I'm looking for some advice on my current car situation.
I have a 2000 prelude base w/ ~120k miles on it. About a week ago while driving the engine did this wierd surge, like I had just downshifted. Ever since then its been making this horrible tapping/clunking noise.
I took it into the dealership and they susspect a bent connecting rod in cylinder 4. They also quoted me ~$4100 for a new motor.
Now Im pretty sure the car is worth maybe $6-7k total in perfect condition. And Im not sure if spending that amount of money in the car is worth it.
Do you guys think I should try and sell the car and use whatever I get out of it add in $4k and get a new car? If so to whom would I sell a car that has engine problems and likely needs a new motor?

 

The tapping noise on the bottom end is sometimes related to bearings gone bad, which is not strange in this motors, specially when you over rev your engine often or running low on oil.
About the $4100 quote they gave you, lol, look for a good healthy H22 online and forget about paying that much for a new motor, you can always get a low mileage H22a imported from japan for around $1000 to $1200 depending where you buy it, get a hold of someone who does engine swaps, which is very common now adays, and you're good to go, I got my engine swapped for $350, but everything's cheap here where I live.
Im my opinion, avoid the dealership unless you're just buying oem parts like gaskets and stuff like that, engines are crazy espensive almost at any dealership.
I would just keep the car and enjoy that H22a. Good luck!

 

keep the car, look up on the internet how to take the head off your motor or pay a kid down the street to take it out, you shld not pay 4k for a h series engine

 

Get a low-mileage jdm longblock from hmotorsonline and call it a day.