A reason for my 2005 Honda Pilot engine morning ticking?

[jpc]

I was reading my local paper's auto section and a question was asked about a 2003 Ford Escape V-6 engine. Yes, I know, Ford is not a Honda. The question - a "ticking noise from the engine when first started in the morning". The answer was "...we suspect that the hydraulic cam followers (lifters) may be draining down as the engine sits. It is usually not a big deal...".

My Pilot has 90,000 miles. I cannot get used to the ticking noise. The noise decreases as the engine warms up.

[94eg!]

You don't have hydraulic lifters. OHC engines have rocker arms. The noise is usually caused by too much clearance between the cam and the rocker arm. The noise lessens as the engine warms because those spaces decrease as the components expand.

If you hate that sound, have a valve adjustment done, or do one yourself. There is a great writup on here about doing an 04. You need a few gasket kits and a good feeler gauge. There are 24 valves so expect to spend a whole day on this. Plus you need to remove the entire intake manifold to get into the rear cylinder head.

[jpc]

Originally Posted by 94eg!

You don't have hydraulic lifters. OHC engines have rocker arms. The noise is usually caused by too much clearance between the cam and the rocker arm. The noise lessens as the engine warms because those spaces decrease as the components expand.

If you hate that sound, have a valve adjustment done, or do one yourself. There is a great writup on here about doing an 04. You need a few gasket kits and a good feeler gauge. There are 24 valves so expect to spend a whole day on this. Plus you need to remove the entire intake manifold to get into the rear cylinder head.

Is there any damage being done by the morning ticking?

[94eg!]

Probably not. But it certainly won't go away. It may only get worse as the rocker tappet hammers away on the stem of the valve.

It says in the owners manual to get it done at 105k miles or if noisy.

The sound is any of the #9's knocking against #7 and/or 8:

[rocky]

Valve adjustment is meant to be checked at the 105k/7 year service.

Since you have an 05, you are at or very close to the timing belt replacement etc etc service.

There is ticking and there is clacking valve trains. I have never worried about ticking, after all we are talking about metal to metal contact and some noise is inevitable. So don't worry.

I would however worry about clacking, the kind of thing you can hear from time to time. Thats an indicator of worn valve train