Engine Howls Upon Acceleration! (normal-mild, moderate-louder, heavy-very louder)

[kuago]

Need help on whats wrong with my 03 Pilot. Its been 10 months (11/2010)since I have been listening and hearing my engine howl. Tranny still go, no slippage, or any issue yet or slamming of gears upon acceleration or decceleration.

The howling noise occur upon heavy and middle acceleration 0-20 or 30mph. if you lightly release the gas pedal the howling sudside and stop once your 2nd, 3rd and fourth gr. This only happen upon acceleration.

If you accelerate on a normally you can hear the howling mildly. Step on the gas pedal or add gas the howling gets loader once the gear changed from 1st to 2nd, after that it goes away. I thought its the tranny but its not. I checked any codes nothin showed up. No blinking "D" drive.

I drove our pilot from to VA-twice this year, NC-once, PA-every month, back home to LI, NY. I havent bring the to honda dealer to take a look at it. cuz $$$ and they will overcharge you. Labor $100 per hour. my DIY free.

Please need advice or comment, I dont want to go to the dealer and they tell me its the power steering pump which is my suspicious, but the p/s doesnt even make any noise or symptoms of leaking, grinding or so for.

My other suspicious is the intake manifold which I have not open it to see if the port holes of the intake that goes to the EGR is clogged. But I removed, opened and cleaned the EGR valved last month before it turn 100K. The EGR is fine and the holes are pretty much have no gunk just black valve hole.

Here are the follow items I have done:
DIY oil changed ever 6500miles
08/11-Changed power steering fluid reservoir 98K-(DIY)
Changed tranny 40k, 75k and 99k this includes the VTM too-(DIY)
08/10-changed timing belt, water pump and another belt via Dealer.
2008 & 2009-changed the third and fourth gear sensor via extd-wrty.
11/10-cleaned the throttle body and used seafoam to clean the intake manifold-(DIY)
05/10-Installed a class III- curt trailer hitch, but no ATF & P/S cooler.
5/07 changed the EGR valve via extd-wrty
03-second gear recalled-honda fixed the issue via dealer.

I only haul (2)bikes on the hitch and (2) bikes when we go biking, two kayaks wit wifey if we are alone & hard top on the roof when we go on vacation, thats it.

I am not a license mechanic, just handy on what I know and what I have- TOOLS. currently the mileage is at 10150miles and its still going but howling upon acceleration only.

[pilot_rave]

Could it be a bad wheel bearing? have you tested the car (back and forth maneuvers in an empty parking lot or such) to rule those out? My '04 has a bad front wheel bearing - waiting until the front brake pads need replacements to replace.

[ton8383]

mine does the same thing i have no clue thought it was the power steering pump but it isnt i think its something inside the trans but mine shifts perfect also so im leaving it alone driving to myrtle beach next month and dont really think itll be a problem so if you figure out what it is please let me know thanks

[rocky]

Go through your intake system from air filter box onwards. Check for loose fitting pieces to ensure that there are no leaks. Check all connections between parts even those you haven't undone.
Check all fluid levels are correct.
Check the connections at and around the EGR valve and exhaust connections. Best done when Engine is cold for obvious reasons!

[kuago]

The noise is coming from the front right of the engine. Right by the belts, p/s, alt, A/C compsr. It only howls upon acceleration. but if you let the gas pedal slightly off while ur accelerating it goes away then apply some gas it gone. from 0-20 to 30 mph. If you are still moving like 5-10mph then apply some gas it doesnt do it. Just a complete stop and then accelerate, thats the only the it howls.

[kuago]

Pilot Rave- I can tell if its the wheel bearing, It happened to me already on my old 83 toyota corolla-Dead and 94 Honda Civic-station car. You can tell the noise by jacking up the car and let the front tires hanging up in the air. Then test drive it. Its risky but It works.

[kuago]

By the way! When you rev the engine up to 4500rpm while in park there is no sign of the engine howling at all. I have to record this howling inside the engine, once I get a chance so you can hear it.

[rocky]

Ton of moving parts there. Alternator, tensioner, compressor water pump for starters. You don't mention the miles on the car but was the tensioner replaced? When that loses the ability to put tension on the belt,causing slippage. Also the belt stretches causing slippage. The tensioner is often replace at the 105k mile service.

[osudelt69]

Did you figure out what it was? My 04 pilot does the same thing, it has 144,000 miles! Also notice steering is kind of jerky and loose...thoughts?

[belundy]

I'd lay odds it was the transmission; fluid pump an/or torque converter. EDIT: for Kuago's issue.

[dustino8]

I agree with belundy, especially since Kuago says in his first post that it only happens in first gear. My Pilot has done this since I bought it, just thought it was a characteristic of the tranny.

[osudelt69]

Originally Posted by dustino8

I agree with belundy, especially since Kuago says in his first post that it only happens in first gear. My Pilot has done this since I bought it, just thought it was a characteristic of the tranny.

I think it's transmission too! like I said mine is crazy loud, wonder if this is a sign that transmission is going out?

[dustino8]

Originally Posted by osudelt69

I think it's transmission too! like I said mine is crazy loud, wonder if this is a sign that transmission is going out?

Not necessarily, at least in my case. I bought mine in 2005 and the sound has always been there.

[belundy]

Scanning emails is my downfall....if really just first gear (versus in all gears, just more audible in 1st), still transmission related, but probably final drive gear whine, which isn't very common in Honda products.

The whine is most annoying in first gear as driveline torque is highest and road noise isn't masking it. Stabbing more throttle makes it worse.

It appears to be a manufacturing tolerance issue with the gear set, where the car makes the whine it's entire life or doesn't. My observation is that it gets no better or worse as the miles roll on. Unless the whine developed suddenly and loudly, I'd think nothing to worry about (at least re: a failure).

My '02 Highlander has had low speed whine--very mild-- since new.

[beanerkc]

My 07 Pilot makes a whine sound during acceleration also. However it also does it while in park when you rev the engine.