High-milage rebuild?? - Honda Prelude Forum

pIERCE · 05-09-2009, 07:31 PM

Hey all, I just wanted to throw this out there.

I have a 2001 base 5-spd with 191K miles on it. I may be taking some auto-engine type classes over the next year, and if the projects I have don't use up all of the time, than I thought I might tear into my lude--as long as I have the help, a helms and an instructor, Ithink I'd be good.

But my concern is, would my block be rebuildable with such High milage? The cylinder liners made out of "XXX"(can't remember...ftv?) supposedly are hard and expensive to replace or work with, so would it be rebuildable(would there be enough material?) or would I just need a new block.

From what I've been reading the last year, cars with my mileage aren't going for very much, and if I sell it here in the next couple years...or hell...if I keep it!, I'd like to know it has some very reliable life left.

As of now it runs perfect with ALL maintenance kept up; the only bad thing is it eats up a quart of synth every 600-700 miles....

(my main motive for a rebuild in the next year.

If I can cut out most of the cost of labor AND learn how to rebuild the engine, I'd say that's a pretty big win.....

What do you yall think??

H22a2vtec · 05-09-2009, 10:39 PM

forget the rebuilt buy a low millage jdm engine ftw

pIERCE · 05-10-2009, 02:12 PM

Yeah, and I though about that...

But I still want to knwo, would the block be rebuildable or not.

I understand most people would still do a swap. But the cost might actualy be lower if I rebuild my current engine myself rather than do a swap.

bouckarooo · 05-10-2009, 04:49 PM

It is rebuidable, but for the amount of money it is going to cost you may be better off with a lower mileage engine. Realistically the only exspensive part of doing the rebuild if the machine work and labour, the parts are fairly cheap; new sleeves, rods and pistons with rings, bearings and have the crank machined, balanced and knife edged, the labour is gonna get you though and remeber you pay for what you get, make sure the people installing the sleeves know what thier doing and they are gonna do a good job. Then there is the head work, lots of parts and lots of labour too.

pIERCE · 05-10-2009, 09:05 PM

I would be doing this in a class up at my local college so technically the labor wouldn't be that much....

However, like you said, you get what you paid for, and I don't have the experience to do everything as well as it would need to be done, thus making my rebuild a ****ty one if that......

I guess I just solved my own dilemma(with your help of course).....Now only if JDM swaps were "smogable" here in CA.......

BB6eLUDEr · 05-13-2009, 08:38 PM

See the only thing that really confuses me about my engine is that my gas mileage so far has been pretty good. I've been getting 23-25mpg repeatedly and thats with mixed driving (spirited/city/hwy/granny) And my car is fully stock.

I would assume that burning oil would decrease my gas mileage a great amount since the spark plugs would foul faster. And just to add the last 2 times i pulled my plugs they looked fine. How about yours ????

pIERCE · 05-14-2009, 12:20 AM

To be honest, I haven't checked them in the last couple of oil changes....SHAME ON ME!!!

And to tell you something else, I'll get the tools to do it and check them tomorrow evening!

Thank you for reminding me.

But anyways, the last two times I've checked them(been a while, like I said) they were normally black with some white, no different than any other plug from other healthy engines I've seen,a dn they just cleaned right up and no problems at all.

BB6eLUDEr · 05-14-2009, 12:52 AM

hows your gas mileage ???

pIERCE · 05-14-2009, 12:59 AM

I have calculated that it's never better or worse than 24-25. I've never gotten better, never worse, but I don't watch it all the time any more. I was doing the math over a year ago. I don't fill up either, so i can't use those calculations. I can watch it closer over the next few weeks for the hell of it, sounds challenging, haven't done it for a while.

Yeah, I get to interact with my car!!!!!

BB6eLUDEr · 05-14-2009, 01:10 AM

lol funny, sounds like me after a year of owning this lude. Right now im hawking my gas mileage, mainly bc Im worried about the oil prob and bc Im trying to pinch every mile out of my gas tank lol. I bet you after a while im gonna get over this whole MPG thingamajig. So we'll wait and see what you get. That'll really confuse the hell out of us if your gas mileage is still good lol.

wreckdiver · 05-14-2009, 01:51 PM

Have you tried switch to a slighly thicker, non synthetic, high quality oil? I have heard of some guys whose cars don't like synthetic.

pIERCE · 05-14-2009, 02:18 PM

Believe it or not, I changed TO full synth at 180K. But unfortuantely, I, for some reason, never measured my oil consumption(when using conventional)....? I don't know why? I watched it carefully and never let it get more than 1/3 qurt low, but I never actually measured it.

I do measure my oil consumption now with synth.

The way I see it, is, I've already changed, and my engine has such high milage that the synth should make it last longer. Even if it eats it up like crazy, it will at least last a while.

Will using synth make my engine last longer than conventional? I think so, but I don't know so....

My car leaks a little oil, but you only see it on the bottom of the engine, there is not on the floor of my garage, period.(I've heard you lose more oil when driving than when sitting)