engine coolant HONDA PRELUDE 1998 Owners Manual

Gauges
Fuel Gauge

This shows how much fuel you have. It is most accurate when the vehicle
is on level ground. It may showslightly more or less than the actual
amount when you are driving on
curvy or hilly roads. The gauge stays at the same fuel
level reading after you turn off the
ignition. When you add fuel, the
gauge slowly changes to the new
reading after you turn the ignitionswitch back ON (II). Temperature Gauge
This shows the temperature of theengine's coolant. During normaloperation, the pointer should rise
from the bottom white mark to about
the middle of the gauge. In severe driving conditions, such as very hot
weather or a long period of uphill driving, the pointer may rise to near
the upper white mark. If it reaches
the red (Hot) mark, pull safely to the side of the road. Turn to page 238 for
instructions and precautions on checking the engine's cooling

system.

Instruments and Controls

TACHOMETER
SPEEDOMETER
TRIP METER
FUEL GAUGE
TEMPERATURE GAUGE ODOMETER

MAINTENANCE

REQUIRED INDICATOR
TRIP METER
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Heating and Cooling

Vent Controls
You can adjust the direction of the
air coming from the dashboard vents

by moving the tab in the center of
each vent up-and-down and side-to-

side.
The vents in the corners of the

dashboard can be opened and closed

with the dials underneath them. How to Use the System
This section covers how to set up the system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heater
uses engine coolant to warm the air.If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.
Comfort and Convenience Features
CENTER VENT


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Heating and Cooling

If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control lever is all the way to
the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select and Fresh Air mode.
When the interior has cooled down to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal
cooling. Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 57) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turnoff the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.

To Heat

To warm the interior: 1. Start the engine. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control lever.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air

Conditioning

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, itmakes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and Fresh Air mode.
4. Adjust the temperature control
lever so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).

CONTINUED

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Heating and Cooling

To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the vehicle has been sitting out
in cold weather:
1. Start the engine.
2. Select

When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Switch the fan and temperature controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very colddays), first select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear, select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
fogging the windows. These settings direct all the air flow
to the defroster vents at the base of
the windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the side vents with the dial
underneath each vent. This will send
more warm air to the windshield defroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away.
To Turn Everything Off

To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left.
You should shut the system completely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,
until the engine coolant warms up enough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.

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Before Driving

Before you begin driving your Honda,
you should know what gasoline to use, and how to check the levels of
important fluids. You also need to
know how to properly store luggage or packages. The information in this
section will help you. If you plan to
add any accessories to your vehicle,
please read the information in this section first. Break-in Period.............................. 120
Gasoline.......................................... 120
Service Station Procedures .......... 121 Filling the Fuel Tank................. 121
Opening the Hood..................... 122 Oil Check................................ 123
Engine Coolant Check.......... 124
Fuel Economy................................ 125
Vehicle Condition...................... 125Driving Habits............................ 125
Accessories and Modifications.... 126 Accessories................................. 126
Modifications............................. 127
Additional Safety Precaution.... 127
Carrying Cargo.............................. 128 Load Limit.................................. 129Carrying Items in the Passenger Compartment......................... 129
Carrying Cargo in the Trunk or on a Roof Rack....................... 130

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Service Station Procedures

4. Remove the dipstick again and check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see Adding Oil on page 173. Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant on page 177 for
information on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to Owner Maintenance
Checks on page 171 for information
on checking other items in your
Honda.

Before Driving
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
MAX
MIN
RESERVE TANKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle wellmaintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 271 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 160
Important Safety Precautions ..161
Maintenance Schedule.................. 162
Required Maintenance Record.... 169 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 171
Fluid Locations............................... 172
Engine Oil.......................................173

Adding Oil................................... 173Recommended Oil..................... 173Synthetic Oil............................... 174

Additives..................................... 174
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 175
Cooling System.............................. 177
Adding Engine Coolant............. 177Replacing Engine Coolant........ 179
Windshield Washers..................... 182
Transmission Fluid........................ 183 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 183
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 184
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 185 Brake System............................. 185
Clutch System............................ 186
Power Steering............................... 186
Air Cleaner Element...................... 187 Spark Plugs..................................... 188
Replacement............................... 188
Specifications............................. 190
Battery............................................ 190
Wiper Blades.................................. 193
Air Conditioning System............... 195 Drive Belts...................................... 196
Timing Belt..................................... 196

Tires................................................ 197
Inflation....................................... 197

Inspection................................... 198

Maintenance............................... 199

Tire Rotation.............................. 200 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 200
Wheels and Tires....................... 201

Winter Driving...........................201
Snow Tires.............................. 202

Tire Chains............................. 202

Lights.............................................. 203

Headlight Aimimg..................... 205

Replacing Bulbs......................... 206

Storing Your Vehicle..................... 217

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Owner Maintenance Checks
You should check the following items at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See page 123. Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 124.
Windshield washer fluid — Check
the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 182. Automatic transmission — Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
183.
Brakes — Check the fluid level
monthly. See page 185. Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
197.

Lights — Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See

page 203.

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fluid Locations

ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP
COOLANT
RESERVOIR

AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK

(Yellow loop)
BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)

(5-speed Manual

Transmission only)

CLUTCH FLUID (Gray cap)
POWER STEERING
FLUID (Red cap)
WASHER FLUID (Blue cap)
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK

(Orange loop)

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Adding Engine Coolant
If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50 percent antifreeze and50 percent water. Never add straight
antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda
antifreeze/coolant. If it is not
available, you may use anothermajor-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporary replacement. Make sure it
is a high-quality coolant recommended for aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the cooling system to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and refilled with Honda antifreeze/
coolant as soon as possible. If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

RESERVE TANK

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