I have a 89 honda prelude si. Just alittle history on the car. It was previously owned by a older couple. It got very lightly re-ended. Only had 98k miles when I got it. It now has 110k miles.

The problem, is that I have spent about $3000 fixing this car. The first time the timing belt broke. The mechanic put a used head on it. Fixed it up. Put about another 5k miles on it. Ran great. Felt like a brand new car. Then the timing belt broke again, coming off a small hill doing about 60-70 mph. It was the timing belt again. This time, I just went and got one of those used engines from japan with (about) 30k miles on them. This time it didn't run like new. It had a very slight misfire when going up large hills. Overall, it just didn't have all the power it used to. Then the timing belt broke again. This time my dad and I looked at it. The timing belt had broke in two different spots.

Right now, I just want to know how to fix this problem. But I'm not asking someone to figure this out for me. I would just like to know everyones opinion on my idea of what the problem would be. My dad has worked on alot of vehicles - and had a similar problem with a truck. However, it was breaking a timing chain. It turned out that the catalytic converter was stuffed with oil. He cleaned it out, and fixed the engine for a fourth time, and it didn't break the chain anymore.

Anyhow, he suggested this to me. We took the catalytic converter off, and sure enough, the glass had melted into a 5" ball in the middle. I have talked with many local mechanics, and they all say this is unlikely to be the problem. But how could I have the same problem with more than one engine?? Also, each time the belt broke, I was coming off a hill. Either way, I would like as many opinions as possible before I decide to fix this car a third time.... please?

 

I've never heard of a clogged cat doing that...

Maybe the timing belt was over-tensioned or a failing tensioner assembly?

 

That's what we thought origanally. However, being a totally different engine - wouldn't that be highly unlikey?

We've looked at most of the more likely stuff - such as maybe the head was shaved to much, (don't know technical name but - ) the oil regulator for the bottom of the engine might have gotten taken out and not replaced... etc. Right now I've got nothing. I'm looking at wasting a prefectly good car (in one sense), for the seemingly fixable problem.