On the A/S tires - I would have said the same about soft sidewalls etc. until I got a set of BF G-Force Comp-2 A/S in stock sizes. Those tires are fine street driving tires for the S. I use them for only a short while every year, but they are quite good. I agree though - summer tires are the way to go. +1 for Conti ExtremeContact Sports. I have them and like them.

 

Shifting gears or modulating the throttle during a turn causes the back to wander - Normal. The car has a ton of bumpsteer built in. Honda loves to use passive rear steering. Rear wheels toe in on compression quite agressively. That was tone down (but not phased out) on the AP2.

This is also a big reason as to why people crash S2000's and then blame it on the "snap over steer" boogey man. As long as you remember that this characteristic exists, you'll do a lot better.

(You can get rid of most of it by using mathematics and bump steer adjustment parts if you like).


The AMOUNT of bump steer is what you should worry about. A normal amount is definitely noticeable. But should not be disconcerting.

So to figure out if the amount you're experiencing is normal:

Make sure there are no worn joints or bushings or other related parts.

Get a good alignment (start at the center of factory spec and fiddle from there) and buy tires that suit the car better -- max performance summer tires with similar construction to the originals.

Set tire pressure to factory specs.

Once all that is taken care of....that is as good or "normal" as the bumpsteer will get without buying anti-bumpsteer parts.

 

Thanks, guys. All sound advice. As I've driven it more this week, I've gotten a feel for it and I feel it being much less twitchy, which leads me to believe it was my corrections I may have been feeling.

Getting an alignment this weekend and will be changing the fluids. The DIYs are awesome on the forum!

Question on oil. I've got a 5qt Mobil 5W30 from my TSX I didn't use. My TLX uses 0W. I know the S2k wants 10W30. Any issue using 5W instead? I have no issue picking up the right oil, but otherwise this will just sit around collecting dust.

Also want to get a valve adjustment done. Is it better to just take it to the dealer for that? Or will a good shop that may not necessarily specialize in the S2k be able to handle it?
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No issue with 5W but why not 0W? Even better. Synthetic of course.

I have done 2 valve adjustments. Dealer may, may do an okay job but you will pay for it. Do it yourself with bent feelers and the multi tool from amazon, has a 10mm nut driver with a screwdriver in the middle.

 

I have always stuck to 10W30. Quite a few people use 5W30, so it's probably fine. Not so sure about 0W30.

 

S2000's are spec'd to use 30 or 40 grade oil viscosities at operating temp.

0W30 or 0W40 is fine.

The 0W helps with cold starts...and is more likely to be synthetic.

5W30/40 or 10W30/40 is fine too.

I opt for either Castrol 0W30/40 or M1 0W40 for track and street use because its quite good overall with high temps and extended use (Again...0W also helps with cold starts...but my S2000 is not used in winter).

10W30 is my 2nd choice.

The issue with most 5W30 is its intended use, actual viscosity, and rate of break down. But...it probably doesn't matter all that much. You're putting it into a Honda. It doesn't care.

Your TSX's leftover 5W30 is fine. Don't use your TLX's 0W20.

 

The only reason I use 5W-30 rather than 0W-30 is I can't find it in Royal Purple full synthetic my preferred engine oil. I use this oil in all three (3) of my cars and my two (2) lawn mowers. Used it in my Honda outboard too. Seems many don't understand engine oil nomenclature. Easiest way is to start with Oil 101. Oil FLOW is the critical thing. The S2000 wants 30 grade at operating temperature. 0W-20 is probably fine. And 0W-40 is "spec" according to the owner's manual. When in doubt start and maintain an oil analysis schedule with every oil change.

Tires more than anything else define the handling of the S2000. The car demands correct tire pressures and matching tread patterns at all four corners. There are several grades of Summer tires (meaning they're not Winter tires) and All Seasons (kinda winter and summer tires) fall below all those normally. Think of Extreme Performance Summer tires as "A" and Max Performance Summer Tires as "B." Just where the "A-" and "B+" break falls no one has defined. I ran two sets of Extreme Performance Summer tires and now run Max Performance (Bridgestone S-04) and am not feeling any difference on the street and back roads.

-- Chuck

 

"bump steer" to some but lesser degree, but more so is the behavior of the tortion diff, causing lift/over steer in a corner, no bumps required to exibit that behavior. Just part of learning the car. Be smooth and learn to anticipate. You can go around a long controlled speed sweeper at any decent speed before the tires reach thier limit and simply apply and let off throttle with the steering wheel fixed and pretty drematically effect steering under/over. That charactueristic is seperate from symptoms of rear toe change/bump steer. It can however be influinced/magnified or reduced some with tire type, suspension compliance/movement and toe toe adjusment along with weight transfer increase at higher speeds.

 

Thank you so much for the advice.

Regarding the valve adjustment, I'm mechanically inclined but never did it. I saw the Diy, and it looks simple enough. Is it that easy for a noob?

 

I am mechanically inclined but I had never done a valve adjustment before. My first was my S. After 20K miles I did it again and nothing had really changed. Get the Amazon tool.