Almost time for 90K Maintenance - advice - Honda Prelude Forum

98SH_Stocker · 03-05-2003, 07:43 AM

My lude is coming up for it's 90K maintenance. According to my service records and Honda's schedules, this is what will be done when I go in:

Oil Change
Air filter
Check/Flush Coolant system
Check brakes/fluid (likely time for new pads)
Replace Manual Transmission fluid
Replace ATTS fluid
Inspect/adjust valve clearance
inspect/adjust drive belt

How much is this going to cost, and are there any other suggestons on service at this interval? Any parts that i should think aobut replacing that may be worn out that I would wise to replace before failure or simpley to improve drving feel? i was thinking about new shocks to give the car that new 'solid' feel again. I'm staying stock height, etc. so I'd love suggestions on stock replacement shocks. Thx.

preludeVTec · 03-05-2003, 08:16 AM

man...i need one very soon.....infos will be useful!

GroverzVTEC · 03-05-2003, 08:21 AM

Might want to replace the timing belt...it is wicked expensive but way better than your motor blowing from a skipped tooth...and you could save on labor by having them do all those things at once.

Loads and loads and loads of shock options available...search would give more info than I care to put down right now

ThatPreludeGuy · 03-05-2003, 08:27 AM

I concur on the timing belt, if you haven't done it already 90k is ripe! I'd do the timing belt, autotensioner, valve adjustment, and fluid flushes and you should be good to go. I'm not sure what else has or hasn't been replaced. i.e. cap, rotor, plugs, wires, fuel filter, etc...

fmshaw1971 · 03-05-2003, 09:21 AM

The only thing you might not want to do yourself is adjusting the valves. You can change all the fluids and save yourself some $$$. The timing belt was $390 at a dealer for me. The auto tensioner adds another $150-200 and so does the water pump on top of that. My total bill was $590 for the belt and pump, but they knocked off 10% and my auto tensioner was covered under Hondacare.

99_SH · 03-05-2003, 09:28 AM

Ya, definatley get the timing belt done. I would also change the seals(cam, crank, balancer)

edit: also get new plugs

ywwong · 03-05-2003, 12:04 PM

how about 30K ?

hustler904 · 03-05-2003, 02:42 PM

the auto tensioner actually needs to be replaced at 90k??

fmshaw1971 · 03-05-2003, 03:18 PM

I'd say it's about 50/50. If you install the new belt there is a good chance the auto tensioner will start squeaking indicating it is worn. It's a pretty cheap part, like the belt, but it's the labor that eats you up. While you are in there, you might as well do the tensioner rather than wait 20k miles till you have to do it.

Bluluded · 03-05-2003, 03:35 PM

spark plugs need to be replaced too. Platinums are suppose to last 100k but might as well replace them while doing valve adj. Honda charges $17 a peice for NGK platinums.
Danny

fmshaw1971 · 03-05-2003, 04:23 PM

$17 a piece?!?!?! I bought Denso Iridiums for less than that!

Seriously though, the 90k tuneup will set you back close to $300 alone at a dealer, plus another $400-700 for the timing belt, tensioner, and water pump depending on what you have done.

With basic tools and the posts on this board you can do everything but the valve adjustment by yourself. That will run you about $65 at a dealer, but that will leave you $200 towards the timing belt etc which you probably could not do yourself without a lot of experience.

Things you should also change are plugs ($10), wires ($60), distributor rotor($25), distributor cap ($20), and maybe even the fuel filter($10). Oh yeah, also a Helms manual ($50) All of this is pretty cheap as long as you do it yourself. Otherwise you could theoritically spend over $1000 on everything if you went to a dealer.

If you did all this and replaced your shocks, you would think your car was new again.

98SH_Stocker · 03-05-2003, 10:28 PM

fmhsaw1971 - are your prices my cost from buying the parts at the dealer or what? If not, where do you reccomend buying stock parts.

fmshaw1971 · 03-05-2003, 11:42 PM

If you buy it all at once, then go to an online OEM dealer like Majestic Honda etc. There are several of them. You will pay shipping obviously, but you can cut maybe 20% off those prices at an online dealer. I quoted the approximate prices from a local dealer. I know because I just changed virtually all of the ones I mentioned. You could also find a place that will charge less than the $390 a dealer wants to change the timing belt if you know a mechanic that you trust. Oh yeah, avoid the $17 spark plugs!!! For that you could get iridium plugs. Just get a $2 copper plug and change it out every two years for best results and you'll still save money in the long run.

Buy the parts and try to do most of the work yourself. If you have any problems just post them and someone will surely give you the answers. When you change the tranny fluid, have a nice clean 3 foot length of 3/8" vinyl tubing and a fresh funnel--it makes things sooo much easier.

fmshaw1971 · 03-05-2003, 11:48 PM

If you buy it all at once, then go to an online OEM dealer like Majestic Honda etc. There are several of them. You will pay shipping obviously, but you can cut maybe 20% off those prices at an online dealer. I quoted the approximate prices from a local dealer. I know because I just changed virtually all of the ones I mentioned. You could also find a place that will charge less than the $390 a dealer wants to change the timing belt if you know a mechanic that you trust. Oh yeah, avoid the $17 spark plugs!!! For that you could get iridium plugs. Just get a $2 copper plug and change it out every two years for best results and you'll still save money in the long run.

mickey99us · 03-05-2003, 11:59 PM

do it all, make your car last another 90k

preludeVTec · 03-06-2003, 12:54 AM

im doing timing belt and water pump and etc for around 480

allaw · 03-06-2003, 02:56 PM

from my experience when i did my 60k maintenance. Different dealers have different list of items that they will do. I got quotes from 4 different honda dealer and all their prices were different, ranging from $350 too $600. So do your homework, check their prices, get a work list and decide which one could be the most economical.

Mw182006 · 03-08-2003, 12:45 PM

Hey all,

I plan on doin as much as this as I can Sunday since I'm comin up on 90k too. Here are the prices Advance Auto Parts gave me:

Bosch Platinum (4) : $23.96 - Are they worth the extra few bucks?
Distribuition Cap : $14.19
Distribution Rotor : $7.99
Plug Wires : $63.99 - The ticket says XACT, would I be better off calling Honda or looking online?
Air Filter : $15.99 - Should I replace this if I plan on gettin AEM CAI soon?
Fuel Filter : $19.99
PCV Valve : $2.49
Transmission Fluid : $4.99 - Does it matter which type/brand I put in?

I think I'm pretty much set. Now, I found write-ups on changing my rotor/cap/wires, can anyone point me in the right direction for flushing my fluids? Trans. fluid is the one I really don't know how to do...i'll be consulting my manual later.