Strange Engine Noise

Hi Guys.

I’m calling on the experience of all forged internal guys out there especially forged CA18DET drivers. My car has a really weird sound that I think is related to the forged internals it sound very similar to a diesel but not as loud between 2000 -3500rpm the lighter the load the loader the sound its more apparent when the car is cold the car also does it on deceleration also it is more pronounced inside the car it about as load as a whisper

I am sure my engine noise is more pronounced as I have removed all sound insulation from my car, plus I’m running solid mounts and a torque dampener so a lot of noise is carried into the cabin, This doesn’t sound like a bad lifter and its not pinging also I don’t think it’s a bearing.. ect but any forged user experience will help.

It sounds like piston slap to me. I have had a few CA18 with the Honda pistons that all sound the same at the same sites as you say. It is nothing to worry about, unless it wasnt there before.

Thanks...

Want some feed back from a few forged guys out there though

my ca18det got arias pistons designed for the honda 1800cc motor. they basically identical pistons.

the noise issue was with the arias pistons only, because the guys who got CP pistons (vlade), and others who discussed this with me (cant remember forgie piston brand) specifically mentioned that their pistons didnt make strange noises.

however - the noise my engine had was only while it was cold. you could actually hear the noise diminish until completely gone, as the engine warmed up!

it puts a lot people i know off of the arias pistons, as they dont like the piston slap noises they hear while the engine is cold.

i was told by the engineer that the engine would be noisey until warm because of the specs that they had to bore the engine too, as per the arias piston spec sheet!

forged pistons expand at differant rates (depending specific on the material used) from cast pistons, which means the piston to bore clearance is often more than an equivelant cast piston.
thus forgies are noisier than cast until the engine is warm, and the forged piston has expanded..

my JE forgies are noisy until engine is warm, then they are about same as stock.

as gary said, the noise is normal unless of course the noise only started recently.. 😂

Thanks Veecee and 300sx, You are the forged users I was looking for just getting my hands on all the info before I decide its something not to worry about.

I have gone through as much forged piston info as I could find back in the day when I fitted the forged items but there is one small problem my noise doesn’t go away when warm it just gets softer but this could be because I only recently stripped the front half of the sound insulation in my car and strengthened the torque dampener so I’m just fishing for info

I also have Arias pistons in my SR20, same problem. Cold it really does sound like a big piston slap, but goes away as the engine heats up. Arias pistons are known for the big bore clearance when cold. I wont fit Arias to another engine again, dont like noises, even if its only when cold. 😕

check the timing chain!!!

aep886 wrote:

check the timing chain!!!

on a CA18?

rat wrote:

aep886 wrote:

check the timing chain!!!

on a CA18?

🙂

Charlvdw wrote:

rat wrote:

aep886 wrote:

check the timing chain!!!

on a CA18?

🙂

😂

rat wrote:

aep886 wrote:

check the timing chain!!!

on a CA18?

sorry thinking it as a SR20

I have arias on my ca, same story, its a tad bit noisy on cold start up, but really quiet after that and I only have 1500kms on the new motor.

Maybe your clearances are a bit on the max side, engineers work with min and max tolerances, sumtimes they go a bit over and then we have probs like these.

probably not this but leaking exhaust gasket?

Sup guys i have that same problem , but with stock pistons ? any advice

get an sr20, rebuild it and install it!

veecee wrote:

get an sr20, rebuild it and install it!

ja or rebuild your ca

rebuilding a ca is pointless!