Honda Car Forum

Hey,

I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it be
just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to sound
quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil in 800
miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that if it
continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine problem.

My questions are: how common is this after a rebuild. Also, I was
expecting it to sound like a new engine as well, was this expecting too
much? Someone told me that maybe the sound is the lifters. Didn't
they replace this with the rebuild?

oddvark wrote:
> Hey,
>
> I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it be
> just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to sound
> quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil in 800
> miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that if it
> continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine problem.
>
> My questions are: how common is this after a rebuild. Also, I was
> expecting it to sound like a new engine as well, was this expecting too
> much? Someone told me that maybe the sound is the lifters. Didn't
> they replace this with the rebuild?
>

how much did it cost?

rebuilds, unless you go for the expensive race-built kind, are cheap [in
terms of quality, not price], nasty, and they give no attention to
detail. the most economic way to get life back into your car is to buy
a jdm import motor instead. it's not been rebuild by incompetents and
even with miles on the clock, is still going to last longer than the
average rebuild.

"oddvark" <dgrdinh@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1167255303.385572.144250
@i12g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> Hey,
>
> I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it be
> just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to sound
> quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil in 800
> miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that if it
> continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine problem.




Bad cleaning job after boring, or rings installed upside down. Either means
a complete teardown again. In the first case, the block may now be toast.



>
> My questions are: how common is this after a rebuild.




Shouldn't happen, but is apparently distressingly common. Lots of poor
rebuild shops around.



> Also, I was
> expecting it to sound like a new engine as well, was this expecting too
> much? Someone told me that maybe the sound is the lifters. Didn't
> they replace this with the rebuild?
>


You'll have to ask (they should have). The noise you hear is more likely to
be pistons or bearings wrongly sized. The engine will need to be rebuilt
again or replaced. Somebody fooked up here.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Well, I guess I'll just have to have talk with them.

What about those "remanufactured" engines like from Jasper. Are they
worth the price or just a fancy rebuild?


Tegger wrote:
> "oddvark" <dgrdinh@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1167255303.385572.144250
> @i12g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>
> > Hey,
> >
> > I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it be
> > just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to sound
> > quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil in 800
> > miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that if it
> > continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine problem.
>
>
>
>
> Bad cleaning job after boring, or rings installed upside down. Either means
> a complete teardown again. In the first case, the block may now be toast.
>
>
>
> >
> > My questions are: how common is this after a rebuild.
>
>
>
>
> Shouldn't happen, but is apparently distressingly common. Lots of poor
> rebuild shops around.
>
>
>
> > Also, I was
> > expecting it to sound like a new engine as well, was this expecting too
> > much? Someone told me that maybe the sound is the lifters. Didn't
> > they replace this with the rebuild?
> >
>
>
> You'll have to ask (they should have). The noise you hear is more likely to
> be pistons or bearings wrongly sized. The engine will need to be rebuilt
> again or replaced. Somebody fooked up here.
>
>
>
> --
> Tegger
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

The cost was 1700 not including installation. Thats not money I'd like
to throw away, and so I'll see what they can do for me before I try
anything else.

But just in case, any good recommendations for a import JDM shop? You
have to be carefull with those too right? Whats the likelyhood of
getting a low quality engine?


jim beam wrote:
> oddvark wrote:
> > Hey,
> >
> > I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it be
> > just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to sound
> > quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil in 800
> > miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that if it
> > continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine problem.
> >
> > My questions are: how common is this after a rebuild. Also, I was
> > expecting it to sound like a new engine as well, was this expecting too
> > much? Someone told me that maybe the sound is the lifters. Didn't
> > they replace this with the rebuild?
> >
>
> how much did it cost?
>
> rebuilds, unless you go for the expensive race-built kind, are cheap [in
> terms of quality, not price], nasty, and they give no attention to
> detail. the most economic way to get life back into your car is to buy
> a jdm import motor instead. it's not been rebuild by incompetents and
> even with miles on the clock, is still going to last longer than the
> average rebuild.

Tegger <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in
news:Xns98A6AC841F8D0tegger@207.14.116.130:

> "oddvark" <dgrdinh@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1167255303.385572.144250
> @i12g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>
>> Hey,
>>
>> I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it
>> be just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to
>> sound quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil
>> in 800 miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that
>> if it continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine
>> problem.
>
>
>
>
> Bad cleaning job after boring, or rings installed upside down.



Forgot excessive bearing clearances. Those will cause excessive oil
throwoff, resulting in oil flow that overwhelms the piston's oil control
rings.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

oddvark wrote:
> The cost was 1700 not including installation. Thats not money I'd like
> to throw away, and so I'll see what they can do for me before I try
> anything else.
>
> But just in case, any good recommendations for a import JDM shop? You
> have to be carefull with those too right? Whats the likelyhood of
> getting a low quality engine?

loads of places online. if you can install yourself, they'll ship to
your door. they come with warranty. likelihood? i'd say a good deal
better than a dodgy rebuild!

bottom line, it's not whether it's possible to rebuild your existing
motor - it's whether it's worth it. most jdm imports are better quality
[never been monkeyed with] and cheaper - nothing not to like about that.

>
>
> jim beam wrote:
>> oddvark wrote:
>>> Hey,
>>>
>>> I went ahead and rebuilt my prelude engine. the builder told me it be
>>> just like new. But it seems unchanged to me. I expected it to sound
>>> quieter but it sounds the same. It also burnt 2 quarts of oil in 800
>>> miles. The installer (different then the builder) says that if it
>>> continues to burn oil, there is most likely an internal engine problem.
>>>
>>> My questions are: how common is this after a rebuild. Also, I was
>>> expecting it to sound like a new engine as well, was this expecting too
>>> much? Someone told me that maybe the sound is the lifters. Didn't
>>> they replace this with the rebuild?
>>>
>> how much did it cost?
>>
>> rebuilds, unless you go for the expensive race-built kind, are cheap [in
>> terms of quality, not price], nasty, and they give no attention to
>> detail. the most economic way to get life back into your car is to buy
>> a jdm import motor instead. it's not been rebuild by incompetents and
>> even with miles on the clock, is still going to last longer than the
>> average rebuild.
>