[QUOTE]Originally posted by smp_punk
[B]just a heads up for those out there that arent that mechanically up on cars in general.

 

Best to use a metric 5mm. Notice how tight it is? Use some antiseize compound on the steel bolts as well as the spark plugs.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sideways
[B]Best to use a metric 5mm.

 

What an amazing thread!

Greg, thanks for sharing this. I'm really glad you did. Whatever, caused your cylinder failure, there are a LOT of loose plugs.

Isn't it too bad AHM doesn't import fully assembled engines!

Several points for your engine rebuild.

Do a careful post-repair test drive with the service manager when you pick it up. This is a big job. It involves taking out most of the exhaust system, most of the steering mechanism, the transmission and then the engine. There's lots of placess to goof up during the reassembly.

When you test drive it with the service manager, pay special attention to the way it shifts, steers, sounds and to the temp gauge. You might even want to use an OBCII setup.

Be sure to remind them to properly bleed the cooling system. Both Rowland and I had huge air pockets in our cooling systems after the short block replacements. As a result we both had engine overheating immediately when we picked up the cars. Rowland had this even though he reminded them to properly bleed the system. I believe the F20C has some special bleed points that most engines don't have.

If your car comes back to you with play in the steering wheel, it is from a couple of bolts on the steering column not being torqued to spec.

Just for laughs you might ask them to put "special, magical, Japanese break-in oil" in the new engine. Seriously, you might buy 5.5 quarts of high molybdenum 10W-30. Utah S2K has a post somewhere about which oils qualify for this.

It sounds to me like AHM should include spark plug torque education as part of their delivery PDI procedure.

I plan to ask my dealer to check my plugs WITH ME WATCHING so I can feel comfortable checking at will later.

Please do keep us posted. I'd love to know "the rest of the story."


Hey Nick, what's up with your short block replacement. I better do a search and see if there's a thread. I've been kind of distracted since 11 September. Oh yeah. The flood! I remember:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...ighlight=engine

 

Huh? What does this mean?

 

Greg needed the short block and the head.

The short block includes the pistons, cylinders, crank, etc.

The head includes the cylinder heads, valves, VTEC stuff.

Together they make a whole engine. Japan assembles these in Toshigi by the thousands. However, a few dealers around the country get to assemble an engine from block and head when an S2000 engine goes.

Don't you think an engine coming off the assembly line has a higher chance of being done right than one done in the U.S.A. by a mechanic who has never done one before?

Since, in Greg's case, neither half of the engine could be recycled, don't you think it would be cheaper for AHM to bring in whole engines assembled, rather than whole engines in two pieces?

Barry

 

Got ja. . . at first I thought you were refering to his original engine. Totally agree a production engine is preferred over a US rebuild.

 

Yeah. . .just got mine back from the dealer for the new clutch! Now my car drives like an S2000!

I asked them to check the spark plugs and they did. . .they also charged me for 1/2 an hour of tech time. . .$30!

You know, even after I paid them a $5k premium for that car and I have had EVERY single service and warranty work done at that specific dealer. . .well, it'll be the last damn $30 dollars of mine they get!

 

What took ya so long!

 

The spark would most defiantly have ignited the fuel in this enclosed environment. Has any one every seen someone put afterburners on a car exhaust? This is done by putting spark plugs in the exhaust tips and connecting them through a coil to the electrical system. When a switch is turned on the spark plugs ignite the unburnt fuel coming out of the exhaust (looks really cool at night). This can't be done on newer cars with catalytic converters because they burn off any excess fuel and I believe it's also illegal. There's a lot more pressure and fuel at the spark plug hole than at the exhaust tip. IMO this would make it combust much more easily.