Hey guys, my younger brother just bought a 94 prelude SI with an H23/5 speed. I tried to tell him to wait until I or someone else that knows a little about cars to show up and look at this car. But he couldn't wait and he bought it. The car looks great. Clean title and straight body and fresh paint. But when I first got to see it, he started it up, and the motor sounds like the valves are hitting. Its really loud. Just at idle. I took it for a drive and it just gets louder. He has no power with that car at all. It needs a new clutch for sure. You can just tell that clutch has just been dropped to many times. You don't feel any power until the motor reaches 5.5 RPM. This is his first car. He has been saving for about a year, and came up with $1800 for this car. It has been sitting for the last week, when we realized it had an integra alternator on it and destroyed his belt. So we have been waiting for the new alternator to get here. But I want to know if anyone has an idea on this.

I was thinking to adjust the valve lashing, but I don't know if that will buy him anymore time on this motor before he can save for another motor. Oh, and by the way, the previous owner had a fresh head rebuild done on this head. She has receipts for the parts that I saw, but a friend of the PO put it back together. Which got me thinking he F**ked up. But I don't know how much damage is done. I'm one of the guys that won't put something back together if the part is damaged. So thats why I don't want to yank the head off right now. I don't want to waste my time and do the valve lashing and nothing change. But I only have the weekends to work on his car (for free) and he needs it to get around and find a job. He doesn't have anymore money to pay for a shop to figure it out. So any advice would really help. I don't know much about preludes at all. And I have never encountered this problem. I have an integra. I have had many hondas in the past, but have always had pretty healthy motors. Thanks guys.

 

Sounds textbook for valve lash out of spec. You need feeler guages to adjust the valve lash (like $5), a FREE online manual page, wrench, flathead screwdriver, and something to turn the crank. Oh yea, and about 2 hours if this is your first time, 30 minutes if you already know what you are doing.

Each cylinder should have like 4 valves on that motor, right? Let the motor cool for at least 3-4 hours. Turn the crank to TDC on the cams, then adjust the 4 valves' lash on a certain cylinder, turn the crank 90* and adjust 4 valves' lash on another cylinder, etc, etc. Usually, the cylinder order is 1,3,4,2 - all with cams 90* out from each other, starting with #1 at TDC.

Read the manual and it simplifies everything with diagrams. Also, the manual tells you what feeler gauges to use. The motor is probably 100% fine but just needs the normal valve lash adjustment that all OHV motors need.

If you get another motor, please contact me. I want your motor or at least the piston rods from it.

 

Ok, I've adjusted the lashing before. I just didn't know if just doing the lashing would solve the problem for sure or not. The head just seems to be making way too much noise for just the lashing to be off. But I guess we might as well give it a shot. And I don't know how long it will take for my brother to save up the money for an H22. If he gets it pretty soon, I'll hit you up about his H23. But I honestly think it will be a few months before he can afford to get one. But thanks for the info.

 

if you have a timing light check the timing.