It's been a while since I've posted here, but I have used the board since it got started.
I've had my car 18 months, and it is one of my greatest joys. The facts: 13,000 miles, never a single problem. Three weeks ago had a flat on the right rear; noticed something wrong when the car seemed to float like on ice - 100 degree day; I was late - put the spare on the right rear and drove about 6-8 miles no faster than 45 - that was it. The next day I called two Honda service desks and asked if I should be concerned about differential damage: both said no. I then called the Honda Regional Office: they said no.
The flat could not be fixed and the tread was low so I bought two new rears from TireRack.

Now, after the new tires were mounted and balanced, the car's handling is not what it was before the flat. I am very disappointed. The car used to stick to the road in all circumstances; now (a bit like the sensation when I first noticed the flat) it seems like it's floating somewhat on a slippery surface, it seems to want to move out in turns, and if I do a quick right-left (like dodging something in the road), the car seems to rock and float.
1. Does all of this indicate that the differential was damaged?
2. Although the front tires are in good shape, should I have bought four new ones at once?
3. Other than that, does anyone please have any insight or suggestions?

 

Have the alignment checked out.

 

Beyond alignment, are you certain you got the right (OEM) tires from tirerack?

 

If possible you should always replace all four tires. But if your front are good I'd be looking to uneven air pressure. Check all four corners...........

Utah

 

[QUOTE]
1. Does all of this indicate that the differential was damaged?

 

Isn't the diameter of the donut dramatically smaller than the road wheel? 45 mph IS still quite fast and 8 miles is quite a distance to go when the 2 half shafts are turning at such different speeds. Though the diff itself may not be damage, don't you think the limited slip part of it could be harmed and the "floatiness" of the performance may be as a result of the lack of a fully functional limited slip?

 

Two possibe options:
a) New tyres have a 'greezy' protective surface on them. It takes good 200km to actually wear it off and in this persiod the tyres are slippery and can 'feel like on ice'.

b) Tyre pressures. When they replaced your tyres, they probably changed your tyre pressures. S2000 is very sensitive to tyre pressures so check them and make sure they are as you like them (ie. had them before). That is both front and back.

 

I'm a firm believer in always having a four-wheel alignment done on the S2K when replacing any of the tires. It costs me about $40 to have it done (5 times, so far), but the mechanic always shows me the figures to indicate how far tracking was off (which has always been off by at least some amount).

The obvious thing to check for if you've had both tires replaced is that they are rotating the correct way!

BTW. I recently drove 65 miles at 50 mph on the freeway using the donut, after a blow out, with no damage to the diff. I didn't have much choice (although I pi$$ed off quite a few other drivers in L.A. who like to use the inside lane for high speed overtaking).

 

Yeah, but didn't you rotate the front tire to the back and put the donut on the front tire??? That's what you're suppose to do. He rode with the donut on the rear axle.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 1Y2KS2K
[B]
BTW.

 

If you are concerned that the differential is locking up, try this:
Put the car in 1st gear with the engine turned off. Release the parking brake. Jack the rear of the car up so that both rear tires are off the ground. If the differential is working properly, you should be able to turn one tire with the other tire turning the opposite direction. If the differential is locked up, you will not be able to turn the tire. You may also want to change the differential fluid because the spare is not supposed to be put on the rear wheels and you could have over-heated the differential fluid.