92 Prelude brake rotor and Auto Tranny questions

[shreck]

I have searched the forum and cannot find answers to the following questions.

I bought the 92 Prelude last week and it has 137,000km on it, not a speck of rust or even a dimple on the exterior, interior is spotless and not a tear or wear mark anywhere . It looks like it had been maintained by Honda by the previous owner.

Please excuse my stupid questions, I am new to a Prelude, but have been a fan for years, I current own 2 1978 Civic’s and a 92 Civic CX and 94 Civic CX 5speed (fore sale)

Do the rotors just pull off by hand or do I need a puller, If I have to use a puller do I need to replace the wheel bearings.

Other question: The transmission is automatic and it shifts abruptly when cold and the fluid is clear and clean, Is there a miracle additive that will help remedy this problem. And please don’t say upgrade to 5speed as this is why I bought the car was for automatic to keep my wife happy.

Shifter question: When going from park to drive the shifter is very stiff to move. My 92 Civic did the same thing until my son crashed it and the problem went away.

[kaimanson]

jellow, well first u just got the best car in the world congratulations!, Second brake rotors are very easy to take it off. First you need to take the caliper off. Once in the rotor just take both screw out and that's it. for the tranny I have the same problem with my 92 lude. When I just bought it, the shifting was even worst. What you have to do even if the transmission fluid is clean, change it for a GENUINE HONDA AUTO TRANSMISSION FLUID. "IT MUST BE FROM HONDA". It cost like $12 for 4 bottles, each bottle is like $3.75. if you don't know how to do the flush for the tranny let me know and I'll send u a pic with the instructions. It must decrease the kicking in the tranny, you are going to keep feeling it, but the kicking is going to be less. Enjoy your new car...

by the way how much did you paid for the lude? it's a Si or S?

[shreck]

Originally Posted by kaimanson

If you don't know how to do the flush for the tranny let me know and I'll send u a pic with the instructions. It must decrease the kicking in the tranny, you are going to keep feeling it, but the kicking is going to be less. Enjoy your new car...

by the way how much did you paid for the lude? it's a Si or S?

I paid $5700.00 must be an S because there is no SI on it, but it is loaded except for power locks; before I bought it I checked autotrader in my area and the same one with higer milage and rust was going for about 8-9k.

Looking closer at the car I figure it must have been a summer car and stored for the winter. I cannot find rust anywhere except on the engine and exhaust, btw the flex pipe has a hole in it, are they very expensive?

Is there a transmission filer to be changed too? If you could send me the instructions that would be fantastic.

The car is black and has red metalic in it, cool when the sun shines and gives it depth.

[kaimanson]

$5700!! Holy moly jejeje.. let me tell you something, even if it's a prelude "an unique car" $5700 is too much money, well I don't know where are u located, but in florida a prelude 92 with 135k miles for $5700 is too much, $2000 or $3000 is a good price. I bought my for $1000 with 153k :-) lucky! Even with the paint job, and new parts that I bought for it. I spent in all those things almost $1300. Another thing is that we are talking about a type S. F22 engine 145 hp. (very very slow). If it were a SI I would said $5700 is ok. Vtec, h22, 200hp :-) not bad. But don't worry man, U just got a very nice car for show off. My is a S too so we are in the same team. jejej don't even think about racing civics ex or lx or anything else. This type of prelude is only for show off (rims, tints, paint job, suspension).

Now coming back to the transmission, there is not filter for it, so don't worry about it :-). I'll send you the pic tomorrow or thrusday on how to change the transmission fluid. About the pipe, I have a hole too in the intake manifold, and let me tell you that on ebay are a few, but only for the SI model :-(. I don't think they are expensive at all, but if you are going to change that part, change the whole exhaust from the manifold to the muffle is even better.

Because it's a used 92 Prelude I'll recommend you to check the timing belt, balance belt, spark plugs, mounts, etc. If you need more information on how to do those things let me know.

[shreck]

Kaimanson, http://www.trader.ca/search/Results....ategory=&CAT=1 here is a link to what these cars are going for around here, Actually I bought a 94 civic CX in December for 3,400.00 @ almost 300,000km with some minor rust in the back bumper area, that car is considered in superb condition for this climate, my sons 94 Civic CX I bought for him is from the City and paid almost 5,000 @ 147,000km 1 year ago. The 94 is badly rusted in the back wheel arches and around the bumper as well as the bottom of the doors are badly rusted. The motor runs like a good Swiss watch.

I have been into first generations civics (http://www.1stgencivic.com/albums/Shreck/aah.sized.jpg ) and find that depending what part of the country or continent you are from the prices vary extremely. For example here in Ontario Canada I paid $3,500.00 for a 78 Civic in very good condition considering there are so few left here, the same car on the west coast could be fetched for 350-1000.00 dollars, Oregon where the cars are plentiful go for about the same, and the southern States seem to fetch even less, I am guessing they are still plentiful down their as I see them on ebay all the time,

Anyhow, I checked the plugs and they look pretty clean, but I am not sure if they are the correct ones as it has those V-grove plugs. The air filter I changed right away, as it was pretty filthy; I cannot believe the cost of the filter being $59.00 from a parts wholesaler. I spent the extra bucks to get a K&N filter like I have on my 78 Civic.

What is a balance belt Kaimanson?

Part of my problem is finding a service manual, is there one you would recommend?

I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

[Black92LudeSI]

i have a 92 lude si auto . If the transmission fluid is clearish redish and not brown no sense in flushing or changing it. It should also not be thin, rub it on your fingers. The automatic transmission has the following characteristics. You will feel the car shift. It shifts firmly, not really hard. It shouldn't slip, or the rpm's shouldn't jump up in the middle of it shifting. Sometimes when putting the car into reverse you'll hear a click. I wouldn't worry about it if it does, i think it was a recall or somehting on it, but not a performance issue. Eventually when you do get the trans fluid changed you can do it yourself, or you can go to a shop and have it flushed for 60 bucks. They run clean fluid through both ends of the transmission hoses until all the dirty fluid runs out. like mentioned earlier they need to use the honda fluid.

hope this helps

[shreck]

Have you ever had a problem with trying to get it out of park? It is real stiff on cold days.

My sons 92 Civic had the same problem, he crashed the Civic, then when I got it back from the body shop $2000.00 the axle seal was leaking on the long side so I replaced the seal and put in the Honda Z transmission fluid about $8.00litre and the problem went away. It also cured some minor slow shifting problems.

Are the Prelude transmissions simular to the Civic ones?

[Black92LudeSI]

i guess theyre similar honda makes them. If its a little tough to move from park to drive dont worry about it, its a little stiff. could be the cable, not a big deal. If you have to use two hands to move it ,,, or in another words it wont move at all, then it could be the transmission computer. But ur fine dont worry

[joellthomas]

Those flat head screws on the brake rotors are a bugger to get out. Use a #3 phillips and a hammer driver. If that does not work you will have to drill the screws out or drill the heads off with a 3/8'" bit.

[kaimanson]

Originally Posted by joellthomas

Those flat head screws on the brake rotors are a bugger to get out. Use a #3 phillips and a hammer driver. If that does not work you will have to drill the screws out or drill the heads off with a 3/8'" bit.

Yeap that's true, also in any case use WD-40 + the #3 phillips and the hammer.

[shreck]

I drilled the screws out, but the holes in the new rotars don't line up. I guess this is not a big deal as the wheel holds it on anyway.

Does anone make chrome headers for the F22A1 motor, All I can find is the coated Pacesetter.

[kaimanson]

Originally Posted by shreck

I drilled the screws out, but the holes in the new rotars don't line up. I guess this is not a big deal as the wheel holds it on anyway.

Does anone make chrome headers for the F22A1 motor, All I can find is the coated Pacesetter.

Same question here!!

[shreck]

I changed the fluid three times and the tranny is still acting up. I only use the Honda fluid.

Funny think though, I put the long AEM cold air intake on and it smoothed out the shifting a bit.

Seems strange, is there a modulator for the tranny that works of the vacum?

[MazdaX]

Originally Posted by shreck

I changed the fluid three times and the tranny is still acting up. I only use the Honda fluid.

Funny think though, I put the long AEM cold air intake on and it smoothed out the shifting a bit.

Seems strange, is there a modulator for the tranny that works of the vacum?

I think they stopped doing vacuum assist trannies back in the late 1980's man..could be wrong though because it's a god awful design. Just because you use Factory brands doesn't exactly mean it's the best thing for the vehicle at the time meaning : age, miles, wear and tear internal conditions.

Try draining it and filling it up with some royal purple transmission fluid or gear box fluid didn't really read if you had auto or manual XD i put some royal purple in my mazda gear box and i was suddenly able to shift into third again lol go figure.. Good luck man !

[kaimanson]

Originally Posted by MazdaX

I think they stopped doing vacuum assist trannies back in the late 1980's man..could be wrong though because it's a god awful design. Just because you use Factory brands doesn't exactly mean it's the best thing for the vehicle at the time meaning : age, miles, wear and tear internal conditions.

Try draining it and filling it up with some royal purple transmission fluid or gear box fluid didn't really read if you had auto or manual XD i put some royal purple in my mazda gear box and i was suddenly able to shift into third again lol go figure.. Good luck man !

Sounds good :-) but the problem with honda's is that they shift but not smooth as usual, your mazda wasn't shifting into thrid at all or the shifting was a little rough?...