Japanese Performance Magazine (Jan 2003 Issue 24) HOW to MODIFY HONDA PRELUDE 4Th-Gen (91-96)

Japanese Performance Magazine (Jan 2003 Issue 24) –HOW TO MODIFY – HONDA PRELUDE 4 th -gen (91-96) By Andy Butler

There’s plenty that can be done to further improve the Prelude’s performance. Under the pretty bodywork lies a fine chassis that handles well, so improving the road manners must be carried out without wrecking the results of all the hard work Honda’s tech boffins have already achieved.

On the engine front, we’re going to concentrate on the 2.2-litre VTEC lump. This is the one you should be looking for as it’s by far the most sporting of the models available. The suspension and brake mods described below will apply to all models, so if you have a 2.0-litre or 2.3-litre version, read on.

One thing we did find in compiling this guide was that there is a lot less available for this car than for most other Japanese performance cars, with a few tuners specialising in Hondas. Preludes are rarely to be seen at track days, but that may well change soon, because these cars are not only very affordable now but they also display great potential in the right hands. Tracking down tuners who’ve actually laid a spanner on a car proved to be a bit of a mission, but in the end we found that Alan Tang at Pow-R and Nana at Option Motorsport both knew the Prelude well.

ENGINE

For mild performance gains, the H22 VTEC engine can benefit from a bit of help in the breathing department. Ditching the original intake and sticking a cone filter onto the manifold at the back of the engine bay isn’t a good idea, though. Far better to go for something that moves the new filter down beside the battery and into an area where cool air can get to it more easily. There are induction kits that do this from the likes of HKS, Impossible Performance and AEM, but perhaps the most interesting is the improbably named Top Fuel kit. It comprises a filter and mountings together with a carbon-fibre intake that has a large chamber to stop the engine being starved of air when the VTEC cuts in. Most kits are around the £150 mark, with the Top Fuel set-up at £282.

A less restrictive exhaust will also free up a useful amount of power. A Janspeed system costs £270 and is a cat-back item but, if you want to get serious, you’re going to have to look for a Japanese or US product, and with that comes a hefty price hike. A Tanabe manifold will set you back £764, while a cat-back system will cost £587.50. If you’d like a Mugen exhaust, be prepared for £1000 for the manifold and the same again for the system. A cat replacement pipe should be around £100. US specialist DC Sports is an excellent choice for stainless-steel manifolds and exhausts. A manifold will cost from about $435, and the rest of the system adds another $660.

With the VTEC system you can change the actuation point of the high-lift cam by fitting a VTEC controller, and this will also adjust fuelling to suit. Both the A’PEXi V-AFC and Field VTEC controller can look after these tasks at around £400. They require care when setting up, though, because having the VTEC engagement point too low can lead to drivability problems.

If you do spend time on the track, an oil cooler kit is a worthwhile addition. Expect to pay about £350 for a Mocal kit, or you can get an HKS one for around £400.

Moving on to more serious engine work, you may have to look towards the USA, where there are far more parts available for the H22 motor. Fitting a bored-out throttle body is worth doing as it increases air flow. Send your existing one to JG Engine Dynamics in California and they’ll bore it out 4mm and fit a new throttle plate for $175. JG also offers three levels of head spec, ranging from $750 to $1430, but getting a full cylinder head out there might be more problematic than a throttle body.

The choice of camshafts is wider in the US, too, with more manufacturers offering new or reground cams. Webcam offers sports cams from around $540 for regrinds and $655 for billet, with Bullfrog and Gude also offering cams for the H22. JUN makes some fine cams for the 2.2 VTEC - £800 from Option. Ouch. To get the best from a modded engine, you can fit a reprogrammable ECU. Both JUN and GReddy offer units that are designed for the Prelude VTEC. GReddy’s ECU will cost around £590, while JUN’s ECU is a chunky £940. You’ll also need to allow for dyno time for mapping.

SUSPENSION

Both experts we talked to reckoned that the best, most predictable handling cam from the non-rear- wheel steer cars, but most Preludes and all UK VTEC cars have the RWS. Although there isn’t a kit made to stop the rear steering effect, it is possible to remove the steering gear and lock it up. This probably isn’t a job for the weekend mechanic, though, so make sure you can handle it, or call the experts to do it for you.

As far as suspension is concerned, you can just change the springs (from around £117.50 for PI or £317.25 for Apex) and use the existing dampers, which work very well if in good nick. If they’re worn, swap the dampers for something like Koni top-adjustables for about £528.75 for all four. The best results will come from a matched damper and spring combination that’s designed to work together.

Option offered a couple of versions from Japanese company Tein, with a height-adjustable road kit for £846, or a fully adjustable track set-up for £1,321.87. If you are thinking of doing lots of track work, it’s vital to get the geometry reset if you lower the car much more than 30mm. This will not only help grip and turn-in performance, but will also prevent premature or uneven tyre wear.

Another mod well worth doing for circuit work is to change all the suspension bushes for a set of polyurethane ones. Energy Suspension makes some excellent ones. This will sharpen up the handling but is not a job for the faint-hearted, as fitting them is quite tricky.

INTERIOR

The Prelude is quite a heavy car compared with the Integra Type R or the Civic so, for a track-day car, it would certainly be worth lightening the load a little. Stripping out all the seats and fitting some lightweight competition seats will lose a surprising amount of weight, benefiting acceleration, braking and handling. And you can always fit them back again for the road.

WHEELS/TYRES

The Preludes arches are quite accommodating, so 7 x 17in wheels and 215/45 tyres go under without difficulty – and they should give enough room for some awesome brakes. Anything bigger and you can run into clearance problems, particularly if you’re running the car much lower than standard.

TRANSMISSION

For modest power increases the standard transmission should be fine, but Alan at Pow-R mentioned that a B & M short-shift gear linkage kit can make gearchanging quicker and more positive. For £82.25, it’s money well spent.

If the clutch needs changing, it’s worth looking at an uprated organic clutch like a Helix item for £411.25 or, if you’re going large on the power, they also do a paddle clutch kit for £470. Cusco also does paddle clutches, but they’re a little more pricey at £587.50.

BRAKES

The fourth-gen Prelude has decent-sized brakes to start with, and they are normally fine for fast-road use. For a bit more bite, Pow-R recommends the Red Dot 20-groove discs with Red Dot performance pads for £376. Option suggested fitting A’PEXi Super Brake Rotors, which are £352.50 per pair, and matching them up to performance pads. A’PEXi does two heat ranges of pads, and it’s important to match discs and pads so that the pads don’t overcook the discs.

If the car is going to be repeatedly used hard on the track, a big brake conversion is the way to go. Option recommended a brake kit they make up using Brembo components of the same spec supplied to Ferrari. Using a 322mm disc and a four-pot calliper, your stopping woes will be over. The only proviso is that 17in rims are required to accommodate the larger brakes. The Brembo kit costs £1468.75.

CONTACTS

Option Motorsport Tel: 01327 85855 Email: [email protected]

Pow-R Tel: 020 8357 2232 Web: www.pow-r.co.uk

DC Sports Web: www.dcsports.com