Is it worth it??

[JohnnyBoy]

Hi ppls,

Got thrown my way a 1st Gen prelude today. At the moment, it won't start, and i believe that's the only problem.

From what the previous owner told me / and what i've checked out, sounds like hte alternator's dead, hence a dead battery, hence won't start.

It doesn' even click when you try to start the car. Didn't have a multimetre, to i can only assume it's a dead battery at the moment. No lights or anything.

I've been told i can have it for free, but i'm just wondering if it's too much of a hassel to find parts, etc??

It's a pretty cool car, got a sunroof, etc, and every thing was mechanically sound before it wouldn't start one day.

ironically, it's got less kms than my Accord.. :P it's true to the clock, and it's not just cuase they've reset the odometre..

There's a bit of rust, at the base of the windshield, in the middle ot the bonnet, but apart from that, it's all good..

The previous owner's a mate's GF, and she has since bought herself anotehr car, cause in her eyes, it wasn't worth the $$$ to get the rust, starting problem fixed to get her rego. Oh yeah, did i mention it's not registered.. :P

I figured, if it's just a new battery & alternator, maybe starter motor, and i can just cut out the rust, thn fiberglass that part out, it would be a pretty cool project to work on, and get a free runabout at the end of it??

[LUD02C]

Heya JohnnyBoy!

Buddy, it won't be much at all to get it running!
There are alot of wreckers out there and worse comes to worse you can go to a honda place and pick up an alternator.

Most gen 1,2&3 Lud's have abit of rust now near the windscreen.
But if i was you i would take it, get the 2-3 parts that you need and then get a blue/pink slip and rego time
Next thing you know you have a prelude 8)

[JohnnyBoy]

woohoo!!! just what i wanted to hear..

thanx LUB02C..

Now onto the diagnosis.. I'll check battery with multimetre, and perhaps pick up an el cheapo one. If that starts the thing up, i'll take it to a shop and alto electrician, and see if the alternator's buggered..

how hard / easy is it to fit an alternator? or is it worth paying someone to do it. i can source the part my self..

i'm thinking get like a lube mobile guy to come out, and check it out, list out the thing's that needs replacing, then go out and get the parts.

now, after getting the parts, i'm fairly technically minded, and good with my hands, so i figured if i pick up a repair manual, i'm sure i can figure it out with my mate.

Thing is, i don't wanna jump straight in if the alternator's considered a tricky thing to replace. And plus i've read the Haynes for my Accord, and the thing's pretty vague at best. had to read it a few times just to figure out how to replace my bulbs.. :P

any recommendations apart from Haynes?? Chilton's are all US based, so i dunno if the instructions in them apply to AUDM luds..

[LUD02C]

I have a Chilton's manual for my Gen 3 Prelude.
Everything is the same
The steering is even on the right hand side

As for a basic job with the alternator?
I'm not 100% sure, can you take a pic of the engine bay?
You might have to hoist it up to change it or lift part of the engine!
When changing the timing belt you have to left have the engine out (Gen 3) and have it on a side etc.. pain in the ass!

And more questions ask away!
Good idea about lub mobile guy, get ideas and they might pick up on something u don't!

[JohnnyBoy]

Hmm.. alrighty.. might go out and try and find a 1st Gen Chilton's manual..

thanx for the help.. LUD02C.

I'll let ya's know how i go..

Oh, btw, any suggestions as to 1st gen prelude forums?!?!?! :P

had a quick search, and struggling to find anything useful for a 1st gen lude. i can find stuff for 2nd gen and above, plenty of help that is.. :P

[LUD02C]

www.preludeaustralia.com

[azjs]

Good point

-az

[LUD02C]

I looked up the alternator swap over!
Not as hard as i first thought.
So theres some good news

[Jus-10]

Man I had one of these as my first car back in 1996/97. A 1980 model from memory.

Awesome car with the glass sun-roof and everything and piss-easy to work on.

Mine was resprayed in white, was lowered about 2 inches with 15inch rims, a full exhaust system and tints...and my custom aluminium mesh grill.

The good thing is that all the mechanical parts are shared with the Accords of the same era and there are usually more of those around than there are Preludes. Pick and Payless at Blacktown usually has a few cars lying around (well that's where I used to go).

I don't know if it was just me or whether it is common with these cars, but in the 2 years I had the car I went through 2 gearboxes - fuggin things kept breaking. Must have been all my 4500rpm redlining!

[JohnnyBoy]

bwahaha.. LOL..

2 gearboxes?!?!?! I can't wait to fix this baby up.. :P

one bad thing, it's a 3 speed auto..

[azjs]

I reckon you'd be a first on PA!

-az

[Jus-10]

Auto....man that is gonna be S-L-O-W!

Still they're a decent car and something a bit different. Drop a ZC or B16A engine it and you'll be laughing.

Anyone remember the Accord of the same vintage getting around Sydney with a ZC...this was a few years ago.