From reading a couple of posts I was able to find out why my prelude (92 2.3lit dohc) was leaking all of its oil so quiclky - a $3 o-ring!!. I pulled the oil cooler off and went to put the new o-ring on and an ran into some problems. It seems like the one I got from the dealership is just a little to small to completely fit into the groove on the back of the oil cooler unit. I can get almost 3/4 of the o-ring in the groove, but it always seems to pop out. Is the o-ring supposed to be slightly undersized or do I have the wrong size. Could I get away with using an o-ring with a slightly bigger circumference but with the same diameter of rubber seal? Use any sorta gasket adhesive?
-sorry, kinda of a dumb question but i need some help!
-thanks

 

It should fit...compare the part # you got to one on hondaautomotiveparts.com or slhondaparts.com.

 

I had the exact same problem. I thought I got a gasket that was too small. But check with the old one and to make sure it's the same diameter. As a visual, I put the old one back on. Its "snapped" in to place. Then I cleaned the area real well. Got some Hondabond and dabbed it on one side of the new gasket and remembering how the old one looked installed, place the new one on.

Someone said to try this method: freeze the ring to make it more rigid with Hondabond to keep in place.

 

will hondabond really hold it in place that good?

 

Hondabond is just sticky enough to keep it in place until you put the cooler back on and tighten it down.

 

in trying to put the o-ring on I found that it wasnt big enough to put in the groove that runs around the outside of the oil cooler. Is the o-ring supposed to sit on the flat part of the oil cooler that runs just to the inside of where the groove runs?

 

been awhile since I changed it but old one was flat so it fit a bit better but broke easier. New one is tubular so it took a number of attempts to get it stay in place. Especially since you can't even see it and just place it and then push it in along the groove. Mine definitely had a grove so you should be able to just run along the groove

 

It's not the outside groove. It is the inner "groove" -- not much of a groove, but a groove nonetheless. The O ring, I believe gets flat when you tighten it down.

 

yes it should slid onto the "inner" grove IIRC, couple tries it usually takes to get it on rigth

 

yeah i had the same problem, i went thru like 10 rings....all you need is some hondabond and some time, just dont rush it...i bought a lude with same problem for $725