The H22 engine found in Honda's Prelude is among the most retrofitted engines in Japanese car history. The H22 is Honda's "big block" engine -- a colloquialism that applies only when you think of the B-series as a "small" block. Part of the H22's popularity is due to the inherent strength of its bottom end, which includes the crankshaft and the mains that retain it.
A lot of things go between the engine block and oil pan that help components to go round and round, up and down. Starting from the bare block -- placed upside down -- the assembly goes thus: upper main bearing, crankshaft, main-cap-to-block dowel pins, main caps, main-cap-to-bearing-bridge dowel pins, bearing bridge, main cap bolts, oil baffle plate and baffle plate bolts. Once you have the baffle plate on, you can install the oil pickup and oil pan.
Before you drop the crankshaft into the block, paint the bearing surfaces and crankshaft journals with assembly lube. This thick lubricant will keep things moving smoothly until you get oil flowing through the engine. Clean the bolt threads and place a few drops of lightweight oil on the threads. This oil will reduce friction between the bolt threads and block, which could easily skew torque readings by as much as 5 to 10 foot-pounds.
The H22 has five main caps, numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 from the front of the engine to the rear. While final torque for the main caps comes out to 54 foot-pounds, you'll want to use a two-step procedure to ensure even bearing loading. Start at the center cap, or cap No. 3; torque the bolts to 22 foot-pounds, then spin the crankshaft once to check for binding. Torque the bolts on cap 2 at 22 foot-pounds, then spin the crank. Proceed to cap 4, then cap 1 and finally cap 5 and torque each to 22 foot-pounds.
Go back through the torquing procedure, starting from the center cap -- No. 3 -- and working your way outward. Torque the caps to 54 foot-pounds, and spin the crankshaft after each adjustment. Better to find out about bearing bind now than after you get the engine put together and running. Torque the baffle bolts, oil pickup and oil pan bolts to 9 foot-pounds each. Don't forget the rear main -- the largest one that contains the rear main seal -- which bolts on from the back. Its bolts torque to 9 foot-pounds, and require a coat of liquid gasket on the threads.
