I think I might have a small problem...

I just took my car out today for a little cruise around town  (checking it before I left) and when I got back home I let it run for a bit so I can give it a good check up. This is why I think I might have a problem . As I was checking it I put my ear close to the top of the right side motor and listened. I heard nothing bad so I check the left side and hear some strange noise, but it almost sounds ok. I put my hand on top of the spark plug wires starting with the one on the right. I get to the third wire and everything feels fine, but the last one felt like it was being hit by something. So I ask. Could my valve springs be going bad or what's going on?  
HONDA-High Octane Nitrous Driven Auto

It's a good possibility, but don't go too deep into it until you do a couple of checks. First see if the knock is in the lower portion of the engine or at the top. Some times people confuse a loose rod to a valve tap. The lower engine tap is a low pitch thunk where the valve tap is more high pitched tic or tack sound. If you don't have those sounds then you just may have a loose wire or broken spark plug at the ceramic portion of the plug. When they crack they make a tick sound that's barely audible. Pull out the offending plug and see if it is ok. If that passes, check the gap on the plug. That some times makes a little noisy issues too, but not always. Once you've checked every thing minor and if it has passed your scrutiny, then you can take off the valve cover to see if a spring is broken. I wouldn't dive into it, though, because a broken spring on a valve wouldmake your car run really rough under a load. If it runs smooth under a load, then it is more than likely any of the before mentioned checks. Don't rule out a faulty injector either. Rule out the other stuff first before diving into an injector. It's easy to check that with a scanner or by swapping it to another cylinder to see if the noise follows. We'll get to that bridge once you've eliminated all the other possibilities.  
How you drive is your buisness. Remember that you're not the only one on the road!

lol ok I'll get right on that  
HONDA-High Octane Nitrous Driven Auto

Let me know if you find some thing. I hope it's some thing easy for you to fix, like a loose spark plug or some thing.  
How you drive is your buisness. Remember that you're not the only one on the road!

lol I am going to be busy for awhile so I will just set it to park until I can get to it which will hopefully be soon. I am hoping for something easy to fix too. I'll keep you posted  
HONDA-High Octane Nitrous Driven Auto

Cool.  
How you drive is your buisness. Remember that you're not the only one on the road!

Higher mileage Hondas are known for having valve ticks.  Mostly SOHCs with or even without roller rockers.  This is because most Hondas have mechanical valve trains.  As opposed to hydraulic.  Here's a basic difference between the two.

Lifters are what keep the rocker arms/rollers in contact with the cam and the valve stem.  Most styles have springs and fill with oil to accomplish this.  Some Honda's, however, do not have lifters.  They have a simple screw or nut on top of the rocker on the valve stem end to adjust the lash. Here is a picture of my F23A1 SOHC VTEC.  Note the nuts on the rockers on the exhaust side [left], and on the intake as well.

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1977/186/27/687382302/n687382302_1822706_4059.jpg

After a certain amount of time, friction wears down those contact areas and you're left with a little space.  It's very easy to adjust this and/or tell if it needs adjusting.  What kind of engine are you running in your Civic?  
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Ax is right about that as well. If after you've visually inspected the items we talked about, see what you can do to get a service manual and adjust the lash on the rocker. It could be as simple as AX says. I did that to 91 integra and it corrected a lot of the tick sounds except for one loud one that was, supposedly, a notorious thing for it. I'm not too familiar with Honda/Acura idiosyncracies, but try AXs advice once you've eliminated the little stuff. Thanks for joining in on helping my pal, AX. You are more than welcome to do that any time you want. The more the better. LOL!  
How you drive is your buisness. Remember that you're not the only one on the road!

Hey, I joined this place for that exact reason...    
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AWSOME! I took that from the Ninja Turttles. LOL! I had to click on your link. You are a moderator at the site... Awsome! I'mnot affiliated with Super Street, though I wish I was, but knowledge tanks are more than welcome. Nice to meet you. You might want to introduce your self when you get the chance. I like you already and I know you'll get more people to like you too.  
How you drive is your buisness. Remember that you're not the only one on the road!

Actually, I'm the founder... lol.  It's just getting off the ground, so we have a whopping 4 members!  It takes time and patience to build a community like this.  I've done it about 3 times before only with gaming forums.  Anywho, I'll run my intro... lol

My name's Mike and I am a first year college student. Cars are not only my hobby but my life. I'm studying Automotive Technology with Emphasis in Service Management and Marketing at the third best University in the country that offers this 4-year program.  Everyone always talks up UTI and WyoTech, but those are mere 2 years or less tech schools.  My school has had a 100% placement rate for Auto Tech graduates for the past 11 years.  Eat it UTI.    I've been inside and out of a brand new $14,000 5.7L 3UR-FE Toyota Tundra V8.  I have a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe with the F23A1. A 2.3L SOHC VTEC. A month ago my roommate and I replaced the head gasket, head bolts, balance shaft belt and timing belt and tension pulleys, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belts, spark plugs and wires and other various gaskets all around.  I have pics if anyone is interested.  Nothing super cool though.  

Me and my friends are always tinkering with our cars.  But just last week, my high school buddy and roommate purchased a 1998 Eclipse GSX.  Let's just say we have high hopes for that puppy!

And last but not least, I joined this forum because I know that there are kids out there who were just like me.  Kids who are really into the import scene and just starting out.  Who are looking for a little fun in modding their daily drivers.  To get a little experience.  Those kids come here and ask for that kind of advice, and I'm here because I used to be like them.   I want to give them the right advice.  And if I could have gotten some good advice when I was that young, I would have been so grateful.  Because I learned everything I knew back then by overhauling a 3L V6 out of a 3G Eclipse when I was 16.  Only help was a Haynes Manual.  

But more importantly, I'm here to expand my knowledge.  To learn from all of the other enthusiasts out there who share my passion.  There's no better learning than from someone who's been there and done it.  

That's about it...  
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Dude I like you already too and haynes manuals are the best books. I will try and check out that stuff but I am still busy with the floors in our house and remodeling this other one and on top of that I am most likely will be going to job corp in about 2 weeks so I am trying to get everything done lol. Oh yeah I have a 95 civic with a D16Z6 1.6L VTEC SOHC motor and it has around 147000 miles on it. you can even see some pictures of it on here if you look in readers rides and find the 95 civics I have the only one there with orange paint and 10 pictures up lol s12 seen it already lol Thanks for the advice in advance just in case I don't get back on for awhile. I never know with my busy days.  
HONDA-High Octane Nitrous Driven Auto

Good, yours is SOHC.  That makes valve lash adjustment a piece of cake!  Here's what you need to do:

If you don't already have the Haynes or Chiltons manual for your Civic, I'd recommend purchasing it at a local auto parts store.  Look in the manual for something like "Valve Clearance" or "Valve Lash Clearance" in the Tune-up and Maintenance section.  It should give you the exact specs.  For example, for my F23A1 they are Intake: .009 to .011-inch, Exhaust: .011 to .013-inch.  Exhaust is always going to have a little more clearance because the exhaust valves get hotter and expand a wee bit more.  And the best part is, all you need is a feeler gauge and a socket set!  Let us know how it turns out...  
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ok so I did the spark plugs first since I would have to connect the battery cables and charge up my crummy battery to start up the car lol sparky one where it was knocking at and it was loose but I took it out and checked it anyway and it looked ok. As for sparky number two it was good and not loose at all when I tried to take it out. The third sparky though when it came out had some oil around where you would put the socket at to tighten it. it also had some, but very little almost not being able to be seen white residue on the ground electrode. not sure on what to do so I cleaned it off and put it back. started it up and it sounded good but I can still hear the knocking which was now a small tick and I can hear it in the lower and upper parts of the motor. My car now seems to shake lightly but it seems different than before so I'm not sure how to address that.  
HONDA-High Octane Nitrous Driven Auto

You could just need a valve adjustment, like Ax suggested. You next step is to get it to a shop to have them look at the adjustment. Assuming there is nothing terribly wrong with the engine, some tick noises will be heard, like the injectors and slight valve tap. you can tell when it's not a normal sound by comparing it to anpther vehicle that is the same as yours. With out being there to hear it, it's hard. You know? Sounds are the only thing that require a tuned ear with knowledge. The oil on the plug is a seal beginning to fail. It comes in a valve cover gasket kit. Once the cover is removed for the valve adjustment, you can install the new gasket and seals. You may have to silicone the caps on both ends of the cam as oil tends to by pass in that area where the cap actually comes off. Only the 2 or 4 end ones on either end require it, not the ones that are not seen when the cover is on. Any way, You may have to bring it to some one that can actually see what's happening so that they can guid you in a fix. It's hard when you can't see or hear what's going on. I tried, buddy.  
How you drive is your buisness. Remember that you're not the only one on the road!