11Past9

I've always liked the looks of 97+ Honda Preludes but I don't know a ton about them. I used to drive an SR20DET Swapped 98 Kouki 240sx and I am looking into getting a nice daily driver that I can play with but before I am trying to do some research first.

I have a couple cars on my list, but I am focused mainly on an Integra GSR, my budget is $6,000 max for it and I am planning on spending $4,000 in modifications around christmas. I was going to do full bolt ons, suspension, wheels, rubber and some small tasteful and functional tid bits. This car will be my daily driver and something I need to be a turn key car, I would like to take it to auto x and strip days once in a while for fun and maybe make a larger project down the road like FI but most likely not. I want to create a clean respectable fun daily out of this BUT...

Before I set my sights on an authentic GSR, what are the pros and cons of the H22 Prelude, I was told to stay away from them due to oil burning and transmission issues but I am not sure if this is true.

Could someone please break down the pros and cons of an H22 Prelude, which years are better than others, what to stay away from and or look for? Would this be a better option than a GSR because I'm surely more attracted to them than the GSR but I am a function over fashion kind of guy and I want the overall better car if that decision can be made.

Thanks for the help, I am going to post this in the GSR section as well and compare responses. If you have a nice prelude post pics and or your experience with it.

mondiex

Number one con, Random bogging and hesitations that plague the h series. Can't figure it out either haha

theBB1er

just stay away from the 97-01 preludes with automatic transmissions.

other than that, they're solid cars. and most cars burn oil. with ludes/other hondas, just make sure you check the oil often if you're going to be VTAK'ing it often. but the reason they're notorious for burning oil is due to their FRM cylinder walls, and people knowledgeable on that can expand further on that or you can research that. S2K engine also have FRM cylinder walls, and use a very similar bottom end as the h22's.

fyi 4th gen preludes also come with H22's!

happy lude hunting

Hidenplanvew

just the auto trans suck, never had a problem with my 5 speed... All h22's and even B18's burn oil if your getting into them alot. I love my H22's

11Past9

A buddy of mine had a 92 SI and said it blew up 4 times, he said they all smoke and I should be warned that they are crap...

I'd like to entertain a 97+ and of course would not buy an auto transmission but I need something I am not going to have to worry about taking to the track and being able to DD just the same the next day. I don't abuse my stuff but don't want to be all over the thing either.

typemismatch

As far as the cons are concerned
- Idle surge is a known issue, usually its a bad IACV or air bubbles in the coolant.
- The FRM walls eat the rings over time causing them to burn oil. FRM is a harder material than standard castings.
- Automatic transmissions suck
- 4th gen models with the H23 non-vtec are known to spin bearings

Pros
- With bolts-ons and a tune you can expect to hit 200hp at the wheels
- Handling is pretty good for a car of its size
- Larger displacement responds well to bolt-ons

Comparing it to a GSR, I can't, I haven't driven one, but I hear their owners say the same things about them as far as pros are concerned.

You would have to read the Integra forum to learn what owners complain about.

A prelude is a fun car to actually drive, I've had 3 engines in mine because I keep changing things, not because they've blown up. I had a single cam non-vtec that was fun to drive, but not fast. I had a straight JDM H22 swap that made it a lot faster and a lot more fun. Now I have a turbo build that makes it much faster, but a little more of a chore to drive.

1funryd

I have another option for you - 88-91 Honda Prelude with an H22/23 swap and Ksport suspension. More fun to drive than the 4th-5th or any other Honda











Ksport Kontrol Pros brought you by yours truly 1FunRyd Performance.



Here was mine:






Plus if you get the 4WS(4 Wheel Steering) you only increase the over all handling while going fast in the straights, making this a fairly well balanced chassis as well as pure joy to drive.

I know because I own one as well, except I swapped the non-vtec H23a since it was cheaper at the time, but I have to H22 and H23vtec motor projects that I am building in the meantime.

11Past9

That white one looks magical, I've never been in one of these but I am looking to buy a stupid clean version of anything. I am focused on a immaculate baseline of a car for whatever I decide.

typemismatch

Happy hunting!

Let us know what you decide!

tommyd

Prelude is heavier and more insulated than an Integra GSR. This however makes it's a more comfortable ride due the stronger suspensions. You don't feel like you are driving a tin can civic.

Prelude SH gives you the 1st iteration of ATTS.


I still drive an 01-SH.

1funryd

Thats whats nice about going with a 3rd gen Prelude, it has all the comforts but less weight in which its almost as light as a GSR Teggy.

But this model beat all of its competitors in the Slalom tests in stock trim, just look for it in Car and Driver magazine. So this made it the best handling Prelude ever put out.

88-91 Prelude = 2337 - 2750lbs depends on the model and options.

zcegdx

iTrader: (4)

The right boltons and tune you can hit 220+ something a b series will never do

Plus more tq.

Thepowderblue

No cons. The h22 is a really strong motor.

11Past9

Ok so what youre all saying essentially is that the H22 will burn oil/smoke but it's not a big deal just pay attention to the oil levels and that it is still rock solid reliable, just heavier than a GSR?

I do not know what ATTS is...

I'd just be going for an 97+ Prelude, the best condition manual transmission Prelude regardless of miles. Just like shopping for a Supra, higher mileage with a better track record is always better than the neglected lower mileage copies.

97ludedude

I love my 97. pretty much stock h22, couple of bolt ons. I know it feels much quicker than my 97 4.3l s-10 which ran a 9.97 in the 1/8. I have never had the lude at the track but I really do think it would atleast be in the high 8's or very low 9's. (no 1/4 mile close to me)

Thepowderblue

A h22 wont burn oil. If you dont take care of it and over rev it loke alot of people on this site do (7400 is the redline not 8000). Do that to any motor and it will scar the cylinder walls and burn oil and h22s have frm cylinder walls. People need to realize this is not a B series. The piston speed per revolution is grater then a B series because H series motors have a longer stroke.

minilogoguy18

I go 5k on synthetic oil changes with no loss of oil, all depends on the engine and how well taken care of it is. Mine was a JDM long block bought from hmotorsonline.

If you want to drag race don't get an SH, the ATTS acts like an open diff unless you're turning, you cannot fit an LSD into the case and it's heavier.

11Past9

Still don't know what ATTS is, I'm assuming only SH's have it? I'd take the thing to a 1/4 mi strip just for ***** but I'd rather have the more well rounded version.

1funryd

This is what an ATTS(Advanced Torque Transfer System) system looks like:







Its an extra piece that bolts to the block and tranny, and does not fit the typical H22 blocks or tranny's. Once it breaks, its going to be hard to get fixed and more costly.

It does well when hitting corners, but cannot handle too much power. And there is nothing to support it aftermarket wise.

Cuso

well personally i love my 97 sh, BUT, I had a world of trouble at first. So im running the JDM h22a with no ATTS.

Pros: -h-series can make good all motor power with few mods
-they do handle pretty damn good as previously stated
-i mean come on, 5th gens especially, look sexy lol

Cons: -ATTS, 5th gens again, cant handle more than around 250 hp
-they are quite heavy for a honda
-FRM lined cylinder walls tend to hate forged pistons, bad for boost
-the balance shaft systems of f/h series can scare some ppl
-and personally, i cant find half the parts for my car that my 8 friends with civics and crxs have found for theirs. but that may just be me living in kansas

All in all solid cars though

11Past9

Ok so I am going to stay away from an SH, The ATTS isn't something I feel like dealing with, power wise I am sticking with bolt ons and as far as the rest, some tasteful cosmetics, light wheels, good rubber and some shocks and springs, no coilovers. This is going to be a clean turn head daily with some track play time once in a while.

Any recommendations or red flags when looking for one?

dj travie d

Mmm what about the cams from the h22 I have a h22a but from things that I here it was in a auto car...... Will cams from a manual h22a or h22a1 be better for me to go with? I noticed a difference jumping from my prelude to my h22a accord when my vtek kicked just wondering if it would improve my vtek power ......

Preludeyouknow

Oil pan is low, thats big con other then that great

apexi_bb6

Ive had my 98 base for about 8 years now. Dont see getting rid of it anytime soon. Ive put about 70-80k miles on it personally and Im sitting at about 211,xxx miles. Besides replacing worn suspension and brakes (which will be necessary for 10+ year old cars) I personally have had no issues mechanically that I didnt cause. I was stranded once about 200 miles from home when my MSD box shorted out internally, but after re-installing the OEM parts it runs great.

Things to look out for would be collision damage like any other car, mileage and maintenance, oil leaks especially from the timing cover and suspension issues. Definitely have it checked out by a shop that can get the car off the ground. If you are a technician like me working on the car isnt too much more difficult than any other Honda, but will take longer for some work, and OEM parts seem to be alittle more expensive then my friends' civic based cars.

Timing belts (every 100k) are a pain in the *** without a lift, always replace the water pump at the same time. The balance shaft seals tend to leak on the higher mileage ones, see oil seeping from the timing cover. Sometimes it will be a gradual increase over time, on my 98 with h22 it started leaking about 10k miles ago and has gone from small drip to half quart per oil change in that time. My 92 with h23 went from small drip to 3qts per 20 miles in about half the distance from Chicago to Indianapolis. Spun a bearing on the interstate, towed rest of the way home.

Little things like the iacv and fitv(fast idle throttle valve, see coolant bubbles in above post) have happened to several of my friends and are annoying but are fairly simple fixes. I dont burn any oil (except when I tried a Lucas oil additive) but I let my motor warm up before beating on it. I use the stock rev limiter, but know several people who go past it regularly for racing and have no burning issues. But I do have two friends who abuse their engines (driving hard cold, poor gas, infrequent oil changes, driving with misfire, etc...) and they both burn oil at very high rates.

My next project will be a streetable track car either a OBD1 GSR or a 3rd gen prelude with a h23 nonvtec build. I wouldnt use a 20 year old car for a reliable daily driver, or a lowered integra for a comfortable one though.

Good luck with your decision, if I think of more ill post up once my phone is charged again.

THC07

Did someone just say the H was too heavy? /slap! thats about the biggest bullshit story ppl say about the H series.