Restoration Project ('93 Prelude)

[kingje1]

What kind of paint did you use? I wanted to do something like this to the heat shield on the DSM but I was afraid it would get too hot and ruin it.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Some off the shelf high heat paint from Autozone. Forgot the brand to be honest with you.

 

[kingje1]

Sounds good. You'll have to let us know how it holds up.

 

[chrisman287]

My guess would probably be VHT.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I refinished the valve cover last night. Stripped it bare and did it right, and it turned out great. I'll give it some time to cure before it goes back on. While it's off I decided to adjust the valves, and I'm glad I did. Most of the valve lash was off so I properly adjusted them. Hopefully that gets rid of some of the "sewing machine" tapping sound. Though I've been told that's normal for an H series.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

2 month update on the heat shield. It's still holding up nicely. I used VHT manifold paint by the way. I've had some pretty poor experiences with their products in the past but this was an excellent choice.
I'm probably 90% done with the engine bay for now. I'm still planning on dropping the trans and replacing the clutch since it still has the original. I'll have to do that when budget and schedule allows though. It's still not slipping surprisingly.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Started noticing some oil drops on the garage floor. Pulled the oil pan and the gasket is very crunchy, probably still the original. Got a new FelPro to go on. I'm installing some new exhaust hardware and gaskets as well since they had to be removed to gain access to the pan.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I'm doing a very thorough cleaning of the engine bay before everything goes back together. With the car sitting for a number of years plus the previous valve cover gasket leak = a big mess. So far that aluminum block is cleaning up nicely to be 30 years old. I also ordered a few more parts to keep things rolling. New thermostat & housing gasket, radiator hoses, throttle body gasket, TPS sensor... My goal for the winter is to have functionality and reliability at 100%. I'm finally giving it the care it needs since the service records stopped in 2016. The previous owner moved across the country to retire but I'll still be keeping him updated as promised. I'm trying to love the car just like he did for 28 years.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

After walking in circles for countless hours promising myself the car would stay completely stock... turns out it won't. But luckily these parts will be sandwiched between the engine and trans so you'd never know
This is probably as extensive as I'll go with the upgrades though. I just like my pedal tight and engagement to really bite down. Also washed her up and shined her shoes the other day. It cleans up great for 30 year old paint. Just need to re-clear the wheels.

 

[blcktalipse]

It looks great! Ive always been intrigued by Preludes after a number of years ago I got demolished by one in a race on the highway. Not sure what he had done but it was like I was standing still . Anyway keep it up...love seeing these cars getting brought back to life.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Haha yea these cars were pretty quick from the factory. Si models already had almost 200hp and could be there easily with bolt ons. I don't really beat on mine though. But may have to test it out at some point.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Haha yea these cars were pretty quick from the factory. Si models already had almost 200hp and could be there easily with bolt ons. I don't really beat on mine though. But may have to test it out at some point.

If you were close you could run my edge on the 87 octane tune. It’ll run 13.9’s ish on the 87 tune so it’s a good benchmark.

Then I’ll put it on E30 and hurt your feelings.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Getting ready to drop the trans this weekend. Time to install the new clutch and flywheel. And a few other things while I'm in there. Input shaft seal, rear main seal, and both axle seals. Probably going to order some new heater hoses since they will be very easily accessible once the trans is out. They appear fine but 31 years is a lot for any rubber components. On the same note I'll probably do a boot kit on the axles and rack & pinion. For now it's disassembly and parts cleaning/organization. This is my first time dropping an H series trans but from the looks it should be even easier than dropping one from a 420a Eclipse. Or maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I'll find out soon. I'm still looking into getting the car painted by the way but being mechanically sound comes first.
(Yes the car is dust covered, because I've been doing body work nearby and didn't think to slip on the car cover.)

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Once the trans came out, the first thing on my mind was cleaning it. It was filthy. Some of the gunk was from a leaky axle seal and some from the previously leaky valve cover gasket. Needless to say I did the car a huge favor by using the scrub brush . At this point in time most of the new parts are installed and the trans is back in. But me being me, I forgot to buy some Synchromesh so running the car will have to wait until tomorrow or later in the week when I'm able to find some. I'm excited to see how she runs and drives now though.

 

[blcktalipse]

What are you using to clean the engine/transmission?

 

[JeffGS-T97]

I second this it looks good

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I mostly used this thing called effort

It really depends on the scenario and what I had laying around (can't be wasteful). Anything from Gunk Foaming Engine Degreaser to LA's Totally Awesome. It's not always about the strength of the product, it's about if you're willing to spend some time being detailed.

 

[blcktalipse]

I mostly used this thing called effort

It really depends on the scenario and what I had laying around (can't be wasteful). Anything from Gunk Foaming Engine Degreaser to LA's Totally Awesome. It's not always about the strength of the product, it's about if you're willing to spend some time being detailed.

I figured as much. Nothing like good old elbow grease. Just wondered if you find a certain degreaser works better than others. I assume youre using brushes too?

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Car has been running great and the clutch feels like it's breaking in quickly. I know the light flywheel will never be as smooth as the heavy OEM flywheel but it's been feeling better and better after each use. Very manageable at this point and I'll be satisfied if it smooths out just a little bit more. Preludes are solid ass cars so it can take a little extra shock occasionally. Also I managed to chase down a highway vibration issue. After tires/balance and alignment the issue persisted almost like a bent rim, but once I heard the axle start knocking I knew that had to be it. Now she floats at 80mph like it's nothing. I could probably take a nap at 90 with the way the Si seats cushion you. You didn't hear that from me though, leave it to the fishtailing Mustangs to run off the roads.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I figured as much. Nothing like good old elbow grease. Just wondered if you find a certain degreaser works better than others. I assume youre using brushes too?

Oh yes, I have a nice assortment of brushes. Those detail brush sets you can buy at Oreilly's are good shit. Cleaning wheels, engine and transmissions they get it done. Just have to use a little common sense on what stiffness to use. Don't use a stiff brush on soft material and opposite.

 

[Dericsh]

Did the highway vibration get worse when you accelerate? That was the tell for the old odyssey vans when they had bad axles.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Did the highway vibration get worse when you accelerate? That was the tell for the old odyssey vans when they had bad axles.

I don't really recall that being the case but entirely possible. I just remember it shaking a bit at 70 and was getting on my nerves after I put new tires on and balanced them twice. The yellow paint let me know it was the OEM axle and I'm sure it had degraded a bit after 30+ years. Smooth as can be now though.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Doing some cleaning

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

My first (and hopefully last) trip to an exhaust shop. The catalytic convertor was clogged up so I had it removed. She's running much better now. It was never in the plans to modify the exhaust but with the price of convertors being so high I decided we should just make a test pipe (can't find any aftermarket ones available for this car). The factory flanges and hangers are still in place so fitment is nice and I can still unbolt components as necessary. Even without the cat you can still barely hear it running at idle.

I also installed some new lug nuts. These are intended for a 2017 Accord. I chose them because they are about a half inch shorter, so the fit and finish is much better.

The budget is currently a bit tighter than before so progress will be slower than I had planned but I'm still making progress on her. I think my next step is getting the wheels restored. The clear coat on them is definitely tired. Luckily no bends or cracks on any of them. I should be able to strip them, paint them, slightly machine the face then reclear and they'll look like they did 30 years ago. I love the look of these blades and they're quite rare these days. Old pic attached for reference of how they should look.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

The wiper arms were looking tired so I sanded them down and repainted them. Got some new Michelin blades for them too. I've had the same set of Michelin wiper blades on my 2g for the past 4 years and they still work. It very rarely gets driven in the rain though.