If you want to stay NA but you still want a little more power...
I'd still recommend an intake like the Comptech kit, maybe Rick's header, and the T1r 70r exhaust with a testpipe.
That exhaust alone will yeild you 15whp, the intake a max of 5, and header a max of 6 (that does NOT mean you will gain 26whp).
If you can tune a VAFCII, you can see several more ponies.
That, combined with gears, will make the car feel like a completely different breed.
Intake - $350
Header - $700
Exaust - $850
VAFC - $300
Gears - $800

My recommendation only... Good luck.

 

Save your money and don't buy any of this crap. 10 to 20 hp my a@@. I have yet to see a bolt-on mod car do anything impressive. I usually pull or stay equal with all of them and I am bone stock. I have seen many "bolt-on" racers get embarrassed by stock cars.

The gears will help a little with acceleration, but let me ask you this; when cruising on the highway, do you ever find yourself absent mindedly shifting into "7th" because the engine sounded like it was running to high? If so, don't get the gears. It will just make that worse.

 

Never, but the other day I found myself in 5th, I had forgoten to shift into 6th. Reason I noticed was b/c it had more pep then I expected.

I know what you're saying tho. I've gone back and forth in my head if I want gears or not.

Let ask you, ever been in 3rd gear, going ~40mph, and you wanted to slow down a lil for a turm but didn't want to have to shift into 2nd to pull out of the turn? I think, gears would give some extra umph the S normally does not have (unless you live one gear lower than normal).

I think the S has a weakness (low TQ), that can be cured by revs.

 

Most of your bolt on stuff won't contribute to the car's max power. You're looking at maybe improving certain parts of the car's powerband a little. The S2000 pretty much left the factory as good as it gets for a livable street car.

 

I won't speak toward the gears, etc. mentioned above because I haven't used them.

I will, however, agree with the idea of making the car more fun to YOU. Increase the enjoyment factor (whatever that means to you, ICE, body kit, suspension, etc) and you'll be a happier camper than if you follow someone else's advice for your car.

Just a thought.

 

I'd got with a CAI first versus exhaust. During High speed runs I would rather hear the intake "growl" sound over the whine of the gears. IMHO I don't like the sound of most single exhaust for the S, as it sounds too "Ricey" for me.

 

gears for $800 installed? im getting ricks 4.56 and i am lucky if i can get away with 1500 installed.
4.56 Gears $590.00
Gear Installation Labor-$250
OEM Rear Gear Install Parts-$125.00
CompTech reinforced diff -$399.00
then figure 200 for install.

 

intake 300 or less. V2 by aem.
cat delete, many group buys under 100 bucks.
hondata gasket, 60 bucks. but plan on 2-250 to put it on.
exh next. after that header.
also cooling mods, if your where its hot. later dave

 

i am a big fan of the stock intake system. now i know that that comment is going to start a big argument, but the numbers never lie. aem may say 8-10 hp, but not hardly. i HAD an arc induction system. it robbed low end power to make high end power. the car doesn't need and more above 6k. it needs it under that rpm. i went back to stock intake with kn filter. my car makes 207 rwhp with spoon n1 and kn filter. save the $ just get a kn. intakes are the most over priced products for the s2k. hell some of them (i.e, mugen, j's..) are 1/3 the cost of a full fi setup. spend the money with simple mods and really learn to drive your car. then if you must go n/a, get toda stroker kit and make 260 whp!!! above all enjoy your car..dont make it fast to beat people racing...make it fast for yourself.

oh and my car made 4.7 rwhp more with the stock intake than it did with arc. figure that? but at the same time my car ran 13.97@100.8 stock, 13.99 w arc and 13.96 with stock box w/ kn filter. its not any easy car to tune, but its the best car you'll ever own!

 

oh i drove my buddie's 02 spa with aem v2 down the track and could only muster....14.26@101.8....? not a aem fan on the s2k, on civics, hell ya best intake period, but not for s.