I try to start my car the other day and it wouldn't start. I just found out the timming belt has broke and the valves are bent. I own a 1993 Honda Prelude. 4WS. What should I do? The grage is saying $1200 but could be more. Should I try to do this my self? Would I be better off replacing the entire engine? Is there any instructions on how to change the belt and the valves. Keep in mind I don't have that much money... so I'm planning on puttin the car in my friends garage and working on it slowly. What should I DO?? Please help! I would like to thank everyone that has taken the time to read and reply to this posting! Thanks!

 

Not worth it...

get a JDM H22A and an 4ws VTEC ecu

 

How much is the parts? How much labor time? What kind of equipment do I need? Keep in mind that I am not trying to imporve the cars performance. I just want to fix it so that I will be able to get to work and back. What is my most efficient option? The reason I am asking is cuase my car body has a lot of damange from a hail storm! Again thanx for answering my questions!

 

Hey man, I would just buy a used H23 head and slap it on your shortblock. Hopefully, your pistons aren't bad now.

If you lived closer I have an H23 complete swap for sale.

 

Main cost is labor. Have to pull the head. Maybe 200 in parts, depending how many bent valves and other dammage.

 

Just buy a used head. There is too much machine work involved to replace valves. I did mine myself, head swap that is, and it took very long the first time. I'm pretty good machanically, if your not don't try. It does hurt to try. Either do the fix that the shop wants to do or swap on a used head. The H22 will be about 1000 more....but you'd also gain 40 hp...which is worth 1000 for sure. I like my H23 though and wouldn't trade it for v-tec. Mike

 

at work a valve job is 120 dollars and valves are like 12 dollars each.
timing belt is i think 60
balancer shaft belt is like 40..
and a head gasket kit is like 120 or so

regulardless u will have to pull the head and get a head gasket kit.

 

I had that happen on my 88 Lude. Have you tried to have the timing belt replaced and then start the car? When my belt snapped the car just died and I took it to the shop and they told me that I possibly bent one of the valves, now since I was shifting into second gear when this happened it didn't do a lot of damage. I think that my valve is bent, however it is still drivable (with a new timing belt of course) the only negative aspect is that it idles a little rougher than it used to. So I think if you just went out to start it one day and it wouldn't start the belt might be all you need and the valves could be bent a little bit, but the car could still be operational

 

i have a h23 head i can sell you, it doesnt have the cams with it but i can sell it to you for like 30+ shipping if you want it

 

I will give you my H23 Head complete for 50 shipped. Let me know

 

why the heck would you buy an H23 head? The good frankenstein H-series swap is the H23 bottom end with the H22 head. I have an H22 head, but you dont' wanna buy it, it's too expensive. But it also has Skunk2 cams, cam gears, valve springs, and retainers, and ferrera valves. But I think I'm just buying a stock short block, finally.
Anyway, good luck. try to find a good H22 head! That's just imo though...

 

CHK4TIX and prelude22085 are your heads complete and in good condition?

 

how many miles were on your car !!!!!

 

Thank you all for the responses.

Seems like my best option is to replace the head. I am not very familiar with this stuff so I might be asking a lot of dumb questions. Other than the head I will need to buy as many valves I will need to replace? Is that correct?

My car I think had about 150K miles on it. Somewhere around that range. The head on this car was previously replaced I belive. I looked at the engine and there were numbers marked on it. It looked like what they have at the scarp yards. So i'm thinking if that is the head.. it was replaced b4.

Are there ne instructions anywhere that will help me do the head swap and whatever else I need to do.

Thanks again.

 

mine is in great condition, there where 10900 miles on the engine when i pulled it out. I can put pics up or pm me with you email address and i can send you some.

 

DAMN!! You guys are selling those heads for CHEAP!!!
I sold my old complete H23 head for $200.

If I were you... I would jump on one of these.

 

If money is the issue then I would suggest doing it yourself. I also had bent valves when I got my lude. I paid 12$ a piece for the valves, $40 for head gasket, about $26 a piece for two rocker arms. You'll need a socket set a feeler gauge, torque wrench, and a few metric wrenches. Just take your time and use common sense. Anything you see attached to the head you will have to disconnect. The intake manifold has a couple of nuts that are tough to get to, you may have to reach them from under the car. Pull the cams, the caps holding them down are marked intake and exhaust. The proper way is to label your rocker arms on which side and cylinder they come off of, same goes for the head bolts, but i just chunked everything into a bucket. With the cams out youll have access to your head bolts. Loosen them in a criss cross like pattern. They will be tight, so have a breaker bar or cheater pipe handy. Once you have the head off, you are ready to take the valves out. Since I couldn't find the right valve spring compressor in my area, I used the open end of a wrench and a c-clamp (better to have an extra set of hands if you do it this way.) Dont loose those little keepers.
Like I said , just use common sense and be patient, or you could disregard this post and buy a manual to help you along. Youll need it for the torque specs anyway.

 

I say go buy yourself a helms or chiltons if your gonna do this. We just pulled the head off of my buddy's new b20, which is goin in his civic and it wasn't to hard. Just fallow the book and make sure you have the tools.

 

God... if you don't know how, or have never done it, then don't even attempt it by yourself.

If you really feel brave, then find a Helms manual (chilton... HA.. what a joke) and follow along like a Dr. Suess book.

My personal advice:
Buy a used head from one of these guys for $50, and have a shop put that thing on. $50? That's so cheap it's almost retarded. LOL

If you really need some help, and you REALLY REALLY want to do it yourself, send me an email:
Todd@import-enthusiasts.com

 

Thank you all for answering my questions! Yes I am serious about doing this my self and I am planning on having couple mechanic friends help me out. God knows I'm gonna need it! I should have the car in my friends garage tonight and hopefully by tomarrow I'll know exactly what all needs to get fixed and check if any of the valves got bent. Please keep sending me your suggestions!

Thanks

 

My H23 Head has 60,000 miles on it. Good condition.

 

Can you let me know how much its gonna cost mee to get that shipped to me.
Thankx

 

Does anyone have a comple H23 Head for sale??????

 

im still stuck on getting stock valves for $12
show me where that can happen

A head for $50 is like a free lapdance from Ms October... dont turn it down..

haha (only todd will get my joke)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lildrgn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">(only todd will get my joke)</TD></TR></TABLE>
i got it, but then again, i gots tha inside info