So my 96 prelude Si is sputtering when I step on the gas in first gear and the engine light lit up. The shop said it was the throttle body, and changed it from a civic, but didn't help. Engine light still comes on and I was charged 160 bucks. The engine also eats up oil like crazy (1500 miles and they are gone).

Besides wondering what the heck is going on, I am seriously thinking of swapping a vtec engine (h22a). I am wondering if the 5th gen prelude engines will fit right into a 4th gen? Any suggestions or ideas?

Thanks!

 

you're not the first person to have done this swap.

 

Are you gonna get an H22a1 or an H22a4 engine?

 

If possible I would want a h22a4. I am wondering how easy is the swap with the a4. I am thinking of h22a1 if a4 is too much work. But if h22a4 is as simple as a1, then I would want a 5th gen into my prelude

Do I have to replace any other parts if I am going to do the swap? I am thinking of a change over so that I can replace all other faulty parts (like throttle body, etc).

Thanks!

 

It seems to me the only real difference between the a1 and a4 is that the a1 is a closed deck. They are the same motor, so I can't imagine the a4 would be any harder than the a1 to swap. As for other things you would want to do, are you getting the entire engine (trany, ecu, etc.) or are you just getting the motor by itself?

 

Thanks for your advice! I am thinking of the motor and ecu, and whatever absolutely needed. I am thinking of keeping the Si tranny. I heard Si's tranny is pretty ok with vtec. Do you have any info on what are the things that I absolutely needed to change along with the motor? I want the benefit of the motor but if I can save some money I would do so. But there seems to be packaged "changeover" online so I don't mind changing things like throttle body as well (since my old one MIGHT be faulty in the first place, or maybe the car is fine and only the engine is acting up). I have a friend who had worked on Honda for years and I am going to ask him for help. But I would want as much info as possible before starting out!

I am looking at the changeover package from sofast.com.

http://sohfast.com/store/used/prelude.asp

Thanks!

 

You have an H23 trany now? If so, that should bolt right up with the H22 (and save you sum $$$) as for other stuff you wanna do (or replace), I'd ask Boom whenever he's on, he really knows his sh*t.

 

Gotcha. Most likely the only big things I'll swap are the motor and the ecu. I am going to keep most of the Si parts.

Thanks again for your help! I'll research on the specifics!!