rustybugkiller
rustybugkiller Dork
12/17/21 1:45 p.m.

My first thought was a head gasket on its way out.  Can valves that  are need of adjustment   be the cause as well? I never saw shake on cold start  on the 3 Honda's I've owned.
Puzzled!

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
12/17/21 1:51 p.m.

If its actually rough running then yes, a valve adjustment can help. Check mounts as well.

einy (Forum Supporter)
einy (Forum Supporter) Dork
12/17/21 2:23 p.m.

Check the motor mounts.

rustybugkiller
rustybugkiller Dork
12/17/21 2:36 p.m.

After about a minute it smoothed out.. 
If the mounts were bad, wouldn't shake all the time even when warm?

matthewmcl
matthewmcl HalfDork
12/17/21 2:52 p.m.

Some or all of thise are hydro mounts, correct? You might have a case where the liquid kept the vibrations damped until the rubber warmed up, but now it is gone.

Apexcarver
Apexcarver UltimaDork
12/17/21 2:58 p.m.

sometimes it may be indicative that the injectors need to be cleaned. clears up as higher temps allow more complete evaporation of gas prior to combustion. 

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/17/21 6:25 p.m.

In reply to rustybugkiller :

How old are plugs & coils? That's another common issue on these cars. 

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) MegaDork
12/17/21 7:02 p.m.

Valve adjustment shows as a misfire that goes away with load, kind of like a vacuum leak.  The weird part is that it is not when cold and not when hot, but first makes itself known as an issue that happens partway through warmup then goes away when warm.  (Think around when the blue temp light goes out but before up to operating temp)

 

Is this something the car only just started to do? L15s are kinda buzzy when cold.  We have a Fit for a loaner and every now and then we get someone commenting on that.

rustybugkiller
rustybugkiller Dork
12/17/21 7:33 p.m.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Is this something the car only just started to do? L15s are kinda buzzy when cold.  We have a Fit for a loaner and every now and then we get someone commenting on that.

Car for sale.

 

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) MegaDork
12/17/21 8:25 p.m.

In reply to rustybugkiller :

Not saying that it is not possible, but I have seen no issues with engine mounts failing.  Or any internal engine problems whatsover, aside from having had a couple 2nd generation Fits loosen the spark plugs, which burns an ignition coil or two.  New plugs and boots and they're right as rain.  (This is a couple, after seeing many many Fits.  Not a pattern failure, more like Takamura-san had an off day on the assembly line)

They really are damn fine vehicles, really.  They just work.  This is a good chunk of they they have absurd resale value, was seeing 1st gen Fits at $8k pre-Covid, second gen at $10-12k.

Do bear in mind that they are a lightweight four cylinder with a small bore and very long stroke (75x90mm?).  They're not the best at NVH.  That said, spark plug access on the SOHC cars is not the best and because the cars Just Work, maintenance is often neglected.  You can do the spark plugs without removing the intake manifold without much effort as long as you don't mind not being able to see what you are doing and can work well with your left hand.  If I can fit my fat long forearm back there, most people can smiley  And THAT said, removing the upper intake is fairly easy if you leave the throttle body in place and remove the manifold from it.

 

There's a recall/extended warranty out for axles breaking in salt states.  They rust underneath the mid mounted dampers and can snap when they get down to about half their normal diameter.

spacecadet (Forum Supporter)
spacecadet (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
12/18/21 1:40 p.m.
rustybugkiller said:

My first thought was a head gasket on its way out.  Can valves that  are need of adjustment   be the cause as well? I never saw shake on cold start  on the 3 Honda's I've owned.
Puzzled!

Fit owner here, do valve adjustment first. Extremely common for cars with a bit of miles and not having had an adjustment.

This should solve the problem.

how do I know this? Literally had the same issue on my fit over the summer. I had already done plugs and coils earlier in the year. changed nothing.

 

spacecadet (Forum Supporter)
spacecadet (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
12/18/21 3:11 p.m.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Valve adjustment shows as a misfire that goes away with load, kind of like a vacuum leak.  The weird part is that it is not when cold and not when hot, but first makes itself known as an issue that happens partway through warmup then goes away when warm.  (Think around when the blue temp light goes out but before up to operating temp)

 

Is this something the car only just started to do? L15s are kinda buzzy when cold.  We have a Fit for a loaner and every now and then we get someone commenting on that.

Fit L15's are noisy, like if you are in tune with cars and you hear one, you might freak out multiple times going through the drive through at mcdonalds hearing the valvetrain noise bounce off the building with the windows down.

even AFTER the valve adjustment.. still there.

they're just a flat out noisy little engine.

also the cars have less sound insulation which contributes.

My car had tight exhaust valves, and loose intake valves when we measured them.. My dad had been daily driving the car for 150k+ miles and it never got a valve adjustment.

Also of note, even when running rough, my car MAP voltage was still within Honda's spec range.

 

LopRacer
LopRacer Dork
12/18/21 3:55 p.m.
spacecadet (Forum Supporter) said:
Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Valve adjustment shows as a misfire that goes away with load, kind of like a vacuum leak.  The weird part is that it is not when cold and not when hot, but first makes itself known as an issue that happens partway through warmup then goes away when warm.  (Think around when the blue temp light goes out but before up to operating temp)

 

Is this something the car only just started to do? L15s are kinda buzzy when cold.  We have a Fit for a loaner and every now and then we get someone commenting on that.

Fit L15's are noisy, like if you are in tune with cars and you hear one, you might freak out multiple times going through the drive through at mcdonalds hearing the valvetrain noise bounce off the building with the windows down.

even AFTER the valve adjustment.. still there.

they're just a flat out noisy little engine.

also the cars have less sound insulation which contributes.

My car had tight exhaust valves, and loose intake valves when we measured them.. My dad had been daily driving the car for 150k+ miles and it never got a valve adjustment.

Also of note, even when running rough, my car MAP voltage was still within Honda's spec range.

 

Literally all of this. I just adjusted the valves for the first? time on my Fit at 214k miles this Thursday. The rattle (but worse than normal) and rough idle were my clues it was over-due. It took a while because the upper intake does have to come off. I didn't pull the throttle body, instead I flopped the whole upper still attached to it's coolant lines out of the way.

My intake valves were loose and my exhaust tight also. the car seems to run and sound better now, but it's only been two days.

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