Acura Integra 2000 Auto coupe 1.8. This is a little complex, so thanks for everyone's indulgence. Background: I skidded in slush close to home (VT) & hit a utility pole in April. Hit the RF tire square on - replaced whole RF corner - control arms, tire, wheel, bearing, steering rack, knuckle, everything. Also replaced 4 shocks, rear control arm bushings, very careful alignment (twice - second time to verify). Drives great! accelerates, shifts, corners (4 new michelin performance tires), 31 mpg, smooth ride.
About 6 wks ago I hear a "knock" or "toc" sound (light hitting a plastic or steel cup with a pencil) when stepping on gas after coasting, not loud. Then got louder, also heard it when shifting from neutral to drive.
Lately, will also make the sound after coasting a distance (from my house to first stoplight is a long gradual slope) UPON COMING TO FULL STOP at light. Sound happens about .5 seconds after coming to full stop. This is only the first time after coasting and stop - not on subsequent trials. Also, when first driving off from home, will make noise on shifting from first to second, but not after up to operating temperature. First shift to drive may elicit a double: i.e., "toc...toc".
HOWEVER - after driving 1 hr at high speed, cannot get the thing to make the noise. Observed this pattern: When car has sat at least 1 hr, (2 is better), will make the knocking noise on initial shift from neutral to drive, now also from reverse to neutral. No noise on first acceleration, BUT I hear it on all subsequent. May also sound after coasting and braking to stop, but this depends on how long it has sat. Several reps coasting and accelrating, it gets quite loud. The works heat up enough, no more noise.
This sounds a lot like play in some mechanism.
None of this EVER happens in reverse. Trans fluid remains at normal level, always.
Any ideas? Should I be looking for trans problems, suspension, axles/cv joints, any ideas? I don't have time to run to this specialist and that one just to be told it fits conveniently in their specialty. I would like to start by having the right kind of mechanic look at it.
Thanks for any guidance.

 

Is the noise constant with engine rpm meaning you have higher rpms the noise is faster?

 

Sorry to take so long responding - I didn't know there had been another post re this question.
Noise is not related to rpm. It is not a periodic noise, like a scraping pad on a disc with runout that has an actual frquency. It just happens once when certain things are done with the car: shift into first after it has been sitting at least a couple of hours; shift from reverse to neutral after sitting (cold); coasting to full stop in the first few minutes of driving; stepping on the gas from a dead stop or low speeds after taking foor off gas and coasting. When car is thoroughly hot, as after 50 miles at 50mph or better, there is no noise at all. All of the above may sometimes occur under the conditions noted, sometimes not. Perhaps a coincidence, on Saturday (not before or since), the parking brake light did not go off after releasing brake for about 20 minutes of high speed drive. Later same day, remained on at startup, went off in a few minutes, went back on for most of 40 minutes, then went off. Brakes did not seem to drag, rear discs did not get hot.
Does this make any sense?
Thanks for any light you can shed on this.
One more thing: when car is cold, starting up but shifting from neutral to drive with foot off brake and also off gas pedal, the "toc" noise is clear, car moves forward slowly, hesitates, noise happens again and car moves forward smoothly at slow speed. Like something trying to engage and slipping just one time. This does not happen later in the ride.