How to Replace the Starter in a Honda Prelude

Imagine running late to get out the door for work, sitting in your 1996 to 2001 Honda Prelude and turning the ignition, but nothing happens. You try the ignition again. Still, nothing happens. Your car won't start. While any number of things can be wrong, such as a dead battery or bad alternator, there's a possibility that you need to replace the starter in your 2.2L, 2.3L, 2.7L or 3.0L engine.

Things You'll Need

• Battery terminal puller
• Car jack
• Wrench
• Baby food jar
• Torque wrench

Instructions

1. Park your Honda Prelude on a level surface, activate the emergency brake and place blocks behind the back tires for safety. Disconnect the negative battery cable with a terminal puller, followed by the positive battery cable. Raise the front end of the car with a jack for easier access to the starter.

2. Detach the wiring harness from the starter motor, if applicable. In 2.2L and 2.3L engines, remove the lower radiator hose. In 3.0L engines, remove the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) cooler.

3. Disconnect the starter cable from terminal-B (back of the solenoid) and the black and white cable from terminal-S.

4. Unfasten the two bolts securing the starter motor to the transaxle assembly and place the bolts in the jar for safe keeping. Remove the final mounting bolt from the top of the starter, placing it in the jar, and remove the starter.

5. Take your malfunctioning starter to the parts store with you. Aftermarket distributors remanufacture most of the starters they sell, so you can likely obtain a partial credit toward your new starter by exchanging your old one. Be sure that you take care not to damage the starter in transit, because the better condition it is in, the more you can get for it.

6. Purchase a replacement starter that has the same or higher cranking capacity (power rating) as the original starter in your Honda Prelude. Also, match the bolt patterns, drive gears and electrical connections. Your owner's manual may list specifications or the auto parts technician will help you determine them. Download a free owner's manual at Honda Service Express (see Resources).

7. Reverse the removal process to install the new starter. Torque the mounting bolts in 2.2L, 2.3L and 3.0L engines to 33 foot pounds (45 Nm) and the wire terminal nut to seven foot pounds (nine Nm). In a 2.7L engine, torque the bolts to 47 foot pounds (64 Nm) and the nut to 6.5 foot pounds (nine Nm).

Tips & Warnings

• Make certain that the crimped side of the terminal end on the heavy gauge starter cable faces outward when you reinstall it.

• Always inspect the battery, solenoid and alternator to be certain they are working properly before replacing a starter. When an engine fails to start, many do-it-yourselfers misdiagnose the problem as the starter and replace it unnecessarily, only to find that the vehicle still won't start.

• If you believe your starter is in the problem, use a bench test to see if the starter motor spins and how well the starter is performing. A bench test will check the amp load, voltage and RPMs. If the starter is good, it will draw 60 to 150 amps with no load and up to 250 amps under load. If you Honda Accord has high mileage, replace the solenoid too.

• The anti-theft system on the Honda Prelude factory installed stereo will activate when you reconnect the battery cables. You must have the reset code in order for your stereo to function properly again.

• Never operate the starter for more than 30 seconds at a time. Allow the starter motor to cool for at least two minutes in between starting attempts to prevent permanent damage.

Resources

• Download an owner's manual for your Honda Prelude.