etc.).
Has anyone else noticed this same noise?

 

that's the last thing you want to do when the engine is cold. It's best to actually let the motor idle until it reaches optimum operating temperature. Revving the engine up cold tries to force cold oil through the cylinders and into the valvetrain. In cold air temperatures, the oil will be too thick to lube properly and could over time cause damage.

This is one of th reasons why VTEC doesn't activate in many cars until operating temp is reached (particularly the s2k, which will kick you if you try to hit vtec before op temp is reached)

This isn't considered "extensive idling" and isn't detrimental to anything.

Besides, I've always heard this, but I look at cop cars. Those guys idle those motors like crazy, but they also put over 100k hard miles on 'em apparently without issue......

 

Putting the engine under a load ASAP is actually the best thing for it. However, you apparently misunderstood what I meant. I was referring to driving the car ASAP, but driving it conservatively(not going WOT or driving at high rpm's) while the engine is warming up until it reaches full operating temperature.
And regarding my comment "the engine rpm's are high", I was referring to the engine idling at higher than normal rpm's as controlled by the ECM, and not by my foot.
Allowing a cold engine to idle for long periods (a few minutes may be ok in single digit or lower temps, but otherwise it's way too long) will cause gas to leak past the piston rings into the oil diluting it and compromising its lubrication qualities and also cause varnish to form on the cylinder walls due to the rich fuel mixture and higher than normal rpm's, will cause carbon to build up inside the combustion chambers due to inefficient combustion, will not quickly heat up the catalytic convertor(s) to their normal operating temperatures resulting in increased pollutant emissions, will not quickly heat up the exhaust system resulting in excessive water vapor condensation and accelerated corrosion, etc., etc.
Also, you're comparing apples and oranges when you bring police cars into the picture. Most of the miles driven on those cars occur when the engine is at normal operating temperature, which is why their engines last a long time. On the other hand, most civilian cars are driven only a few miles before turning off the engine, which does not allow the engine to fully warm up resulting in accelerated engine wear due to sludge and carbon build up.

 

or just put a remote starter on it and let it idle for a few min before
you drive off if that clicking bothers you. i dont think it's an issue.

i personally do not let my car warm up at all before engaging the
gear.... hell, im rolling down the driveway while im starting the
car. lol (mine's a MT). and just drive gently until the water temp
LED turns off.

 

come on guys... its a honda, not some POS chevy (daewoo) aveo.... if u put oil and gas in it once in a while your motor will last for ever....i really wouldnt worry about theweather or not you drive right on start up, as long as your not racing the motor cold you will be fine, idling or driving controllably

 

So has anyone else noticed the noise I referred to in my original post?

 

You haven't owned many cars, have you? :lol:

They're quite a bit more reliable than you think, if you do the same maintenance as on these cars.

And don't fool yourself. I've seen people abuse hondas and they've only lasted a few tens of thousands of miles, vs. how many old American cars do you still see on the road? Old chevies, buicks, etc. ?

Don't hate. It shows ignorance.

 

im not hating... and any car hondas included, will die if abused, all im saying is with a honda you have more wiggle room, driving b4 it warms up is not gonna be detremental to your fit.... and i dont hate american cars, my fav car is the corvette... but the aveo is really just a POS and in the economy car class, american cars a notoriously unreliable, where as in the same class a honda will last you for ever, every car my family has owned since i was borne has been a honda (one acura) and we have NEVER had a major problem, verses everyone that i know that drives lower end american cars has MANY issues, its practicly a proven fact that the japanese build better cars for the money...

 

american cars really aren't that unreliable.

matter of fact, Toyota has been having major problems with quality and reliability lately.

Every american car I've owned has been great. My 02 volkswagen? piece of crap.

Fact is, the American cars are reliable and generally well built. They're just not exciting and most of them don't look all that good. Chevy's ecotech motors, which have been around for a long time, are bulletproof, reliable motors. Ford and GM V8's have always been reliable, and GM's v8's in cars get incredible mileage for the displacement. My neighbor got 28mpg in his c6 z06 driving down from Ohio. I can't think of any other large-displacement 500hp v8's that get near that mileage, lol.

Fits aren't perfect. Rattles abound, which is unusual for Honda, as even my 2000 civic was rattle free 8 years later (surprising because of the ground control coilovers, lol).

You treat a motor right, no matter who makes it, and it'll probably last a long, long time. I do the same thing you guys do thanks to early work, I start it and go. But when I mod my car, especially turbo the S2000, like I did with the 350z, I'll let it warm up to operating temp before driving (which was hard in the winter. Even here in FL it took 10 mins to warm up the Z, even when driving!) lol.

 

I have an AT Fit, and do not hear a "clicking" as I would describe it. Of course, when the engine is cold, there are different sounds from those it makes after it warms up.

If you want to let the engine warm up under load, you could firmly engage the parking brake and let it warm up in gear, but don't call me if it manages to drive itself through the back side of your garage!

 

I've heard that "clicking" noise before..but after I heard it..I just let it warm up and it seems be to fine.

 

I agree that your suggested method will impose a slightly greater load on the engine as compared to when it's idling in neutral. However, it comes nowhere near the load that the engine sees when it's powering the vehicle on the road. In addition, it's dangerous, it renders 0 mpg, and it suffers from all of the disadvantages listed in one of my previous posts.

 

That's the same solution given by the service depts. of 3 different Honda dealerships in my area. They also claim that other Honda models make the same noise under the same conditions, and there have been no recalls, TSB's, or warranty work required to address it(or so they say). It just seems strange than vehicles from the manufacturer with the highest quality rating make such a noticeable noise which I've never heard on other manufacturers' vehicles, even American ones. Oh well, I'll just continue monitoring it, and take in in for an inspection if it worsens.
Thanks for your replies everyone.

 

Yes.

I believe it to be what is commonly referred to as the 'sprag' assembly or 'overrunning clutch'. In essence, it is a flat disc with roller bearings in it which will only roll in one direction. When it rotates in one direction, the bearings freewheel. In the other direction, they move out from the disc and bind it in position. If you've ever put your car into reverse while it was still rolling forward, you've heard a similar clicking noise.

I noticed the clicking most often when I used to roll out of the driveway (backwards) in Neutral with the engine off. It would occur when I first put the trans in drive after starting. Now, I just start the motor in the driveway and back out in Reverse. The little gas I saved doing it the other way isn't worth spending a day on my back with ATF in my hair and eyes in a gravel driveway swapping out a trans.

Speaking of which, I still need to go pull that trans out of the truck. :P

 

Thanks for your input.
Do you own either a Fit, or another Honda model?
Do you hear the noise when placing the tranny in Drive after starting the engine in the driveway, and then backing out in Reverse?

 

I came here to see if anyone else had posted about the click I hear when after backing up, I shift to drive. The sounds doesn't sound like anything broken, just a click. Anyway, I am glad you hear it. Cold engine makes sense. When I hear it the engine is cold, so I will have to pay attention to see if it is gone when warmed up. It just might be gone.

I agree with you about starting the car and driving. Let the car warm up while driving conservatively.

 

i hear a clicking noise too, but i have a MT Fit, i think its when i reverse then i drive forward and brake...i think its just my brakes clicking

 

i get that clicking also...

 

I can't speak to any of the perceived advantages of the high tach-ing but I have an 08 that makes the same exact noise under virtually no load. It is always after a cold start from reversing, neutral, and then into [CLICK]drive. I have tried to pause during neutral but it still makes that loud click.

Best,
Stephen

 

A higher than normal engine rpm, along with a richer than normal air-fuel ratio, helps to prevent the engine from stalling during a cold start due to the high viscous forces from the cold oil.