I picked up my black/black S2000 from Weseloh Honda today. They installed stainless/braided brake lines, installed 2 new front tires (OEM) and generally massaged it. While there I saw a sad sight - a late MY 2000 S2000, black with red interior (nice combination!) with the guts of its engine spilled out. "What happened?" I asked. My tech told me that a fellow brought the car in (~3000 miles on it) with a totally trashed engine. Looks like a downshift from 5th to 2nd at 80 mph, he told me. "Holy smokes!" I exclaimed, what's that going to cost to fix?" "Nothing," he said, "Honda has agreed to fix his engine as a one time courtesy!"

That's a nice gesture, don't you all think? By the way the black/red last 4 digits of SN was 4414.

2x6spds

 

Uh oh, I think I know whose car that is .... Actually at least 5 of us in the Irvine area can probably guess who it is Bent valve, they said. Guts all spilled out huh? Wow.

In any case, I have to say I'm very lucky to have bought my car from Weseloh when I hear a story like that. There's a reason Weseloh wins President Awards.

 

Oh NO...Steve...you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'...?

 

Hi Steve

Whose car is it? Actually, you don't have to buy your car from Weseloh to have it serviced there. Their service is excellent. Their prices for S2000s are quite high.

Yes, f20c guts spilled out. They had the airbox out, exhaust manifold dropped, heads off, exposing the tops of 4 of the filthiest pistons you can imagine. It seems that once the valve train twisted as badly as the beak of a bird trying to excrete a whole watermellon, our lucky owner kept driving. Needless to say the timing was a bit off, and the combustion chambers look like he was burning coal for a while.

I guess he brought it in complaining that it was running a bit rough.

2x6spds

 

BTW the dead red and black also had the spun Voodoo shift knob. Looks very nice.

I suppose the moral of this sad tale is down shift sequentially through the gears in order (6-5-4-3-2-1) or you risk shifting from 6>2 instead of 6>4, or 5>1 instead of 5>3 - very bad mechanical consequences to these errors at high speed - the rev limiter will not save your engine because although the fuel cutoff may work, your engine will spin up mechanically. 18,000 rpms is probably a wee shock to the F20C's system.

2x6

 

That's good of American Honda. M3s are notorious for overrevs (especially 95s) in part because of the dogleg shifter I think, and I have never heard of BMW replacing an engine ever. I think they continue to deny its a problem at all.

When I first drove my car I almost did 6th to 2nd going for 4th but caught the clutch when I saw the revs rising too high and too fast.

 

That dealer must have pulled a few strings. A dealer can get anything covered under warranty, it's just how much they will fight for it.

Lance

 

I would be sad too if I had to give up blk/reb for blk/blk

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 2x6spds
[B]BTW the dead red and black also had the spun Voodoo shift knob. Looks very nice.

 

Guess it didn't help his "shift feel" on the downshift.