I have a 1997 automatic prelude and my transmission is going out I don’t want to swap it to a 5spd but I also don’t want to put in the same transmission. What can I swap it for? Something that won’t require too much modification

 

Manual swap

 

For the automatic you have two choices.

98-02 Accord F23 AT
2.528
1.427
.931
.620
4.466

1998 Odyssey F23 AT(one year wonder)
2.736
1.566
1.081
.731
4.785

For comparison your original M6HA
97-01 Prelude H22AT
2.528
1.427
.976
.653
4.785

Accord for those MPGeees
Ody for better acceleration at the cost of top end speed and freeway rpms.
3200rpm @65MPH Odyssey
2800rpm @65MPH Prelude
2500rpm @65MPH Accord

For highway cruising, the Accord transmission may offer some MPG improvements, however with the short stroke of the H22 the car will be a dog off the line.

The TC on the Ody and the Accord will probably be a larger diameter than on the Prelude.
This may require a change of drive plate(flex plate) on the engine to the new Accord or Ody driveplate if you wish to maintain an all ODY or Accord TC/Trans combo.
IMO, if you are going for maximum acceleration, keep the Prelude TC(rebuilt) with the Ody transmission.

As for theoretical speed limits with a redline of 7500rpm.
153MPH with Ody transmission, this is the most realistically capable with unmodified body and the H22s 197HP
172MPM with Lude transmission, which would require some aero mods ~500HP to get that fast.
194MPH with Accord transmission, if the transmission doesn't explode and you have done some extensive aero mods, easily 6-700HP will be required.