where to start, blown h22a4.. go jdm? - Honda Prelude Forum

merryfknpoppins · 03-28-2010, 03:33 PM

A bit new here and its been about 5 years since I was working on my last prelude. I've come into a 97sh that is quite well blown up. It looks like the previous owner ran a shot of nitrous that was a bit much for the engine and to boot the odometer reads 190k. Put #4 rod straight through the oil pan.

Either way, the interior is immaculate and the body is legit so I'm going to bring her back to the world of the living.

Where to start?

My thought was to drop a jdm motor in. I know their available and I've gotta pull to do anything so might as well if the price is right.

Pull the stock engine, sell everything i can off it and rebuild the head, maybe put the time into a port and polish job and use the sell of that to compensate the engine cost. Do the port/polish on the new jdm head.

Was thinking about a jdm h23 VTEC. Can I get some direction to write ups on that job? Whats the reality of the work involved with this? I see a lot of nightmare threads.

Second thought.. find a block. Drop the engine, rebuild the block I find. Do a killer head job.

Going to do my own port polish and assembly after the machine shop decks, cleans and pressure tests. Gonna have to buy some equipment to do the head assembly but I'm perfectly capable with a FSM.

Any opinions on cost comparison to get the car rebuilt between the two options?

The goal is to produce 240-250 NA hp at the wheels.

Chase97prelude · 03-28-2010, 05:43 PM

I don't believe anyone on this forum has done the h23a vtec swap, I've seen it on I believe preludepower.com, may wanna look it up on there. I don't see how it could be any different than the h22a, but good luck with your swap. Oh and with the sh tranny, pretty sure you'll have to swap it to a base model as well.

bouckarooo · 03-28-2010, 06:44 PM

full rebuild...would be great....

indylude18 · 03-28-2010, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase97prelude

I don't believe anyone on this forum has done the h23a vtec swap, I've seen it on I believe preludepower.com, may wanna look it up on there.

Wrong, somebody finally did it: H23 Update

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase97prelude

Oh and with the sh tranny, pretty sure you'll have to swap it to a base model as well.

Wrong again. Sh tranny only bolts up to Sh or type S block. If you want to use a base tranny or anything with a factory LSD you need a base engine. Obviously if you do that, ATTS will have to go.

Another thing to consider on the whole rebuild/swap debate is that the stock FRM sleeves in all the H series engines are not something that most machine shops work on everyday. If you cannot find a shop that knows how to hone them correctly and is experienced at it, rebuilding the engine is really not a option unless you resleeve. If the machine shop doesn't hone your sleeves correctly then your whole rebuild will go right down the crapper.

merryfknpoppins · 03-28-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indylude18

Wrong, somebody finally did it: H23 Update

Wrong again. Sh tranny only bolts up to Sh or type S block. If you want to use a base tranny or anything with a factory LSD you need a base engine. Obviously if you do that, ATTS will have to go.

Another thing to consider on the whole rebuild/swap debate is that the stock FRM sleeves in all the H series engines are not something that most machine shops work on everyday. If you cannot find a shop that knows how to hone them correctly and is experienced at it, rebuilding the engine is really not a option unless you resleeve. If the machine shop doesn't hone your sleeves correctly then your whole rebuild will go right down the crapper.

hummm..... well, the block I'm betting is pretty well screwed... im gonna drop the oil pan shortly and I ca only assume its going to be in terrible itty bitty pieces.

so if i want to go with an lsd on a h23 swap i need to find a base trans...

I can stick with my itts trans and I can bolt a jdm h23 vtec right up onto it.

Where is this gonna leave me in terms of doing a port and polish as well as cams and valves? Wondering if the performance parts are going to be available at reasonable prices

it looks like its just my block thats sauced. I'm gonna be doing 90% of the work and I've got a budget from 1200 to 1500.

Wana stick with a stock crank as beefing up the lower end is just to expensive. Maybe a just knife and balance the crank instead. I'd like to produce 230 to 240 hp to the wheel.

Whats a good price on a short block to start rebuilding from?

merryfknpoppins · 03-28-2010, 10:55 PM

the blunder of my price range... more research happening. i will get back to this.

Chase97prelude · 03-29-2010, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indylude18

Wrong again. Sh tranny only bolts up to Sh or type S block. If you want to use a base tranny or anything with a factory LSD you need a base engine. Obviously if you do that, ATTS will have to go.

Yes, but I was saying if you swapped in an h22a or h23a vtec, your atts would practically be dead weight. Also, you said it only bolts up to an Sh or type s block, which means when I said you'll have to swap it to a base model transmission I was correct. Now I have heard the Sh is possible to use by changing the driver side axle and fabricating a bracket, but if you wanna get your numbers up it would probably be best to shave off any dead weight you can. I do agree about the frm sleeves, no shop here can do them while maintaining the integrity of the engine so I'd check around a lot before trusting just anybody. 1200-1500 sounds quite unreasonable for a rebuild though.

indylude18 · 03-29-2010, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merryfknpoppins

I can stick with my atts trans and I can bolt a jdm h23 vtec right up onto it.

No. The H23 VTEC motor also only came from Honda with an automatic transmission, so you would need to find the engine and a base model manual transmission separately.

This is one of very few reputable places to buy used jdm engines: http://hmotorsonline.com/shop/sc2000...USDM%20Engines

Chase97prelude · 03-29-2010, 12:24 PM

^Well yes, I'm completely aware. Apparently there was a misunderstanding somewhere along the lines.

merryfknpoppins · 03-29-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase97prelude

Yes, but I was saying if you swapped in an h22a or h23a vtec, your atts would practically be dead weight. Also, you said it only bolts up to an Sh or type s block, which means when I said you'll have to swap it to a base model transmission I was correct. Now I have heard the Sh is possible to use by changing the driver side axle and fabricating a bracket, but if you wanna get your numbers up it would probably be best to shave off any dead weight you can. I do agree about the frm sleeves, no shop here can do them while maintaining the integrity of the engine so I'd check around a lot before trusting just anybody. 1200-1500 sounds quite unreasonable for a rebuild though.

I would not mind maintaining the atts.. im a corners kinda character and I am not looking for more than 230hp to the wheels (where i read the atts disengages)

I would also like to modify the gearing to bring the hp down and the torque up, is this possible with the current drive train?

Were talking about a drive train though that has a 190k on it... Whats the most plausible reality on the drive train in terms of getting it back in action?

As for the money.. I intended to do almost everything as far as work goes. I know I'll need a shop to do the hone and deck surfacing. Any question on prices.

Just trying mostly to get a running prelude out of a busted one. Money is an issue so the budget is in mind.

Whats the real value of a rebuilt head?

I figure the best bang for my buck sticking to stock internals would be a knife edge and balance on the crank and a port polish job on the head.. right? Nothing too agressive on the head, something patience and a Dremel can nock out.

I really can't decide what the best path is here so in big part im just looking for some experienced advice.