1998 HONDA PRELUDE cooling

Cooling System

Except Type SH only

Remove the drain bolt and washer
from the engine block. 4. Remove the reserve tank from its
holder by pulling it straight up.Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.
5. When the coolant stops draining, tighten the drain plug in the
bottom of the radiator.
Except Type SH only

Apply non-hardening sealant to the drain bolt threads, put a new washer
on the drain bolt, and reinstall the
bolt in the engine block. Tighten it

securely.

Tightening torque:
61 Ibf .
ft (83 N .
m , 8.5 kgf .
m)

6. Mix the recommended antifreeze
with an equal amount of purified
or distilled water in a clean
container. The cooling system
capacity is:

With 5-speed manual transmission:

(Except Type SH)
0.87 US gal (3.3 l , 0.73 Imp gal)
(TypeSH)
0.85 US gal (3.2 l ,0.70 Imp gal)

With automatic transmission:

0.85 US gal (3.2 l , 0.70 Imp gal)

Maintenance
DRAIN BOLT

Except

Type SH
DRAIN PLUG

HOLDERRESERVE

TANK CAP
RESERVE TANK
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Cooling System

7. Pour coolant into the radiator up to the base of the filler neck. 8. Loosen the bleeder bolt on top of
the engine. Tighten it again whencoolant comes out in a steady
stream with no bubbles.
9. Refill the radiator to the base of the filler neck. Start the engineand let it run until it warms up (the
radiator cooling fan comes on at
least twice). 10. Turn off the engine. Check the
level in the radiator, add coolant if
needed. Install the radiator cap,
and tighten it fully.
11. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap.

Maintenance

FILLER NECK
RESERVE TANK
BLEEDER BOLT
Fill up to hereProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Air Conditioning System
Your vehicle's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make
sure the air conditioning 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 conditioning 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 con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the system with Refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a). (See Specifications on page 255.)

Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenance

AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER

NOTICENOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your vehicle's temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.It may go higher if you are driving up
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you shoulddetermine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your vehicle can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam orspray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators. 2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you continue driving (see Towing on
page 250).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 124). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator. 9. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushingdown, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comesoff. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you

can.

11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Towing on
page 250.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Index

Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 206
Hazard Warning Flashers............... 63

Headlights
Aiming......................................... 205

Daytime Running Lights............. 60
High Beam Indicator................... 60
High Beams, Turning on............ 60
Low Beams, Turning on ............. 60
Reminder Chime.......................... 60
Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 206

Turning on.................................... 60

Head Restraints............................... 77
Heating and Cooling........................ 92
High Altitude, Starting at.............. 133
High-Low Beam Switch .................. 60
High-mount Brake Light............... 213

Hood, Opening the ........................ 122

Horn................................................... 59

Hot Coolant, Warning About........ 177
Hydraulic Clutch............................ 186
Hydroplaning.................................. 151 Identification Number, Vehicle.... 252
If Your Car Has to be Towed....... 250
Ignition Keys............................................... 68
Switch............................................ 70
Timing Control System............. 262
Immobilizer System......................... 69
Indicator Lights, Instrument Panel.............................................. 51
Infant Restraint................................ 19 Inflation, Proper Tire ....................
197

High Speed
Driving................... 257
Normal Driving.......................... 198
Inside Mirror.................................... 83
Inspection, Tire.............................. 198
Instrument Panel............................. 50
Instrument Panel Brightness......... 61
Interior Cleaning............................ 222
Interior Lights.................................. 89
Introduction.........................................

i

Jacking up
the Car......................... 231
Jack, Tire........................................ 230

Jump Starting................................. 236

Keys................................................... 68

Label, Certification........................ 252
Lane Change, Signaling.................. 61
Lap/Shoulder Belts......................... 40Leaking of Exhaust into Car.......... 47
Learning Key.................................... 69
Lights Bulb Replacement..................... 206
Indicator........................................ 51

Parking.......................................... 60

Turn Signal................................... 61
Loading Cargo................................ 128
LOCK (Ignition Key Position)....... 71
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t