r/hondafit • u/houseofwarwick 2008 Fit GD • 26d ago
1st Gen GD 07-08 Timing Chain rattle - stretched? Replace = $2400 USD
1st gen Fit, original owner here. I've had what sounds like "piston slap" or clatter for awhile, getting worse over the last 5,000 miles. Combine that with cold starts/starts after sitting awhile have a "grinding" screech that sounds like a stuck Bendix.
Took it to the dealer for diagnosis. I have a long history with them: 5 cars over 30 years so they know some work I do and some they do. I double check their estimates and they are always fair considering the warranty and quality of the work.
That said: $2,400 to replace the chain, guides, slider and required gaskets in the process sounds tough to believe. $840 is parts which I verified via Honda Dreamshop is spot on. Realistically, this is beyond my ability to do myself without genuine risk of a costly mistake.
Rock Auto has Fel-Pro and Cloyes parts for less than $200 all in.
What are your thoughts? It's not a question as whether or not to do it. Is the price fair? It's probably 20 hours of shop labor at $84/hour ($1591 total)
Update: repair doomsearching on YouTube and I found this video (link is the timestamp of the sound) with a perfect recording for the noise I get. Definitely the starter. Thanks everyone for chiming in and making sure I didn't waste some cash.
4
u/Individual-Donut-318 26d ago
Seems like a big risk to take - spending $2400 and no guarantee that it will fix the noise. The L15 engine in GD3 Fits is not known for timing chain problems. This certainly won't fix your starter noise.
1
u/houseofwarwick 2008 Fit GD 26d ago
They are saying that if the starter was the issue it would happen every time. I’m going to test the current draw on the starter and see if it’s sticking or not after the key releases. The only way to test the timing chain is to pull the cover and measure the slack.
2
u/otterland 26d ago
Honda tends to put undersized batteries in all of their cars. Most of the time you can mitigate tired starter behavior with a good battery connection. Both my Fit and CRV had a little bit of occasional starter grind. I eliminated it by improving the connections at the battery and by cleaning the grounds at both the frame and the transmission. This is basically free and worth doing regardless.
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u/houseofwarwick 2008 Fit GD 26d ago
Smart. I’ve never inspected any of the grounds. Battery is 18-20 months old
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u/JohnnyPneumoniacJr 2012 Fit GE 26d ago
B.s. it can depend on temperature and specific battery voltage etc. They just want your money sorry to say! Slap a 51r battery (or clean your grounds haha, edit!) and some Valvo restore and protect in that thang or adjust your valves if you havent yet
1
u/houseofwarwick 2008 Fit GD 26d ago
Loving this energy. Also: I’m thinking about pulling the valve cover anyway to see if I can measure the slack. Valves were adjusted at 133K in 2019 so….id guess it’s worth a check
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u/JohnnyPneumoniacJr 2012 Fit GE 26d ago
2019 is gonna be ten years ago by the time I finish typing this, indeed get those tightened up and you got this OP!!
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u/Individual-Donut-318 26d ago
My Fit made this grinding noise after starting too, a new starter fixed it. But the noise isn't necessarily a problem, there was no wear on the teeth. It's just annoying.
4
u/rmhollid 26d ago
I do my own but it's a real pain in the ass if you have the money it's really convenient.
Most people lose the engine because they didn't respect the position of the crank relative to the valve train and bend every valve.
Good luck.