Anyone got any tips for getting at the thermostat housing bolts, because holy shit the cold side of the engine bay, they made absolutely no consideration about maintenance when they put that shit show together!!!

 

Below from online service manual page 281.

1. Drain the engine coolant (see page 10-9).
2. Remove the lower radiator hose and the thermostat cover, then remove the thermostat.
3. Install the thermostat with a new rubber seal.
4. Install the thermostat cover and the lower radiator hose.
5. Refill the radiator with engine coolant, then bleed air from the cooling system (see step 7 on page 10-9).
6. Clean up any spilled engine coolant.

http://s2000.club/OM/2000-08%20Honda%20S2000%20SM.pdf

Good luck!

 

Yeah I've got the manual too, unfortunately actually getting to the thermostat bolts is the problem

 

Okay just gonna wrap this up, for those who also have trouble with this too.

Long story short, you need to remove your air intake, be it stock or otherwise.
Remove the alternator (which seems to be the play for working on almost anything on the cold side)
Then you should be able to access the hoses an bolts needed to remover the thermostat housing.

 

I did this from the bottom of the car and it was really easy without removing anything else. I do have a 4 post lift so that obviously helped, but i think even without it going from the bottom may still be less work.

 

I think part of the trouble I had was that the hose clamps on the housing were facing upwards (from factory), and I couldn't get to them for underneath.