Prelude won't start!!!! - Honda Prelude Forum

1996 lude si · 01-17-2012, 06:28 PM

This may not be the place to post this but here goes nothing. I bought a 96 honda prelude si (h23a1) a couple of years ago with a blown motor. I then proceeded to put an h23a3 (European engine) into the car.... Since the car is set up for OBD2 i had to get an oil pump for a 96 with the crank shaft position sensor and also reused my original distributor....So basically just used the block/head and all my accessories and sensors. Before the original motor was every replaced it had no codes from the CEL.

After getting the motor in we were having a heck of a hard time getting it to start. When we finally did get it started and running it was throwing a P0335 (crank shaft position sensor malfunction). The sensor was believed to be good. While it was running you could not rev it over 2500 rpm and would not go over 30 when driven. From my understanding this means it has gone into limp mode. Anyways after careful inspection of the new motor in the car i was getting a lot of oil build up in cylinder number 2.

Instead of messing with this motor any farther I proceeded to buy another h23a1 block with no known problems and put my original head on it. I also bought a brand new oil pump and crankshaft position sensor. We got the motor put completely together and put it in the car... It took the car a few minutes to fire up but it fired up and sounded a little rough. We lifted the car up into the air (on a hoist) to inspect the bottom and noticed a pretty severe oil leak coming from the timing cover side of the engine. Turned the vehicle off right away and noticed there was not a CEL on at that time. The oil leak had stopped as well. Checked the oil added some more... Tried to start it again and got it to run for a couple of seconds and the CEL popped back on with the same P0335 code from the previous motor (we had cleared the computer since then). The oil only seems to leak when its running but it is a severe oil leak. It has all brand new seals and gaskets. I thought that maybe it was coming from the oil pump/balance shaft housing part...So i replaced the o-ring style seal. Turned it over a few motor times and still noticed the leak. Looking up a little higher its wet where the head meets the block by the timing cover.

By this time I'm very frustrated with this car. I then proceeded to take it to the local Honda Dealer. They came to the conclusion that the exhaust is plugged and was causing it to not run. He reset the timing to where it was right on time. They said they got it to run but was very difficult to start and it lost a huge amount of oil. They tried telling me the oil leak was coming from the rear main seal...(this is also brand new and there is no oil leaking from it). I mentioned this and they said oh well it looked a bit dirty. They were unable to tell me where the oil leak was coming from. The honda tech also checked compression before he reset the timing and he said the compression per cylinder was about a 100 psi. After checking the timing and adjusting it he rechecked it. The readingss were about 150 psi straight across the board stating that it had decent compression. He also said that i have a bottom end noise.

When i went to pick up the car i asked them to start it for me so I could hear it. He was unable to start it at that time. He also mentioned that even after adjusting the timing the CEL is still on with the same code but my sensor was doing what it was suppose to do and the computer was also doing the right thing as well. I took the car home and it has sat ever since and NO ONE has touched it since the tech at HONDA touched it. Two nights ago (it has sat for about a month now) we went to start it after unhooking the down pipe from the manifold and to check the oil leak. The car just turned over like it had absolutely no spark. Pulled a wire and checked spark. Absolutely nothing..... I took all my parts to my workand compared them to all new parts (ignition coil and distributor) after ohming them out everything matches what readings i got out of the new parts. I tried a different distributor (one that i know for a fact is good). Still no spark. I then checked to make sure i had power to the coil and then to the distributor. I have both. I checked ground as well. I have ground.

This is where I'm stuck at. I dont know where to go next with this car. if the oil leak was coming from the head gasket i would assume i would have bad/low compression. It seems to me to be coming from up higher but IDK where. it has a brand new permadry felpro valve cover gasket and so forth... If any one has any suggestions on where to start or what to try or what is wrong PLEASE respond... I am so frustrated.

daleh22 · 01-19-2012, 09:05 AM

Check ur ignition fuse....an I bet it might be the crankshaft position sensor.

1996 lude si · 01-24-2012, 06:39 PM

not the crankshaft position sensor... brand new sensor... ignition fuse is fine. i have power going to the distributor and the coil... tried another distributor as well... still no spark

minilogoguy18 · 01-24-2012, 07:06 PM

When you put the pump on did you get the new lower timing gear that is needed, they are different between OBD1 and 2. All H and F series engines had a TSB on the front balance shaft seal pushing out because of the high oil pressure of these engines, pull the timing covers and check. If oil has soaked the t-belt then replacement of that, the balance belt and 5 seals behind those covers is necessary. I say the seals too because do you really wanna keep going behind those covers to fix oil leaks?

1996 lude si · 01-24-2012, 07:34 PM

that has ALL been replaced...other than most of them being FEL pro crap... i did replace the main balance shaft seal... brand new oil pump. brand new timing belt and tensioner (gates...i know shoulda been a honda) yes i replaced the timing gear with a honda oem one... brand new crank shaft position sensor... oil isnt getting anywhere on the belt... its running off the ridge on the oil pump... belt looks dry and clean

minilogoguy18 · 01-25-2012, 04:56 AM

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...3ss001_e16.png

So you bought a gear that is #17 in that pic?

Gates is good, them and bando make all Honda belts.

1996 lude si · 01-25-2012, 05:09 PM

yes i bought #17 its the gear behind the crankshaft pulley and the balance shaft belt pulley on the crank. my crankshaft position sensors read the little wings on it.

minilogoguy18 · 01-25-2012, 06:16 PM

Then I guess it's time to break out the multimeter and check everything between the sensor and the ECU to look for an open/short.

1996 lude si · 01-26-2012, 08:54 AM

A honda tech already did such. He told me the computer and ECU are just fine...