1992 HONDA PRELUDE check oil

Engine Oil

Checking Engine Oil

Check the engine oil a couple of
minutes after shutting off the
engine. This will allow the oil to
drain down to the bottom of the
engine. Make sure the car is parked
on level ground.
1. Pull out the dipstick (orange
loop) and wipe it with a cloth orpaper towel.

2. Insert
it all the way back in its

tube.

3. Pull
it out again and look at the
oil level at the end of the dipstick.
If it is between the upper and
lower marks, the level is correct.
Add oil if the level is at or below
the lower mark.
Adding

To add oil, unscrew and remove the
oil filler cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and replace
the filler cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a few minutes and recheck
the oil level. Do not fill above the
upper mark; you could damage the

engine.

Maintenance

UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
OIL FILLER CAP
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Engine Oil

4. Install a new oil filter according to instructions that come with it.
5. Put a new washer on the drain bolt, then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:
40 N .
m (4.0 kg-m , 29 Ib-ft) 6. Refill the engine with the recom-

mended oil.

Engine oil capacity
(including filter):
(US: S, Canada: S)
3.8
(4.0 US qt, 3.3 Imp qt)

(US: Si, Si 4WS, Canada: SR, SR 4WS)

4.3
(4.5 US qt, 3.8 Imp qt)

7. Replace the oil filler cap. Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out
within five seconds. If it does not, turn off the engine and reinspect
your work.
8. Let the engine run for several minutes and check the drain bolt
and oil filter for leaks.
9. Turn off the engine, let it sit for several minutes, then check the
oil level. If necessary, add oil to
bring the level to the upper mark
on the dipstick. If you change your own oil, please
dispose of the used oil properly. Put
it in a sealed container and take it

to a recycling center. Do not

discard it in a trash bin or dump it

on the ground.

The oil and filter should be chang-

ed every 6 months or 12,000 km

(7,500 miles), whichever comes first.

Under severe driving conditions,

they should be changed every 3
months or 6,000 km (3,750 miles).

See page 130 for a description of

severe driving conditions.

Maintenance
NOTICE

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Transmission Oil

Automatic Transmission

Check the fluid level with the
engine at normal operating tempe-
rature.
1. Park the car on level ground. Shut off the engine.
2. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop) from the transmission and
wipe it with a clean cloth. 3. Insert the dipstick into the

transmission.

4. Remove the dipstick and check the fluid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
5. If the level is below the lower
mark, add fluid into the tube to
bring it to the upper mark. Use
Honda Premium Formula
Automatic Transmission Fluid or an equivalent DEXRON ®
II
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) only.
6. Insert the dipstick back in the transmission.
The transmission should be drained
and refilled with new fluid every 24
months or 48,000 km (30,000 miles),
whichever comes first.
Maintenance
DIPSTICK

UPPER MARK
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Transmission Oil

5-Speed Transmission

Check the oil level a couple of mi-
nutes after shutting off the engine.
Make sure the car is on level
ground. Remove the transmission
filler bolt. The oil level should be
up to the edge of the bolt hole. Feel
inside the bolt hole with your finger.
If you do not feel any oil, slowly
add oil until it starts to run out of
the hole. Reinstall the filler bolt
and tighten it securely. Only use an SF or SG grade motor
oil with a weight of 10W-30 or
10W-40.

The transmission should be drained and refilled with new oil every 24
months or 48,000 km (30,000 miles),
whichever comes first.

Maintenance

Correct
level

FILLER

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Air Conditioner

Optional for S model

Your car's air conditioner is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should
be done by a qualified technician. There are a couple of things you
can do to make sure the air condi-
tioner works efficiently. Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the front surface.
These block the air flow and
reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a hose or a soft
brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins
bend easily. Only use a low- pressure spray or soft-bristle brush

to clean them.

Run the air conditioner at least
once a week during the cold
weather months. Run it for at least ten minutes while you are driving
at a steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature.
This circulates the lubricating oil contained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioner does not get
as cold as before, it is probably
because some of the refrigerant has
leaked from the system. Have your dealer check the system for leaks
and recharge the system with
Refrigerant 12 (R-12).
Charging quantity: 750 — 800 g (26.5 — 28.3 oz)
Whenever you have the air condi-
tioning system serviced, make sure
the service facility uses a refrige-
rant recycling system. This system captures the refrigerant for reuse.
Releasing refrigerant into the at-
mosphere can damage the environ-
ment.

Maintenance

AIR CONDITIONING

CONDENSER
NOTICE
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Lights

Check the operation of your car's
exterior lights at least once a
month. A burned out bulb can
create an unsafe condition by
reducing your car's visibility and
the ability to signal your intentions
to other drivers. Check the following:
Headlights (low and high beam) Parking lights
Taillights
Brake lights
High-mount brake light
Turn signals Back-up lights
Hazard light function
License plate light
Side marker lights
Daytime running lights
(Canadian cars)

If you find any
bulbs are burned
out, replace them as soon as
possible. Refer to the chart on page
207 to determine what

type of
replacement bulb is needed.
Replacing a Headligh
t Bulb

Your car has two bulbs on each

side, four in total. Make sure you

are replacing the bulb that is

burned out. Your car uses halogen

headlight bulbs. When replacing a

bulb, handle it by its plastic case
and protect the glass from contact

with your skin or hard objects. If
you touch the glass, clean it with

denatured alcohol and a clean cloth.

Halogen headlight bulbs get very

hot when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a

scratch on the glass can cause the

bulb to overheat and shatter.
1. Open the hood.

If you need to change the high

beam headlight bulb
on
the

passenger's side, remove the

radiator reserve tank by pulling
it straight up.
2. To disconnect the bulb from the
electrical harness, push on the

end of the lock tab to release the
connector then push the connec-
tor straight down.
Maintenance
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Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more- common problems that motorists
experience with their cars. It gives
you information about how to
safely evaluate the problem and
what to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the
side of the road, you may be able to
get going again. If not, you will also
find instructions on getting your
car towed. Compact Spare Tire..................... 184
Changing a Flat Tire................... 185
If Your Engine Won't Start........ 190 Nothing Happens...................... 190
The Starter OperatesNormally................................ 191
Jump Starting................................ 191 If Your Engine Overheats.......... 193
Low Oil Pressure.......................... 195
Charging System Indication ...... 196
Check Engine Light..................... 197
Closing the Sunroof ..................... 198
Fuses............................................... 199 Checking and Replacing.........
200

Towing...........................................
202

Taking Car e
of the UnexpectedProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Low Oil Pressure

The low oil pressure light should never come on when the engine is
running. If this light comes on with
the engine running, take immediate

action.

Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechani-
cal damage almost immediately.
Turn off the engine as soon as you
can safely get the car stopped. 1. Safely pull off the road and shut
off the engine.

2. Le
t
the car sit for a minute. Open

the hood and check the oil level
(see page 135). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other
driving maneuvers.

3. I f
necessary, add oil to bring the

level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page 135
).

4. Star t
the engine and watch the

oil pressure light. If the light
does not go out within ten
seconds, turn off the engine.
There is a mechanical problem
that needs to be repaired before
you can continue driving. (See
Towin g on

page 202 .
)

Taking Car e
of the Unexpected

LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT
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