Folks,
Do you know whether the problems with the differential or the engine are confined to a certain time or production #? I got mine a week ago (Feb 2001 production.) It's great, but a few noises here and there. I guess someone from inside may answer this, but for the sake of peace of mind, it would be a great help for the new or potential buyers on this board. And I know these issues are addressed elsewhere, but not this particular question as far as I can read.
Thanks from now to those who are more knowledgeable.

 

You might want to do a search on the topic "no problem" because the majority of S2K owners have not experienced ANY problems with their car. The problem with boards like this is that the people who have problems post them constantly but those of us who haven't had any problems don't, on a daily basis, post topics like "My car is running great". Therefore, the board creates an environment that fosters an improper belief that there are more problems than there really are. I've had my car since 10/4/99. Yes, I've had it since approximately two weeks after they were introduced to the US. It's got over 30K miles on it. I've had 0 problems with my car. You will find that the majority of S2K owners will say the same thing. So if your car seems to be working OK then don't look for problems. This is a Honda after all. It's not a Beemer, Porsche, or insert your American car manufacturer's name here.

 

blondie. To my knowledge, they are not confirmed as the majority of the S2K owners here don't have differential probs.

Strike. It's Bimmer not Beemer. And Bimmers are not the reliability nightmare that you are proposing. I ignored your comment on another thread but I think Blondie and others asking questions would just appreciate more straightforward answers. So why don't you try answering people's questions instead of going offtopic cause I know you have the knowledge to help.

[Edited by Howie on 04-09-2001 at 02:25 AM]

 

Howie,

According to the technical group of owners)(I'm not in this group), the S2k's differential is pretty noisy when compared to others. That doesn't mean that you have a problem with it.

I believe that most people having problems are just enjoying the full potential of the car by doing 7k clutch dumps when drag racing. Normal driving shouldn't really put enough stress on the diff to make it shatter as people have posted. I wouldn't be too concerned about it.

Just enjoy the car.

 

Yah, so it's Honda. It doesn't excuse them for making a SPORTS CAR that has bits break when you thrash it. Think about this: Have any of you even HEARD of half the problems that people have listed here on another high performance car, outside of Lotus? I had a C5 Corvette, and totally stock, the car would take pretty much everything you could throw at it. Even adding 100rwhp through the use of ported heads, a lumpier cam, and headers, you'd _never_ break the stock diff. (okay, using street tires, but the only time I've seen a stock diff fail was with Mickey Thompsons @ 22psi, full heads/cam, and a 125 shot. that's BIG POWER) The tranny shifted smoother as well. I don't mean lighter, I mean more consistently. I _never_ got a gear grind, never had the annoying *tink* on the 2-3 shift, never had 2nd engage w/ a clunk.

My thoughts? This is the first front engine, RWD car Honda's made in over fourty years, and they've got some design issues to work out. Namely, using parts that are only "adequate" for the forces they'll see.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled with the car, but I am a little miffed when I've purchased a vehicle (that came w/ an SCCA app, no less!) that can't stand up to the demands that hard driving would put on it.

I ground the 1-2 _once_, and it's shifted weird since. Not as bad as some have described, and if I'm a bit more careful, it doesn't clunk (and it's not really a grind, more of a firm engagement), but I'm hard-pressed to get _any_ of the other gears to do it. I'll give it some time, but as some have suggested, if it gets worse, I'm probably looking at a tranny replacement (which really boggles me, as you should only have to replace at most the 2nd gear syncros and the shift fork, assuming the actual gears had a decent metal process applied to them).

NEway, that's my rant for now...

 

I agree with netwiz. A sports car should be able to tolerate moderate to above average loads without breaking this and that. What I don't understand is the extend to which our cars are plagued with the engine, transmission and differential problems. I just don't have the means to draw a conclusion. Plus, although I'm a much above average driver with 14 year stick shift experience (some with crappy Renaults) I am afraid I won't be able to figure out the LSD is going bad, or transmission is eating this or that gear. If I were in the shoes of Honda, I would definetely make it clear to enthusiasts like me that we are covered. Just give a differential that is properly engineered for the characteristics of this car, or verify that I can go fast with this, on or off the line!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by blondie
[B]I agree with netwiz.

 

but that's my point as well. You can do clutch dumps all day long in pretty much every sports car out there, and not break parts on stock power. You do that a few dozen times in an S2k, and the rear end falls apart. Hell I'd expect to kill a clutch first, but that's normal; it's a wear item. But a diff failure? Smacks of shoddy and underspec'd engineering to me. You miss a shift and the tranny's going in for repair. It's like one guy here said, after breaking something (with only minimal hard use), it feels like the car's made of glass.

 

Blondie- Honda has no need to assure you that you are "covered". They're actions speak louder then words. Can you give me the name of one....just one...#4 cylinder failure owner who is out a dime? NO! As for the differential, or LSD as you call it, do you have any idea about Nitride Layer Thickness or Impact Dispersion Charcteristics? No! Bottom line is it is VERY, VERY,VERY, easy to look at gear teeth and know that someone has been dropping the clutch; hard and frequently. Should a sports car tolerate abuse absolutely! Did Honda miss their target audience with the S2K? Absolutely.....you a male with 100K a year? NO!

As an engineer I have utmost respect for Honda. They bought me sportbikes as I wadded them up week after week. Honda is an engine company..and the S2000 is an engine car. Trust me if you don't wad it up they will cover you. And if you do wad it up they will not.....and it's easy for us engineers to know.

 

Utah S2K:

Disclosing information is what I am talking about. If the LSD has some problems, let me know. If it does not, I'd also like to know. If the car is not made go from 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds without breaking its parts, it should not be advertised so. Well is it, or is it not? That is the question.

Bottomline, you have not answered my question. But I still love the car.