Our 93 Accord LX wagon (2.2l, 5 spd) has 310K miles. We have had it since around 92K miles and have changed the oil every 2K miles, running Castrol GTX & BG MOA.
Upon startup, it sounds like somone swapped out our engine for a diesel!
It clatters (sounds like the upper end). It subsides some after it gets warmed up, but is never as quiet as our 93 sedan (with around 200k Miles on it's engine). The wagon hasn't always been this noisy. It seemed to get worse a couple of years ago, after an valve adjustment. We recently pulled the valve cover and checked the adjustment. All seemed to be within spec. The distributor was replaced about 4 years ago. Some have suggested that the rocker arms & shafts could be the cause. When the valve cover was off, we checked the "side play", meaning trying to wiggle the rockers on the shaft, from side to side. There seemed to be up to about .005" play, but that is just by feel, no gauges.

Any suggestions or insight??

The shops don't seem to want to work on it. My guess is that it requires time & thought and they would rather do the routine stuff on newer cars that have a "book value" for the job so they can make more money.

We want to keep the car....don't like any of the newer stuff.

Thanks!

 

look here on forum for a current thread on winter oil change.

You could re-adjust the valves to the minimum amount of clearance within spec.
That should quiet it some - I wouldn't bother, but the sound is troublesome to you, not me.
You would have checked oil level and proper viscosity for sure.

That all said, I've never had a car beyond 230,000 (will change this year)
so I don't really know super high mileage motors as a class. Luck.

 

Have not had time yet, but will check out that thread. Thanks.

 

Inspect camshaft assy (bolts, bearings) for security. It is likely something is allowing too much play in valve train,...if you're sure noise is from valve train.

Is it possible to have low oil pressure and rod knocking? Does oil pressurel light come on, go off as engine starts? Rod knock is very different from valve noise, a very distinct conk, conk, conk... at lower frequency than valve noise.

good luck