Repair And Fix it

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to move the No. 1 cylinder to its top dead center position. Remove the covers for the valves and timing belt.

Fasten a bolt for the timing belt cover to the adjuster arm of the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. This will hold the adjuster arm in place temporarily. Loosen the adjuster nut for the timing belt by one turn and push the tensioner for the balancer belt away from the belt to reduce the tension on the belt.

Hold the tensioner for the balancer in place and tighten its adjusting nut with a socket wrench. Remove the balancer belt from its pulleys and detach the sprocket for the balancer belt from the crankshaft.

Loosen the lock bolt and adjusting nut on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench and push the tensioner to relieve the timing belt tension. Tighten the adjuster nut to hold the belt tensioner in place and remove the timing belt from the camshaft pulley.

Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align its timing pointer with the timing mark on the flywheel. Turn the camshaft pulley clockwise until the word "UP" is on top of the pulley.

Install the timing belt onto its pulleys and belt tensioner. Loosen the locking bolt on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench. Loosen the adjusting nut for the timing belt, then tighten it. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to move the timing belt forward by three teeth to place tension on the timing belt.

Loosen the adjusting nut for the timing belt with a torque wrench, then tighten it to 33 foot-pounds. Tighten the locking bolt for the timing belt tensioner and turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing marks. Place the sprocket for the balancer belt on the crankshaft and turn the pulley for the balancer belt so that its timing mark aligns with the notch on the oil pump.

Install the balancer belt onto its pulleys, ensuring that its timing marks remain aligned. Loosen the adjusting nut for the balancer belt tensioner slowly to place tension on the balancer belt.

Turn the crankshaft clockwise one turn to align the timing marks on the timing belt and tighten the adjusting nut to 33 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Remove the bolt that is holding the timing belt tensioner in place. Install the covers for the timing belt and valves. Connect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench.

Disconnect both battery terminals, starting with the negative terminal. Use a wrench to loosen the nut on the clamp, and pull the terminal off the battery.

Disconnect the large black and white cable form the starter motor by pulling it off the connector.

Remove the nut that holds the starter wire onto the starter solenoid. On the Honda Prelude, the solenoid bolts to the right side of the starter. The wire bolts to the top right of the solenoid on the gear reduction starters and on the bottom right on the direct drive starters. Use a wrench to remove the nut, then pull the wire off the solenoid.

Remove the engine wiring harness from the starter. Certain engine and transmission combinations have a clip that holds the engines harness onto the starter. If equipped, remove the harness from the clip.

Remove the two bolts that hold the starter onto the engine with a wrench, and remove the starter from the engine.

Place the new starter against the engine, and tighten both bolts to 32 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

Reconnect the engine wire harness to the clip on the starter, if equipped. Plug the black and white wire into the starter motor, and secure the starter wire to the solenoid with the nut and wrench.

Reconnect the battery terminals, starting with the positive terminal.

Locate the vehicle identification number (VIN) on your 1990 Honda Prelude. You can find this number in the original purchase paperwork, on the title or on your insurance information. It is also located on the doorjamb on the drivers side and is visible only when the door is open.

Call your local Honda service department or a professional locksmith to order a new car key. If you call Honda, you will have to pick up your key when it is ready whereas a locksmith might come to you.

Provide your VIN to the Honda service department or locksmith. This number will allow the service technician or locksmith to read the key code for your car and cut the key correctly.

Provide proof that you are the owner of the vehicle for which you are requesting a new key. You will need to show the Honda service department or the locksmith your photo identification and proof of ownership such as the vehicle registration, insurance card, or purchase paperwork with your name on it. You can then pay for your new key.