I just purchased an 02 with a 2.5L InlinePRO stroker in it last week. The cold engine usually takes four cranks before it will turn over. The other night after a short cruise, I tried to start it when the engine was still hot and it wouldn't turn over. After several attempts, the starter finally gave out and started spinning and not cranking at all.
I was thinking that the compression on this motor is so high that the starter doesn't have the balls to turn a hot motor over. Could it be that the solenoid or bendix drive is too weak? I called InlinePRO and they said that I need a battery with more cold cranking amps. Is there anyone out there that has had similar issues? I hope that I can find a solution without blowing up anymore starters.

 

that's odd. my motor is factory but the symptoms are practically the same. i'm curious as to what is made of this thread. for answers!!!

 

Starter "spinning but not cranking"???
Sure sounds like a starter drive problem to me.

 

So the dealer called me back and I was told that the starter died. I asked the service advisor what part of it went bad but he doesn't seem to know what he's talking about. I asked them for my old starter back to see what went bad and rebuild it to use as a backup.
I have a feeling the factory starter solenoid isn't strong enough to handle the compression of a stroker (And by the way, no one makes a high torque starter for the S2000.) My thoughts are when the engine gets hot, the metal in the motor expands and makes the piston really tight in the cylinder. This in turn makes the starter work very hard to turn that flywheel in order to crank the motor up.
In addition to dropping in a new starter, I'm going to put a new battery with more cold cranking amps.
If your debating whether to get a stroker or FI system, save yourself some time and money and just drop a turbo or supercharger in it. Just my cents.

 

That would have been my first guess.

 

Check your tune at low rpm. If you have too much ignition advance you can get kick back on the starter. This stuffs the one way clutch on the starter spindle which is why you get the starter whizzing but no engine turning.