As some of my remember I had on 02 S2k for three years and loved every minute...... after that I moved on to a new Boxster S then a baby arrived so I now have the sensible choice (a tuned Focus ST).

When I had the Honda I always wondered how much difference the airbox lid removal made to the performance but never had the gear to test with any accuracy....... as I now have a Performance Box from Racelogic (www.performancebox.co.uk) I tend to test any cars I can get my hands on, over the last few days I've been running in (800 miles on the clock) a 57 plate S2000 so had the chance to see what difference the airbox lid makes.

As 0-60 type tests are too variable depending on the quality of the start I tested 30-65 in 2nd and 3rd gears with airbox on and off..... as there were no gear changes involved in each run the results were easily repeatable (same road, conditions and day) so any difference between times "should" be related to the effect of the airbox.

The results (all 30-65mph & average of 4 runs):
2nd Airbox Off = 5.2sec
2nd Airbox On = 5.2sec
3rd Airbox Off = 6.7sec
3rd Airbox On = 6.6sec

So in cold weather at least it looks like the airbox lid makes virtually no difference to the performance within the legal limit. I'm a little surprised as my car always felt a bit slower with the airbox off! Although my technique is probably to blame there was a small difference between best 0-60 runs with the lid on and off..... lid off I could only manage a best of 6.2sec 0-60 (6.5sec 0-62) while lid on I did a 6.0sec 0-60 (6.3sec 0-62).

It was nice to get back behind the wheel of an S2000 as it bought back some very fond memories and reinforced my view that the gear change is one of if not the best in any production car from the last 10 years, I also realised how much I missed the raucous airbox off noise!

 

Were you bored?

 

Thats probably too inaccurate, IMO the difference will be very minute.

I suspect if i had a -1bhp difference with lid off.

 

Nice work Wads! Welcome back.

 

I never left

 

Yep bored and looking for an excuse to skip out of work to thrash the pants of somebody elses car!

 

I would be interested to see figures with/without a snorkle. Obviously with the lid on.

 

Looking at some figures when i was dyno'ing , it appeared to make no difference to performance to just helps kangroo everyone knows that.

 

I tried it with and without and it was 8 bhp down IIRC.

Again, its not conclusive as the car is sitting there and getting hot - they don't like dyno's much.

 

Surely with a snorkle, the car would need to be on the move for any benefits to be achieved.