my prelude is screwed - Honda Prelude Forum

yais · 03-30-2009, 05:50 PM

so i just took my car to the shop cause i realized i was leaking fluid...
turns out i' racked up a $3600 bill

could anyone help me out with letting me know what's easily fixable myself or with a couple buddies?

my oil pan gasket is leaking- need to replace the filter, then put oil back in.

the front crankshaft seal is leaking- need to replace the seal as well as the camshaft seal

the distributor seal is leaking- i need to replace the o ring

the rack and pinion boot on the right side is torn and leaking- i need to replace the steering gear rack and pinion

the oil filter housing gasket is leaking- i need to replace the gaskets

the boot on the left outer CV axle is dry, rotted, torn, and leaking- i need to replace the left front cv axle

(below are non leaks)

brake fluid flush- is that easy to do?
power steering flush- is that easy?

MLBZ521 · 03-30-2009, 05:56 PM

$3,600 to replace seals and do a brake flush and power steering flush........?
Insurance would total the car for that kinda bill..... lol
And that's normal maintenance things..

Lulz, Did you have "STUPID WITH LOTS OF CASH" written on your forhead? And "RAPE MY WALLET PLZ" on your back? -_-

I'd think you should be able to do most of that if you had the rigth tools.. And you some what know what you're doing at the same times..
Get a Helms Manual and read the replacement steps a few times before you start and before you buy anything..

lude4lifeh22 · 03-30-2009, 06:32 PM

Ummmm, hold on. What year is your car and how many miles?

And what sparked this repair bill? Did you say you have problems? Because it seriously sounds like some dickhead shop is making up **** to pull money out of you. To suddenly have all those things needed replaced etc without any prior symptoms seems highly suspicious.

I think you are getting owned by a shop. Get second opinion and don't tell the other place that someone already gave you all these items to be done.

SNsLude · 03-30-2009, 07:06 PM

Man you can buy my 4th gen as it is for $3600 if you want. Low milage jdm h22 with everything working just fine and dandy. Do NOT pay the shop, that's just ridiculous.

Come to think of it... my swap with engine cost and a few other things cost around $2000 altogether to put into some perspective for you.

lude4lifeh22 · 03-30-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNsLude

Man you can buy my 4th gen as it is for $3600 if you want. Low milage jdm h22 with everything working just fine and dandy. Do NOT pay the shop, that's just ridiculous.

Come to think of it... my swap with engine cost and a few other things cost around $2000 altogether to put into some perspective for you.

+1

In fact, walk in there and tell them they are lying sacks of sh!t. I mean seriously, they must be desperate to be trying to land that big of a scam on you.

minilogoguy18 · 03-30-2009, 07:54 PM

I just did an axle replacement and granted I was out in central FL where my dad lives and has a shop it still probably woulda been pretty easy as long as you have the tools and that's probably the more difficult of your list. Get some basic tools and you could do all of this especially if you had a few friends to lend a hand, mainly with the axle cause it makes it easier when you have someone holding the hub to give clearance to remove/replace the axle.

yais · 03-30-2009, 08:25 PM

well, actually i got screwed at the get go.
when i bought the car, it was used with 50k on the block 122k on the body..
i bought it about a month ago, and i don't know too much about cars

it was like 3500, and the guy flat out lied to me about everything.
i got his liscense and everything but turns out he pulled a fake id on me.

so i decide, whatever, it seems alright... and take it to the shop to get an inspection.
and then this happens...

and what the hell mlb? you're seriously going to flame me for an estimate someone else gave me? the only reason why it's so much is their charging me out the ass with labor (roughly 1500) and parts (cv axle -110) (Pinion and rack- 400) (catalytic converter and exhaust-450)

i mean, gaskets really aren't hard to replace... but considering that i don't have a lift available for my random use i can't really get under my car and remove the exhaust, pinion and rack, etc...

i guess i could just jack it up and hope for the best, but it's still going to be a *****.
i'm only 17 and am leaving for college in 2 months, so i have like zero cash (after all this stuff) and need steady transportation from austin to houston...

i just really want to do it myself and get at least 1-2 grand out of the picture

(edit: i've got a 95 lude with a JDM H22A roughly 50k on the block, DC Headers, Cold air intake)

bboixtc · 03-30-2009, 11:07 PM

Wow. Rape.

You live and learn.

MLBZ521 · 03-31-2009, 01:08 AM

lol, Calm down dood..

I wasn't flaming you..

Just saying that it sounded like the shop either 1) Thought you were young and Mommy and Daddy would pay for it, or 2) Your appearance said "money" and they thought they could squeeze every little cent out of you..
Not trying to offend you.. Sorry it seemed that way..

Jack it up, throw jack stands under it, and start-a-wrenching.

If it is a JDM H22A, I'd assume the previous owner had it swapped in without changing the seals, gaskets, etc... Do you know if the Timing Belt was replaced????

yais · 03-31-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

If it is a JDM H22A, I'd assume the previous owner had it swapped in without changing the seals, gaskets, etc... Do you know if the Timing Belt was replaced????

doubt it, it's torn...

i got most of my questions answered.

all that i think i gotta really get fixed is rack and pinion, and an alignment.

mooncaller · 03-31-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Problems still there...
Brakes need lubrication, pads and rotors are good, just squeaky, I mean, we checked them, probably has to do with living in FL.
A/C condenser needs replacing, may be leaking.
Distributor coil may be bad, rough starts in the morning.
My speedometer has a thing where it likes to jump, and then go back down, and not be accurate...
Engine oil leak, this deserves it's own paragraph.

Got this diagnosed, and here's what the mechanic had to tell me, the following needs to be replaced:
Crankshaft oil seal
Oil pan gasket
Valve cover gasket
Distributor holder / gasket
Rear main oil seal
So yeah... parts plus labor on that is going to cost ~$1300+ on the one estimate I got.
Also discovered at this time is that my left front CV boot is pretty well gone, I plan on having that fixed by the end of the week.

Quoting myself, cause I had a lot of the same problems...

New to forum, 1994 Prelude Si

I ended up replacing my CV Boot at a Honda dealership for ~$200... sucks when you don't have your own place to do stuff...

But yeah...

As for my engine, I just keep an extra quart or two in the trunk, and check the oil level often. My seals are leaky, but at the same time it doesn't leak all that heavily except on long hauls (like Miami to Orlando and back).

That's my experience so far...

- Corey

yais · 03-31-2009, 12:53 PM

yeah, thats what i'm most likely going to do as well...

first priorities are the timing belt, cv axle, exhaust then rack and pinion

rest isn't bad enough to cause substantial problems

MLBZ521 · 03-31-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yais

doubt it, it's torn...

i got most of my questions answered.

all that i think i gotta really get fixed is rack and pinion, and an alignment.

Your Timing belt is TORN?????

It that is so, you need to replace that NOW! You'll could bend valves if it snaps.... :S
Also, I would swap on a Manual Tensioner Conversion and loose the Auto Tensioner if it has that still..