Ideal shifting RPMs/rattling noise

[TheExAm]

I've got a 1995 Honda Civic EX that I got used recently, all stock parts, and the manual transmission has recently been replaced (routine replacement, no upgrades here).

Okay, first issue here is, my dad keeps bugging me, telling me I shift too soon when accelerating. I shift into 2nd at around 5-10mph, 3rd at about 15mph, 4th at about 25mph, and 5th at around 45mph, (on level ground. i adjust these depending on the incline) generally trying to shift at a point under 2,000rpm to save gas. My dad tells me i'm putting undue stress on the engine. I tend to disagree, since i can generally feel whether the engine is stressing, and let off the accelerator a bit, accelerating gradually so as not to bog down the engine. I'll admit that i'm no expert, and that's why I'm here. Does anyone have any general guidelines for shifting when driving this car with the standard transmission?

Second issue is, there's a rattling noise when the clutch is out, which increases in frequency with the RPMs of the engine, but it's not coming directly from the engine, it's coming from just in front of the leftmost part of the passenger side, where you put your feet (don't know the technical term for it) which leads me to believe it's somewhere between the engine and the transmission, possibly a clutch part.
The noise typically comes just over 1k RPM in first gear under moderate torque, off and on in second gear, and all the time in 3rd gear under any amount of torque, as well as being there in 4th (but barely audible). It doesn't show up in 5th. It only happens after the clutch engages. It's starting to annoy me, and I'm looking for an explanation. For what it's worth it happens a lot more after my dad's been driving my car (he regularly brings the RPMs up to 3,000 before shifting) and settles down to its usual level after about 20 minutes of my driving.

 

[SGGilmo]

i usesally shift around 2500 myself.

as for the rattle. get used to it or be prepared to shell out some big bucks.
ive got the same thing going on. at first i thought it was the through-out bearing but still had the same problem when i changed the clutch, flywheel, pilot bearing and of course the through-out bearing. i was told that there is only one other thing that could cause it and thats the bearing in the front of the tranny. looking at about $360 for labor and $50 for the parts. (labor will kill you every time) ive had it doing that ever sence i got the car in August. basicly my plan is to run it like that till it dies or starts giving me problems. still shifts perfect. nice and smooth, just has an annoying rattle. you wont even notice after a while. i dont.

 

[TheExAm]

Hmm, my guess is that part just needs to be tightened or something. I don't expect it's broken, per se. Is there any way to access that part myself? I've got people in the family who are handy with a wrench.

 

[SGGilmo]

if it is that bearing then the only way to get to it is to pull the tranny and replace it. bearings cannot be repaired.

 

[Genuine Rolla]

My guess would be the throw out bearing as well.

And bro, you have a honda. They're made to get into the high rpm's.....you don't have to shift into 2nd going 5-10mp...you can go up to 3k or so and then shift. You're not going to hurt anything.

 

[somejaykid]

My guess would be the throw out bearing as well.

And bro, you have a honda. They're made to get into the high rpm's.....you don't have to shift into 2nd going 5-10mp...you can go up to 3k or so and then shift. You're not going to hurt anything.

 

[Jordan_n]

doubt its the same rattling sound but i had a similar sound and it turned out to be a bolt in my exhaust was just rotating in place making a racket.

 

[whtcivic93]

My guess would be the throw out bearing as well.

And bro, you have a honda. They're made to get into the high rpm's.....you don't have to shift into 2nd going 5-10mp...you can go up to 3k or so and then shift. You're not going to hurt anything.

LOL, if my car doesn't see at least 3500rpm under normal driving.... kill the person thats driving and come find the real me.


And to OP, I wish everyone would make a help request as descriptive as you have.

 

[TheExAm]

And bro, you have a honda. They're made to get into the high rpm's.....you don't have to shift into 2nd going 5-10mp...you can go up to 3k or so and then shift. You're not going to hurt anything.

I'm trying to keep my RPMs as low as possible, but high enough so that I don't stress the engine, not because i'm concerned that high RPMs will hurt it, but because I'm trying to save as much fuel as possible. I'm unemployed and trying to stretch my pennies here. Plus, when my dad drives my car, that rattling noise increases considerably, which is annoying, so that's another reason I want to keep the RPMs down.

 

[sincivic_vx]

I also have a rattle and just like SGGilmo I replaces that stuff and still rattle... Post if you find out what it is i'll do the same. Oh and I usually shift about 3500 rpms.

 

[Kaotic_Zeus]

4,000rpm is so easy to get to and see it often on daily driving although i try to keep it under 3k to get the best gas millage, but remember, don't "lug" your engine because that's what you really shouldn't be doing and should try to avoid as best you can

 

[31dev31]

I shift at redline of 12 000 rpms all out and around 3000 rpm just driving....wait that's for the rx-7.

My civic is an automatic anyways....so I'm outta here

 

[s_crowley 17]

I shift at redline of 12 000 rpms all out and around 3000 rpm just driving....wait that's for the rx-7.

My civic is an automatic anyways....so I'm outta here

 

[kb9yet]

I had a similar problem with a rattling sound on my 2000 Civic shortly after I first purchased my car. I worked on checking a few things with a friend thinking maybe a bearing was going bad in the alternator, water pump or something so we pulled the belts and no change. After putting it all back together we put it up on ramps, and looked underneath and discovered that a heat shield under the car on the exhaust was rusted loose. We cut it off and problem was gone, didn't bother replacing it figuring it is not really necessary. Not having it just makes the car heat up a bit faster as it has one less sheet of metal between the hot exhaust pipe and the engine.

 

[SGGilmo]

I had a similar problem with a rattling sound on my 2000 Civic shortly after I first purchased my car. I worked on checking a few things with a friend thinking maybe a bearing was going bad in the alternator, water pump or something so we pulled the belts and no change. After putting it all back together we put it up on ramps, and looked underneath and discovered that a heat shield under the car on the exhaust was rusted loose. We cut it off and problem was gone, didn't bother replacing it figuring it is not really necessary. Not having it just makes the car heat up a bit faster as it has one less sheet of metal between the hot exhaust pipe and the engine.

dont bring back old threads. it gets annoying. also that has nothing to do with this situation. this is a transmission related rattle not just another everyday rattle that pops up. read carefully, the rattle only happens with the clutch pedal released. as soon as it's pushed in the rattle stops.

 

[kpo500]

Are there any solutions for this problem? I have a 95 Civic with the EXACT same symptoms. I would really appreciate any feedback on this. I am prepared to pull the tranny to fix it but my guess was the throwout bearing. One person said that they replaced it and others with no luck.

Thanks,

Keith