Just curious guys/gals what are some common problems that go wrong with that generation of the prelude. For example, 92-95 Honda civics rust very easily at either the front left or right wheel well. Im asking this because when I get one, sometime this year, I just want to know what I should be looking for in keeping it in good shape. Don't want to go off and blow my money on some after market part, when really i should be saving my money for keeping the vehicle in good shape.

thnx.

 

Check out the rear driver and passenger wheel wells, they like to rust there.I've had my 93 Si for six years and have been pretty lucky.I had the driver's side rear wheel bearing go,a service shop cracked my rad not Honda's fault,thermostat replaced,driver's side window came off track that's about it.You might also want to check the "moonroof" for rust(mine's ok,but other people have had problems).Hope this helps like I said I've been lucky with mine.

 

No major problems that can't be prevented with just normal maintance that I know of.

Well maybe the cupholder Mine works fine but I've heard of others having problems.

 

hmm lets see
you really need to specify, in regard to engines
because certain engines have problems that others dont

i am only well versed on 4th gen ludes
because i have owned 3 in the last 10 months
The power steering rack has a TSB (bad spool valve) on it for 92-93 Si, i believe problem was corrected by 94.
The S uses the f22a1 (aka the Accord Lx engine)
The Si uses the h23a1 (the least powerful H series engine)
The VTEC uses the h22a1 (hondas SCCA breadwinner)

[EDIT]
FEATURE!
f22a1 is prone to being uncontrollably slow
[EDIT]

h23a1 is prone to failure on #2 connecting rod bearing (around 150K)

h22a1 has FRM cylinder walls which tend to burn oil (if the car is not taken car of properly (oil change) and simultaneously beaten on)

the interior (especially dash and moonroof) are prone to rattle (age)

the clutch pedal is prone to creaking when car is cold, (age)

h22a1 clutch can go pretty fast if you cant drive it right (mine has 35k, and i beat the piss outta it, aint slippin yet)

h22a1 / 4 timing belt auto-tensioner has a TSB and can fail if not filled with oil correctly (or age sets in)

h23a1 and h22a1 have a knock sensor that seems to break after 100k sometime, (ive changed 2 so far on 2 of my cars)

all 4th gen doors seals, sometimes the glue lets go and its time to break out the GE silicone II and re-seal the rubber lip in the door frame


thats all for now, theres more but thats off the top of my head

also, the h22a1 is a VERY strong engine...
put it this way - TONIGHT, coincidentally i missed 4th gear and hit 2nd gear instead...i was at about 95MPH topping out 3rd gear when this happened and i saw the tach go to somewhere around the 0 Mph mark on the speedo

all you 4th gen lude owners check out what i mean and you will see that is at least 10K RPM.
:jawdrop:

engine is running fine, btw thats the only time that has ever happened to me, but i did almost faint.

that is all
~boomer

 

"f22a1 is prone to being uncontrollably slow"

That's not a bug, it's a feature! .... .... and I have one to prove it h:

 

Oh yeah I almost forgot about the distributor.I had to get a new one.There's no way you could miss this because the sound is the most horrible screech I've ever heard.I remember reading other people talking about it on a recall site,they called it the "death screech". Apparently the bearing inside seizes and you can't just order a bearing you have to order the whole thing.Hope this helps and good luck!!!

 

lol if you own an f22 like myself your car is all show no go, thats why i just do minor engine mods.

 

by the way if you have f22 and do mods you lose hp

 

Wanna reduce the chance of rust buildup around the birth mark area (rear wheel well flanges) on 4th gens? There are rubber/plastic liners (not body colored, they will be blackish gray like the mud flaps; and not the wheel well linder, they are just thin strips of material that run along the very outer edge of the rear wheel wells), just go ahead and rip those off, they do more damage than good. They're there to prevent nicks and scratches from pebbels and sand that may be kicked up from the tires towards the out edges, but what happens is, if you live in an area where it snows, and salt is thrown on the streets, that salt collects above the liner in between it and the body, and that is one of, and probably the main reason why rust is common on that part of the car.

 

for the rattles and cup holder "failure", there were bulletins issued for them by honda, being of descent of a Honda employee, I have, at times, had access to Honda's online resources for bulletins etc. I did the one on my Prelude for the squeak/rattle located in the driver's side tweeter housing, it's two brackets on the power inverter housing that you have to bend a bit to sit more firmly against the inverter. Another bulletin was issued for the center console warping right behind the shifter, just before the cup holder. It warps up, peaking at the center, and will creak when pressed down or when you drive on a bumpy road. That one I can't remember by heart, because I still need to do it ... oh what the hell, here are the bulletins:

Cup Holder Does Not Stay Closed

Warped Console

Rattle from the Rear Headliner

I feel like one of those guys who opens up his trench coat and tries to sell spoons and other useless trinkets ... oh yeah, if you need more, lemme know