Honda Prelude Forum : “I have a 90 Prelude 2.0 SI with a big problem. I bought it for $2000 and put $80...”

sounds like you got stuck with a lemon sorry for that.sounds like the engine is fried.

I agree. did you buy it from a dealer? and what are the kms/miles like?

No i bought it from a private owner. It's got about 198,000 miles on it right now. I've only had it for a little over a year now. But, we still don't know what the problem is in it yet. But, i'm guessing it's a piston or rod that busted. Do you have any idea how much it would be to replace that, or even that part of the engine? Or should i get a new block?

honestly after you started spending more on the car than you payed for it you should have sold it. no point in spending more on a car that isn't going to be worth more than the money your putting into. I would get rid of it. get it checked out by a mechanic, a reliable one

If white smoke is coming out of the exhaust, maybe it's because the block of the engine is cracked and the prestone goes in the cylinders and burns with the fuel. If you always have to top up the water in your radiator, you just found the problem!

Pull the plugs out and spin it over.  If water or antifreeze comes out probly a head or gasket.  Think hard about the color of the smoke.  Bright white is actually steam from coolant leaking into cylinder (which can lock up engines and bend rods which  might have been the knock,ing sound), blueish to grey is oil and black is fuel.

Personally i'd say fugg the engine. If you've put 8000 into it already why not put in another g and a bit for a brand new engine sourced from japan? contact me for me info :P

I can hardly believe you've had SO many issues with this Prelude. I am sorry, bud. It sounds like your engine is entirely shot. White smoke = burning coolant, most likely a blown head gasket and even cracked head or block. But the banging noise is probably your connecting rod from your number 3 cylinder, which is notorious for B20A5's. You'll want to buy a JDM B20A and put one of those in -- do not rebuild yours unless you want to spend extra money. JDM imported engines will need a new timing belt set, water pump, cam seals, and ideally crank seals as well. It seems like you've already fixed everything else so after this engine failure I don't see what else could go so wrong with your car lol I am sorry for your bad luck but go on PreludePower.com for more info on the 3rd generation Preludes.

- Jesse (89 Prelude 4ws owner)