Let's see if I can summarize some of the FACTS and SPECULATIONS.

FACT. UL controls test conditions properly enough that we know that a particular car will consistently produce the same dyno results with whis equipment.

FACT. UL dynoed an '02 S2000 on November 5th that produced 215 hp. This is in line with dozens of other '02 S2000s that UL has dynoed.

FACT. UL also dynoed an '04 S2000 on November 5th that produced 26 more horsepower than the '02. There is no reason to doubt that this particular '04 has over 260 crank hp.

FACT. Shorter or taller gearing does not effect dyno readings.

SPECULATION. We have no idea whether this '04 press car is representative of all '04 S2000s. Possibly, it has a ringer ECU to impress magazine reviewers. Possibly, it'll be what every '04 purchaser will get. We just don't know at this time.

Comments and corrections are welcomed.

 

ttb

If am right gearging has nothing to do with dyno numbers, that is something that shows its worth/unworthiness on the street/track/road. Please correct me if am wrong but gear ratios have no relevance to dyno numbers, as a dyno is a measure power and gear will yield more to a measure of acceleration. Although the graph of hp/tq my vary via the rpm if gearing is diff i think.

 

TurboVTK - you are correct.

Tire pressure makes far more of a diff.

 

I calculate it at 22.7% when you take into account the different primary reduction gears (1.206 vs. 1.16). If that number is correct, then by my calculations (ignoring aero and tire drag, the former should be similar, the latter could be larger on the 04) the 04 (THAT WE TESTED STEVE ) will pull harder in 4th at 90mph than the 02 does in 3rd. 0.2810 vs. 0.2745 thrust/weight ratio (assuming the 04 weighs 40 lbs more).

Over any acceleration interval (using 5 mph breaks, which is not as accurate as it could be, but I'm not going to spend _that_ much time running numbers) the 04 averages more pull:

Avg (5-100) 0.4757 0.4317
Avg (30-100) 0.4223 0.3949
Avg (75-105) 0.2899 0.2700
Avg (20-105) 0.4372 0.4039
Avg (30-70) 0.4979 0.4740
Avg (60-90) 0.3330 0.3258
Avg (70-90) 0.3289 0.2976

We did perform some impromptu roll on testing from below the VTEC point through a couple of gears ( I think we started at 30 mph in 2nd gear) and the 04 pulled so much before VTEC that by the time it shifted to 3rd it had enough speed advantage that all the older car could do was slow down or stop the rate at which the gap was increasing. It couldn't actually gain any ground back. We also did tests starting below VTEC in 3rd at about 45 mph. Even when the older model got a noticeable jump at the start (as will happen in such comparisons, its almost impossible to start evenly) the 04 would erase the gap opened by the jumped start and begin pulling away within a very short time period.

We'll be publishing some more acceleration data on the 04 using a Vericom VC2000. Even with a crappy 60 ft time (dusty track), spare tire, half tank of gas and a bunch of camera gear strapped to the car it was still pretty quick and consistently trapped higher than the previous year cars we've tested.

UL

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Luis

27%, I think it is.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CutieBonny
As what I've always expected, the 04 will dyno more than any previous model even though Honda still rates its hp the same at the crank.

 

If more HP at any given low rpm value means more usable, then yes. But, how is it more usable if you are just 170rpm short of the red line when you hit the peak HP? The example '02 had peak HP at 8412rpm and the redline is at 8900 (assuming the same as my '03). That's a difference of 488rpm. The example '04 had peak HP at 8030rpm and the red line is at 8200. That's a difference of only 170rpm! With the pre'04's it looks like you can keep it in gear a little longer after the peak. I try to keep my '03 in gear all the way to the red line, but not the rev limiter, so that I'll still be high on the HP curve after the shift. With the '04's peak HP being so close to the red line, how far down the HP curve will you actually be after the shift? Or, to put it another way, what is the difference between the highest average HP that each car can produce?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by steve c

 

one question UL since am lazy to go back to the begining

How much hp did the highest 2002 tested showed on your dyno?

 

220.x whp

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ultimate lurker


smyroad, gearing changes were accounted for, although that would _not_ change the hp numbers, only the torque numbers and calculated rpm.