85 Prelude Resurrection Project

[97C1500TJ]

454cid mentioned starting a build thread for my 1985 Honda Prelude. Here it is:

This is my $800 Honda Prelude project. It is the base model and is equipped with the 1.8L 12 valve A18 with twin Keihin carburetors and an automatic transmission. I purchased it in non running condition and towed it to the dealership where I worked to install what I was told was simply a fuel pump. I found I already had fuel pressure and the plug wires were reversed. Once getting everything in order, it started on starting fluid and ran on three cylinders with a HARD knock.

The following Wednesday, I dropped the oil pan and heard metal pieces sliding around before I even looked in. Cylinder number one slung a rod but not through the block. Pieces of rod, piston skirt, and bearing covered the pan. I about ended the project there with parts being so hard to find.

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[97C1500TJ]

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[97C1500TJ]

I got to looking and found a motor out of an 84 Prelude that would fit. The only problem was that it was in Oregon and I’m all the way in the south east. I ordered it and got it shipped here. I spent the past week resealing everything and checking tolerances. Everything looks ok. I threw in a new timing belt, tensioner, oil pump, water pump, and thermostat.

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[97C1500TJ]

Yesterday started engine and transmission removal. For those that don’t know, it’s most of the time easier to lower the engine and tranny as one unit out the bottom of FWD vehicles. Today I finished getting it all out and reassembled the steering to get the body off the lift. Time to start switching parts over to the new motor.

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[97C1500TJ]

And finally…the twin Keihin carbs from Hell.

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[454cid]

Wow, I had no idea some of the old Japanese engines used multiple carbs.

Why are parts hard to find? Was this engine not widely used?

I would have thought you would have to drop a whole subframe to take it out the bottom.

 

[97C1500TJ]

Wow, I had no idea some of the old Japanese engines used multiple carbs.

Why are parts hard to find? Was this engine not widely used?

I would have thought you would have to drop a whole subframe to take it out the bottom.

It has two Keihin side draft carbs. They’re pretty much bike carbs. So the Preludes shared much of the same parts as the Accords of the same era. In fact, many parts are interchangeable. They share the same block and have slight differences in heads. Accords have a different intake and lead to one double barrel carb. I may go this route later on. I have a bike with four carbs and hate working with them!

There just isn’t much support for the 84-85 Preludes. They’re the hardest to get parts for but also the most seldom seen. Our dealership doesn’t stock any parts for these cars and Honda Motor Co. doesn’t even manufacture parts anymore for these Preludes. 3rd gen and up are much easier to get parts for. Rock Auto is my best bet for parts but I can get pretty much anything I need same day through NAPA or Oreilys by working at my shop.

There isn’t really much of a subframe to this car. There’s a front crossmember holding the front motor mount and has radius arms going to the lower control arms. Rearward is sort of a crossmember that holds the steering rack. There’s two motor mounts on the rear, one on the front, and another on the driver side. Nothing on the passenger side.

 

[618 Syndicate]

One of my good friends had blue 5 speed one of these in the early 90's, many hours and miles spent riding around SoCal. He kept the back seats down so the subs in the trunk would hit harder...

What kind of bike do you have?

 

[97C1500TJ]

One of my good friends had blue 5 speed one of these in the early 90's, many hours and miles spent riding around SoCal. He kept the back seats down so the subs in the trunk would hit harder...

What kind of bike do you have?

Can’t wait to take mine for a ride. My motor came from a blue five speed.

I have a 93 Yamaha Venture Royale.

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[618 Syndicate]

Can’t wait to take mine for a ride. My motor came from a blue five speed.

I have a 93 Yamaha Venture Royale.

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Nice bike, VMax power! I much prefer them to the goldwing of the era.