HONDA PRELUDE 1998 Owners Manual

Specifications

* 1 : Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the

engine.

Reserve tank capacity:

0.16 US gal (0.6 l ,0.13 Imp gal)

* 2 : Type SH

* 3 : Except Type SH
* 4 : Excluding the oil remaining in the engine.

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Specifications

* 1 : Except Type SH
* 2: Type SH

Technical Information

*
1 : Except high-mount brake light installed in rear spoiler
* 2 : TypeSH

*1 : Except Type SH
*2: TypeSH
page 249 page 248
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Tire Information

Tire Size Designation

A tire's sidewall is marked with a tire size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your vehicle. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the tire size
designation mean.
(Example tire size designation)
205/50R16 87V
205 — Tire width in millimeters.
50 — Aspect ratio. The tire's section

height as a percentage of its width.

R — Tire construction code (Radial).
16 Rim diameter in inches.
87 — Load Index, a numerical code

associated with the maximum load
the tire can carry.
V — Speed Symbol. See the speed
rating chart in this section for
additional information.

Wheel Size Designation
Wheels are also marked with important information that you need
if you ever have to replace one. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the wheel size
designation mean.

(Example wheel size designation)

16
x 6-1/2 JJ

16 — Rim diameter in inches.
6-1/2 — Rim width in inches.
JJ — Rim contour designation.

Tire Speed Ratings
The chart below shows many of the
different speed ratings currently

being used for passenger vehicle

tires. The speed symbol is part of the

tire size designation on the sidewall
of the tire. This symbol corresponds

to that tire's designed maximum safe
operating speed.

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Tire Information

Tire Pressure Adjustment For High Speed Driving
Honda strongly recommends that
you not drive faster than posted speed limits and conditions allow. If
you decide it is safe to drive at high speeds, be sure to adjust the cold tire
pressures as shown below. If you do not adjust the tire pressure, exces-sive heat can build up and cause
sudden tire failure.
Be sure to readjust the pressure for
normal driving speeds. You should
wait until the tires are cold before adjusting the tire pressure (see page
198).

DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)

The tires on your vehicle meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements.
All tires are also graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature
performance according toDepartment of Transportation (DOT) standards. The following
explains these gradings. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlledconditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one
half (1-1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate.

CONTINUED

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Tire Information

Traction

The traction grades, from highest tolowest, are A, B, and C, and theyrepresent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade as- signed to this tire is based on brak-
ing (straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature

The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the materialof the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire thatis properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading either separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure.

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Oxygenated Fuels

Some conventional gasolines are
being blended with alcohol or an
ether compound. These gasolines

are collectively referred to as

oxygenated fuels. To meet clean air

standards, some areas of the United

States and Canada use oxygenated

fuels to help reduce emissions.

If you use an oxygenated fuel, be
sure it is unleaded and meets the

minimum octane rating requirement.

Before using an oxygenated fuel, try

to confirm the fuel's contents. Some
states/provinces require this
information to be posted on the

pump.
The following are the EPA-approved
percentages of oxygenates:
ETHANOL (ethyl or grain alcohol)
You may use gasoline containing up to 10 percent ethanol by volume.Gasoline containing ethanol may be
marketed under the name "Gasohol."
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether)
You may use gasoline containing up to 15 percent MTBE by volume.
METHANOL (methyl or wood
alcohol)

You may use gasoline containing up to 5 percent methanol by volume as
long as it also contains cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors to protect
the fuel system. Gasoline containing more than 5 percent methanol by
volume may cause starting and/or performance problems. It may alsodamage metal, rubber and plastic
parts of your fuel system. If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Fuel system damage or performance
problems resulting from the use ofan oxygenated fuel containing more
than the percentages of oxygenates
given above are not covered under

warranty.

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Driving in Foreign Countries

If you are planning to take your
Honda outside the U.S. or Canada,
contact the tourist bureaus in theareas you will be traveling in to find
out about the availability of unleaded
gasoline with the proper octane

rating.

If unleaded gasoline is not available,
be aware that using leaded gasoline in your Honda will affect perfor-
mance and fuel mileage, and damage
its emissions controls. It will no
longer comply with U.S. andCanadian emissions regulations, and
will be illegal to operate in North
America. To bring your vehicle back into compliance will require the re-
placement of several components, such as the oxygen sensors and the
three way catalytic converter. These replacements are not covered under
warranty.

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Emissions Controls

The burning of gasoline in your vehicle's engine produces several by-products. Some of these are carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and hydrocarbons (HC).
Gasoline evaporating from the tank
also produces hydrocarbons. Con-
trolling the production of NOx, CO, and HC is important to the environ-
ment. Under certain conditions of sunlight and climate, NOx and HC
react to form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contri-
bute to smog creation, but it is a
poisonous gas. The Clean Air Act
The United States Clean Air Act* sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
work and what to do to maintain them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.Scheduled maintenance is on page 164.
* In Canada, Honda vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) forEmissions valid at the time they are
manufactured. Crankcase Emissions Control
System
Your vehicle has a Positive Crankcase Ventilation System. This
keeps gasses that build up in the engine's crankcase from going into
the atmosphere. The Positive Crank- case Ventilation valve routes them
from the crankcase back to the intake manifold. They are thendrawn into the engine and burned.
Evaporative Emissions Control
System
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister filled with charcoaladsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is off. After
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine and burned during driving.

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Emissions Controls

Exhaust Emissions Controls
The exhaust emissions controls include four systems: PGM-FI,
Ignition Timing Control, ExhaustGas Recirculation and Three Way
Catalytic Converter. These four
systems work together to control the
engine's combustion and minimize
the amount of HC, CO, and NOx that comes out the tailpipe. The exhaust
emissions control systems are
separate from the crankcase and
evaporative emissions control
systems.

PGM-FI System

The PGM-FI System uses sequential multiport fuel injection.
It has three subsystems: Air Intake,
Engine Control, and Fuel Control.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) uses various sensors to determine
how much air is going into the engine. It then controls how much
fuel to inject under all operating conditions. Ignition Timing Control System
This system constantly adjusts the ignition timing, reducing the amount
of HC, CO and NOx produced.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
System

The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system takes some of the
exhaust gas and routes it back into
the intake manifold. Adding exhaust
gas to the air/fuel mixture reduces the amount of NOx produced when
the fuel is burned.
Three Way Catalytic Converter
The three way catalytic converter is in the exhaust system. Through
chemical reactions, it converts HC,CO, and NOx in the engine's exhaust
to carbon dioxide (C02), dinitrogen
(
N2), and water vapor.

Replacement Parts

The emissions control systems are designed and certified to work to-
gether in reducing emissions to
levels that comply with the Clean Air
Act. To make sure the emissions remain low, you should use only newGenuine Honda replacement parts or
their equivalent for repairs. Using
lower quality parts may increase the emissions from your vehicle.
The emissions control systems are covered by warranties separate from
the rest of your vehicle. Read your
warranty manual for more informa-
tion.

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Three Way Catalytic Converter
The three way catalytic converter contains precious metals that serve
as catalysts, promoting chemical
reactions to convert the exhaust
gasses without affecting the metals.
The catalytic converter is referred to as a three-way catalyst, since it acts
on HC, CO, and NOx. A replacement
unit must be an original Honda part or its equivalent.
The three way catalytic converter must operate at a high temperature
for the chemical reactions to take place. It can set on fire any com-
bustible materials that come near it. Park your vehicle away from high
grass, dry leaves, or other flamma-
bles.
A defective three way catalytic
converter contributes to air pollution,
and can impair your engine's per-
formance. Follow these guidelines to
protect your vehicle's three way
catalytic converter. Always use unleaded gasoline.
Even a small amount of leaded
gasoline can contaminate the catalyst metals, making the three
way catalytic converter ineffective. Keep the engine tuned-up. Have your vehicle diagnosed and
repaired if it is misfiring, back-
firing, stalling, or otherwise not
running properly.

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