so I was driving my prelude and..
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From: Chester, VA, USA
so I was driving my prelude and..
something spit out from underneath my car.
I'll back up a little bit. I typically drive my prelude 1-2 times every weekend, and never during the week. I decide to take it out with my wife to the movies one night, and right when I got off the interstate, this happens.
my battery light is on, engine light is on, and low and behold, there is something circular in the middle of the intersection that came from my car. For some reason.. my car is still running, but I was scared to drive it further, so I immediately pulled over and turned it off. Sure enough, I go back and stop traffic (in a fairly busy intersection) and grab what I couldn't believe was my crank pulley. Except, I burned my hand when I picked it up. It has been broken in 2 places, and probably was about 200 degrees in my hand. I was like.. wtf? this is impossible, and random. So I walked back to my car in a fit of rage and shined my cell phone underneath my car.
lo and behold, the bolt had completely shattered and melted parts of it inside my crank. At that point instead of worrying about how I was going to fix it and how much of a pain in the *** it was to replace a crank, I just called my friend to bring his truck and trailer and miss the movie.
My first thought was "how the hell could this have happened?" I wasn't going over 35 when it spit out from under my car, and most of all, this pulley was put together not even 4 months prior. Regardless, the bolt is no where to be found nor the key (probably still in the intersection or on the side of the road) and my crank is totally screwed. There is parts of the bolt still left in the crank threading and I am almost positive that I will need an entire new crank.
Has ANYONE had this problem? or heard of something happening like this? This is so strange, and I was not putting strain on the engine or anything. My friend who builds civic race cars said that he had never seen anything like this before.
A little feedback would help from experienced H-series mech's. Thanks in advance for your help.
I'll back up a little bit. I typically drive my prelude 1-2 times every weekend, and never during the week. I decide to take it out with my wife to the movies one night, and right when I got off the interstate, this happens.
my battery light is on, engine light is on, and low and behold, there is something circular in the middle of the intersection that came from my car. For some reason.. my car is still running, but I was scared to drive it further, so I immediately pulled over and turned it off. Sure enough, I go back and stop traffic (in a fairly busy intersection) and grab what I couldn't believe was my crank pulley. Except, I burned my hand when I picked it up. It has been broken in 2 places, and probably was about 200 degrees in my hand. I was like.. wtf? this is impossible, and random. So I walked back to my car in a fit of rage and shined my cell phone underneath my car.
lo and behold, the bolt had completely shattered and melted parts of it inside my crank. At that point instead of worrying about how I was going to fix it and how much of a pain in the *** it was to replace a crank, I just called my friend to bring his truck and trailer and miss the movie.
My first thought was "how the hell could this have happened?" I wasn't going over 35 when it spit out from under my car, and most of all, this pulley was put together not even 4 months prior. Regardless, the bolt is no where to be found nor the key (probably still in the intersection or on the side of the road) and my crank is totally screwed. There is parts of the bolt still left in the crank threading and I am almost positive that I will need an entire new crank.
Has ANYONE had this problem? or heard of something happening like this? This is so strange, and I was not putting strain on the engine or anything. My friend who builds civic race cars said that he had never seen anything like this before.
A little feedback would help from experienced H-series mech's. Thanks in advance for your help.
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From: MA
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (jaywoodz)
This hits really close to home, my crank pulley came out at idle. WTF. Bolt and Key broke at once. Good luck on whatever you decide. Def buy a spare bolt, pulley, and key for the future.
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From: upstate NY
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (jaywoodz)
definitely take it back to wherever you got the pulley installed to begin with, and see what they are going to do for you. definitely an installation error.
but on a whole different note, how was your car running without a crank pulley?
but on a whole different note, how was your car running without a crank pulley?
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From: Chester, VA, USA
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (bluedlude)
well, a friend did it when I was in iraq, but he has done so many swaps and built so many engines that it would be rude of me to even think that he didn't put the pulley on right. hard to believe that it was an installation error, but who knows!? it could be anything I guess.
my car was running perfect, except for a few mis-fires, but new plugs will fix that
damn injectors 
my car was running perfect, except for a few mis-fires, but new plugs will fix that
damn injectors
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From: Chester, VA, USA
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (bluedlude)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by I-4 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">More info on the car please. Year, model, auto/manual, milage, engine code, performance mods if any.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Most of what you ask is in my sig. The mileage on this re-built engine is roughly 15K, crower rods & cams, JE pistons, benson sleeves, some other small stuff that doesn't really matter. I couldn't figure out the engine code because I cut it off immediately and haven't turned it on since in fear of messing up the timing.
Most of what you ask is in my sig. The mileage on this re-built engine is roughly 15K, crower rods & cams, JE pistons, benson sleeves, some other small stuff that doesn't really matter. I couldn't figure out the engine code because I cut it off immediately and haven't turned it on since in fear of messing up the timing.
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Thread Starter
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From: Chester, VA, USA
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (bluedlude)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bluedlude »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so the timing gear was still in its place?! thats damn good luck....
and theres not too many ways to shear off a bolt that big. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes it was, and my friend even thought it would be fine driving it onto the trailer, which did just fine, so I guess I got really lucky. There isn't many ways at all, and I'm really wondering how the hell it happened. I might post a picture this weekend sometime if I have time to go look at it.
and theres not too many ways to shear off a bolt that big. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes it was, and my friend even thought it would be fine driving it onto the trailer, which did just fine, so I guess I got really lucky. There isn't many ways at all, and I'm really wondering how the hell it happened. I might post a picture this weekend sometime if I have time to go look at it.
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From: dirty jerzzzz
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (bluedlude)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bluedlude »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
but on a whole different note, how was your car running without a crank pulley?</TD></TR></TABLE>
cuz the crank pulley only runs the PS pump, alternator, and AC. all things a car can run without
but on a whole different note, how was your car running without a crank pulley?</TD></TR></TABLE>
cuz the crank pulley only runs the PS pump, alternator, and AC. all things a car can run without
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (esedulerp5tenin)
Reported to Mods.
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From: Burbz, of Illinois, Iran
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (jaywoodz)
ya same thing happened to me but while racing. the whole bolt broke off and half of it was still in the crank. my mechanic did a reverse drill and spinned it out and put a new one. luckily nothing happened to the crank. turns out my bolt was real rusted. 
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From: Chester, VA, USA
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (prelude_93vtec)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prelude_93vtec »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ya same thing happened to me but while racing. the whole bolt broke off and half of it was still in the crank. my mechanic did a reverse drill and spinned it out and put a new one. luckily nothing happened to the crank. turns out my bolt was real rusted. </TD></TR></TABLE>
well, I really wish that was the case for me. You got lucky.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AndyD »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice thread title. Reported to Mods.
Rule number 7. https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/689833</TD></TR></TABLE>
my thread title bothers you that much?
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bluedlude »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you didnt have an aftermarket crank pulley by any chance did you?</TD></TR></TABLE>
no, I didn't. I was told to stay away from those by a few experienced mechanics.
</TD></TR></TABLE>well, I really wish that was the case for me. You got lucky.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AndyD »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice thread title. Reported to Mods.
Rule number 7. https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/689833</TD></TR></TABLE>
my thread title bothers you that much?
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bluedlude »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you didnt have an aftermarket crank pulley by any chance did you?</TD></TR></TABLE>
no, I didn't. I was told to stay away from those by a few experienced mechanics.
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From: Rochester, NY, USA
Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (jaywoodz)
Wouldn't be surprised if your bolt got cross-threaded some how. If there was the slightest off-center rotation on that pulley it'd hold the belt for a while but all that tension/compression back and forth every single rotation, I could definitely see fatigue in 15,000 miles or much less.
I'd say it sucks that it happens, but I doubt you need a new crank... It's just the pulley. I'd investigate getting the remainder of the bolt out and trying to thread a new bolt in. If you have any hesitation while threading a new bolt in, you know you need the crank machined and really if you keep your eyes on ebay and the forums, you can probably snag a used crank for around $100, then get it micro-polished and balanced and be better off than you were before.
Goodluck man
Sorry to hear about this
I'd say it sucks that it happens, but I doubt you need a new crank... It's just the pulley. I'd investigate getting the remainder of the bolt out and trying to thread a new bolt in. If you have any hesitation while threading a new bolt in, you know you need the crank machined and really if you keep your eyes on ebay and the forums, you can probably snag a used crank for around $100, then get it micro-polished and balanced and be better off than you were before.
Goodluck man
Sorry to hear about this
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Re: so I was driving my prelude and.. (giddyup21)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by giddyup21 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Wouldn't be surprised if your bolt got cross-threaded some how. If there was the slightest off-center rotation on that pulley it'd hold the belt for a while but all that tension/compression back and forth every single rotation, I could definitely see fatigue in 15,000 miles or much less.
I'd say it sucks that it happens, but I doubt you need a new crank... It's just the pulley. I'd investigate getting the remainder of the bolt out and trying to thread a new bolt in. If you have any hesitation while threading a new bolt in, you know you need the crank machined and really if you keep your eyes on ebay and the forums, you can probably snag a used crank for around $100, then get it micro-polished and balanced and be better off than you were before.
Goodluck man Sorry to hear about this</TD></TR></TABLE>
I had thought of that, and it is possibly the reasoning behind it all. I'm going to try to figure it out and see if it's possible to get the rest of it out and re-thread it. Regardless it's going to have to come out which means pulling the engine is about to be a priority.
never thought about e-bay. Maybe someone has one here on HT?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWDVW
I'd say it sucks that it happens, but I doubt you need a new crank... It's just the pulley. I'd investigate getting the remainder of the bolt out and trying to thread a new bolt in. If you have any hesitation while threading a new bolt in, you know you need the crank machined and really if you keep your eyes on ebay and the forums, you can probably snag a used crank for around $100, then get it micro-polished and balanced and be better off than you were before.
Goodluck man
Sorry to hear about this</TD></TR></TABLE>I had thought of that, and it is possibly the reasoning behind it all. I'm going to try to figure it out and see if it's possible to get the rest of it out and re-thread it. Regardless it's going to have to come out which means pulling the engine is about to be a priority.
never thought about e-bay. Maybe someone has one here on HT?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWDVW
