The Prelude is dead!

[Jesda]

Brother's Prelude had a freak [mechanical] accident. Yes, the one we took to Carlisle and the one I JUST wrote a review on.

He called me and said a couple belts came off, including alt and power steering, so I told him to nurse it home. Eventually it died.

He called a tow truck, a shop looked at it, turns out the bolts on the harmonic balancer came off or "sheared off" as the shop put it, then the timing went off, pistons and valves collided, and now the engine is toast.



I'm a bit upset. It was a locally owned, dealer-maintained one-owner car when he bought it about 30,000 miles ago. It only has 130k now and he followed the maintenance schedule in the owners manual perfectly. This was some kind of freak mechanical mishap, and it really blows. So, it's a choice between spending $3k+ on an engine or selling the rolling shell for a couple grand and finding a used Civic or Corolla for $3k or so. Everything's in great shape other than the engine, but who knows how much life the automatic transmission has left in it. It shifts fine at the moment, with fresh fluid and a new filter, but the autos aren't exactly reputable.

Grrr.


Funny thing is, that green 4.9L 1992 Seville STS (I sold it to a guy on CL, then a year later my brother bought it from him) was the most reliable car he's ever owned. He bought it at 150k, then I took ownership of it after a while and sold it at just under 200k. I originally flew to Long Island and brought it home in 2007 with 135k. I bet it's still kicking somewhere out there with a quarter million miles.
I guess his 1983 Tercel was solid too. He drove the piss out of it in high school and it refused to die. His 1995 Infiniti G20 was nice but had a mess of electrical, AC, and paint problems.

/venting

[Razi]

[Eikon]

Don't give up!

1999
Engine
Honda Prelude 00114839 $1350 City Auto Wreckers USA-IL(Aurora) E-mail 1-800-898-2489
1999
Engine
Honda Prelude VTECH 108K 125D $1250 A-1 Auto Recyclers USA-MO(Columbia) E-mail 1-800-237-7705
1999
Engine
Honda Prelude DISM CK AND WHIRL,HIT HARD IN FRONT 167,269 A 00015888 $1100 Modern Auto Parts, Inc - PRP Midwest USA-MO(St.-Louis) Request_Quote 1-888-919-8138 Request_Insurance_Quote
1999
Engine
Honda Prelude LESS 60K MILES ERCK $1100 All Auto Parts, Inc USA-IL(Rockford) E-mail 1-815-963-9900
1999
Engine
Honda Prelude DNS HIT 080722 $950 Southwest Auto Salvage USA-IL(Lockport) E-mail 1-888-539-0598 / 1-815-723-6878

[Jesda]

A grand for an engine, then it's $1500ish for labor, seals, etc.

Looking at just under $3k no matter what. :/

http://www.preludeonline.com/f60/how-mu ... de-267190/

[alms24sebring]

Its all your fault. You should have never have told him to nurse it home.

Now that Ive played your conscience, that severely sucks. Never seen a big bolt like that get sheared off.. unless it wasnt all the way tight from the last service. Even then FWD takes more man hours but should be a straight forward swap if you wanna do that.

[leesredgt]

Intsall engine yourself; keep said 1500$ for more road trips! WIN!!!!

[alms24sebring]

Yeah engine swaps are big jobs. I wouldnt get a shop to do that unless you know somebody like that if you dont wanna turn the wrenches

[Eikon]

Buy James Sisson a six pack and gas money and go buy a engine hoist from Harbor Freight.

[leesredgt]

I would do it if you were closer! lol But yes ditto what Eikon said.

[Eikon]

If I were closer.. I'd buy the shell from you and swap in a H22 and a 5 speed trans and have a fantastic daily driver for cheap.

I think it's time you and your brother did some bonding by turning some wrenches together. I'm tempted to take a long weekend and come to St. Louis and join you.

[nissangirl74]

^ This. BTW Seth, you need to update your car status. Unless you have another BRZ on the way.

[alms24sebring]

Hahaha I noticed that too

[Bubba1]

Sad to hear that news. But if the rest of the car is in good shape, it might make some sense to replace the motor instead of dumping whole car. In any case, it appears both you and your brother just learned a lesson why you never attempt to drive a car that ejected its fanbelts.

[Heavy]

that blows, ill sell your brother my 96 LS, ill even have a landau roof put on to sweeten the deal

[Bubba1]

I think it's time you and your brother did some bonding by turning some wrenches together.

Wait. Wenches or wrenches? You know womenz can't resist 'da pants.

[skydragoness]

If I were closer.. I'd buy the shell from you and swap in a H22 and a 5 speed trans and have a fantastic daily driver for cheap.

I think it's time you and your brother did some bonding by turning some wrenches together. I'm tempted to take a long weekend and come to St. Louis and join you.

If I lived nearby I'd help out too...


with comic relief.

Seriously that sucks, there's enough people on NICO that would totally show up and probably make it happen if you did order a motor/trans set.

[alms24sebring]

All you would have to do is hook it up with a 6 pack and a BBBLT and you got yourself a running prelude.

[Dattebayo]

Freak mechanical accident? Not likely, someone had been in there replacing things with 2nd rate hardware.

[LeD ippen]

was the balancer taken off recently. the bolts that hold them rarely ever come off. even then most of the time they are on there so tight i had to heat them up before my snap on impact gun could even budge it. just swap the engine and call it a day its worth it.

[frapjap]

Take the head off and show us the destruction!!!

[Jesda]

Shell is for sale. My brother is ready to move on to something more practical and spacious to get him through med school. First dibs to anyone in this thread. Its going on Craigslist this week.


What do you guys think a Prelude with a bad motor, good transmission, brand new tires, sharp interior, and some scuffs/scratches on the front bumper is worth?

[Bubba1]

Shell is for sale. My brother is ready to move on to something more practical and spacious to get him through med school. First dibs to anyone in this thread. Its going on Craigslist this week.


What do you guys think a Prelude with a bad motor, good transmission, brand new tires, sharp interior, and some scuffs/scratches on the front bumper is worth?

Not much, but more to a hardcore prelude fan if you feel inclined to hawk it on a Honda website. But If you want to part with it neat, sweet and without any haggling headaches, your brother could always donate it and take a tax writeoff. Most of the charities don't care about its condition will even tow it away free.

[alms24sebring]

Actually a tax write off is a great idea, you get alot more for it. A few years ago my mom donated her 99 Eclipse GS with a screwed motor and that tary sticky crap holding the plastic wrap was melting and leaking a ton from behind the door panel along with a few other prblems, all for $4500.

[Eikon]

Shell is for sale. My brother is ready to move on to something more practical and spacious to get him through med school. First dibs to anyone in this thread. Its going on Craigslist this week.


What do you guys think a Prelude with a bad motor, good transmission, brand new tires, sharp interior, and some scuffs/scratches on the front bumper is worth?

Damn.. I have to move and buy a house this summer.. I need cash for my downpayment and I don't have a garage to put a car in.. OTHERWISE.. Dang.. I'd love that car.. very clean.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Buy James Sisson a six pack and gas money and go buy a engine hoist from Harbor Freight.

+1.
Perfect opportunity to upgrade to a 5 speed. Maybe a 6 speed from an RSX?

I still can't believe it man. I'm not going to lie, this is the first time I've ever heard about this happening.
Unfortunately most people buy wrecked Preludes specifically FOR the engine, and then swap it into a civic or CRX, etc. A prelude with a blown engine (and automatic) isn't exactly the greatest money generator. I'm also going to re-state the fact that I MUCH preferred my cloth seats to your brother's leather. Its not like just the surface was different, but the entire shape all together.

Again- sorry to hear it, but if you're willing to pick up another engine, trans, and hoist, I'll drive up with tools
The 5th gen prelude is a fantastic vehicle, and it honestly pains me to see one go to waste.

Tell your brother I'm sorry