Newbie here, so hello! Based in the UK, lude-owner for 10 years now! Great site from what I've seen but I have got an urgent issue..
The auto-choke has just decided to stop playing We are having a relatively cold spell here and the car is used infrequently, but in the past it's been incredibly reliable at starting. Over Xmas and New Year it was fine, but last Sunday developed a problem. I did the soldering mod on the ignition years ago when the car was warm and failing to start, but this is a different kettle of plankton!
Car cranks over brilliantly, but I now have to manually apply a fair few throttle pumps to get fuel into the system, then it will eventually take but goes straight to idle rpm (under 1k rpm).
All responses appreciated and virtual drinks on me for the most successful answer!
Auto-choke? You must have a dual carb'd 3rd gen then? I've owned two of them. In the US they are the 2.0 S model, and were not available with 4ws. That only came on the fuel injected models.
I had issues with one of my S models. The choke pull off diaphragm was leaking. It was not easy to replace. It's very difficult to find anyone around me that's willing to work on them in fact.
So many thanks for your reply. I knew there was something (else) I meant to say - it IS injection - 2.0 4WS injection, hence why I suspect there must be an electrical gremlin at work in this. I did trawl the threads via search, but most referenced the twin-carb issues. I really appreciate your link though and will follow-up on it.
Unfortunately, that link will not help you at all. The carbie ludes are completely different that fuel injected. None of the carb adjustments in that link are on your engine.
Fuel injected engines don't use a choke. The air fuel mixture is controlled by the ecu. You said the car isn't driven often. How old is the gasoline in the car? Maybe you have gotten moisture in your fuel system. Or another question I have for you is how long has it been since you replaced your fuel filter? They are supposed to be replaced every two years on a regularly driven car.
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
great thoughts all round. the gasoline was brand new (although I appreciate it can stay in the fuel stations tanks for a while..). I'd driven over Xmas with a lot of new stuff in it and the drive down to stratford last weekend was fine too. But yeah, I'm thinking about the ECU to be honest - it deffo seems electrically related - like a sensor is failing to detect something. Fuel filter is an inspired suggestion - the air and oil filters were replaced in the last 4 months, but I neglected to think of the fuel filter - probably been in there for 2-3 years, not least as I lived abroad for a year.. The day it first played up there was definitely a lot of moisture in the air. I disconnected the battery as it had all the hallmarks of an electrical/ecu issue in the hope it might re-set something..but it didn't! Mine's almost identical to the one on the left of your signature and I love it to bits - gotta try to make it feel better again! I'll get a new filter ordered and see what happens. Thanks again and keep suggestions coming
Is the check engine light on? Do you have any stored codes? I guess I should have asked about any cel codes right out of the box. I was caught up in thinking you had a carbie lude so it didn't really occur to me.
Before you try a new ecu (if the fuel filter isn't the culprit), You might also consider other parts of the fuel system (fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, injectors, etc...). I know that you think it might be electrical, but to me it sounds more fuel related. And while I'm thinking about it, when was it last tuned up (spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, check timing)?
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
Great points, all of them (thanks). No warning lights at all (all is good according to the dashboard). The S4 light was flashing when I pulled up, but that was highlighting low fluid in the autobox (that's now been topped up) and the light no longer illuminates. The injection system hasn't been cleaned/flushed it's true. Dizzy cap, plugs rotor et al were checked within the last 2 years (but not replaced I grant you).
Do you really think it's not idle-valve related (although I am only using words I've heard of here and I know everything is dependent upon decent fuel). I mention it because once running it's fine (tickover perfect etc), it's just that in the initial instance where normally the car would rev at (maybe) 3-4k rpm and slowly return to a normal idle, isn't happening (and yes, your right, you could argue it isn't wanting to ignite the fuel present as the battery turns over until you've pumped enough fuel in and by feathering the throttle, you can spark it into life)
I don't know that it's not related to the fast idle valve, lol. At this point it's hard for me to rule anything out. I'm just trying to go through things that I have had experience with. I've never had a problem with the FIV on any of my cars I've owned. Here is a link that shows how to test it though... http://www.preludebible.com/service-...trol-valve.pdf
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
No sure if I thanked you for the link, so belated thanks!
Just an update really. We've had snow here and the cars' been covered in it for over a week. Checked all the fluid levels and all are where they should be. Removed the battery three days ago and charged it in the house to ensure it was at optimum. Snow pretty much thawed and melted today, so cranked it and it was still showing same symptoms - I had to pump the throttle a few times to get enough fuel through, and nurse it until it fired properly.. then it idled immediately at low idle (the rpm it runs at when warm, even though it wasn't).
I then poured 500ml of Red-X petrol injector cleaner in the tank as we'd discussed problems with the filters. I have realised that 1) I haven't put Red-X or any injector cleaner in for years, and 2) that I have 2 fuel filters, neither of which has been changed in at least 4 years.. I feel bad.
Left it an hour or so, and started it again - no throttle and the revs went above 1k rpm - just like it should do normally, and slowly it backed off! I am a happy bunny but will be replacing both the fuel filters in due course (and will start it more often that I had been of late).
(and I appreciate the real test will come when it's been left a few days and is properly cold, but until then I'll accept this as a result!!)
Last edited by PreludePoncho; 01-26-2013 at 07:48 AM.
Two fuel filters? Are they stock? Maybe the UKDM models are different than the USDM models. Fuel injected 3rd gens in the US only have one fuel filter. There is a "filter" on the fuel pump, but it's really no more than a screen. Some call it a sock. Carb'd 3rd gens have two filters. One mounted to the fuel tank and the other one in the engine bay. Can you tell me the location of your filters?
I'm glad to hear that the fuel injector cleaner made a difference. I would change the filter(s) as soon as possible. Your fuel pump was probably stressed, and may still be under more load than normal.
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
Well, as far as I've ascertained there's one in the fuel tank that is accessible via removal of the rear seats or some-such (this maybe the sock-like one to which you refer), and there's a filter in the engine bay secured to the bulkhead (this filter being cylindrical). Typically even in the Chilton Manual there is more info available for the Carb'd versions than the Injection, but I will check again. And yep, I am definitely intent on changing the filter(s) asap - thanks so much again.
Ah, okay. Then it's not different than USDM models if the second filter is the "sock". I'm not sure that you can replace that without replacing the pump. Unless you can find a non Honda version that will fit the fuel pump. You can see it in this diagram attached to the bottom of the fuel pump (#10)... Part Detail
Maybe you can get that part over there though. To be honest, if it were me, I'd probably replace the fuel pump while I had it out of the car anyway. But it's not inexpensive.
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
Just an update really. Long story short, the problem turned out to be the under bonnet Fuel Filter. Ordered a new one, tried to fit it last weekend but it was the wrong one, was sent the replacement this week, have just fitted it and all is pefetto again! Thanks for everyone's help, guidance and assistance.
Moral of the story - not to underestimate the most basic of components! And the filter was well overdue replacement anyway, so happy days all round!
So, in the interests of Karma, I now have a spare fuel filter that I am willing to post anywhere FOC in the UK to anyone who wants/needs it. Note it's for non-4WS preludes.. shame the parts supplier didn't!
Glad to hear you got it running again. I was hoping the fuel filter was the problem.
But I do have to correct you on something. There is no difference in the fuel filter between 4ws and non 4ws 3rd gens. They both use the same filter. In fact, all fuel injected 3rd gens use the same fuel filter. There is however a difference between the fuel injected and carb'd fuel filters. Honda lists two part numbers for fuel injected ludes...16010-SF1-505 and 16010-SF1-K52. These are physically the same filter, but had different numbers because there were two different manufacturers that were used. Both of these part numbers have been replaced by 16010-SF1-K50 for all 3rd gens with fuel injection. I suspect that the first filter you got was either for the carb'd lude, or just the wrong filter entirely.
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
Excellent stuff! Thanks for the informative reply!
This is a good point to make actually bearing in mind I'm offering to send the unused one to anyone in the UK who would like it.
The solitary difference between the OEM filters I was provided with involved the turret connections that protrude from the top of the filters. The unused one had one vertical turret and one horizontal turret with a slight difference in internal thread diameters - the correct one for my prelude has two vertical turrets and no difference in itd.
The solitary difference between the OEM filters I was provided with involved the turret connections that protrude from the top of the filters. The unused one had one vertical turret and one horizontal turret with a slight difference in internal thread diameters - the correct one for my prelude has two vertical turrets and no difference in itd.
Yup, they gave you the wrong filter the first time. The fittings should be the same size, and the banjo bolts are vertical into the fittings.
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1989 Prelude 2.0Si 4WS
1991 Prelude Si (sold)
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We are having a relatively cold spell here and the car is used infrequently, but in the past it's been incredibly reliable at starting. Over Xmas and New Year it was fine, but last Sunday developed a problem. I did the soldering mod on the ignition years ago when the car was warm and failing to start, but this is a different kettle of plankton! 
Mine's almost identical to the one on the left of your signature and I love it to bits - gotta try to make it feel better again! I'll get a new filter ordered and see what happens. Thanks again and keep suggestions coming 
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