Hi guys, new to the forum here. I just picked up an 04' (AP2) Nurburgring Blue S2000 with 37K on the odometer, and I've got a couple of little concerns I was hoping could be put to rest.

1) The notchy 1-2 gear change: Seems this a common deal, especially when the car's cold. One bit of preventative maintenance I've seen though is changing the trans fluid. Since I really can't be sure when or if it's been done, I'm planning on doing it soon just for peace of mind if nothing else. I am wondering though; is Amsoil worth it, or is Honda MTF the smart way to go? Seems to be a bunch of conflicting views on it, with some saying Amsoil is better, some saying it has a honeymoon period of 1K or so and then it's no different, etc. Figured I'd ask if anyone has a more definitive answer or first hand experience with both before I do the fluid change.

2) Just an odd question; does anyone else notice that when shifting out of fifth, the lever seems to go straight for fourth? It feels more like a trackday feature than anything else, no problem getting into sixth if I deliberately push the shifter to right and down, just strange that it always seems to line up to fourth, other than for ease of 5-4 downshifts when you're pushing it.

3) Tires: The rubber the previous owner put on the car is straight Pep-Boys grade. I guess it's kind of a good thing in that he really couldn't have been beating on the car, as there's no grip to be had from them, but they definitely have to go. I'm partial to Yokohoma rubber in general and have had good experiences with Bridgestone Potenza summer tires, though before throwing that nice chunk of change at the car I was wondering if anyone has had any notably good or bad experiences with the different rubber available.

Really appreciate the advice, thanks!

 

STTTAAAARRRSPPPPEEEECCCCSSSS


or Conti Extreme DW for bang for buck daily tires.

 

Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the site!

1) From my experience, the slightly notchy 1-2 shift is pretty standard on most S2000's I've driven, however, changing the clutch fluid, transmission fluid, and regreasing the shifter helped immensely in the smoothness of shifting feel - I was quite surprised at the difference in changing the clutch fluid alone (This was after I picked up an '04 with 50K miles). I'm slightly partial to the Amsoil, but it might not be a bad idea to try one out and see what you think. IMO, you can't go wrong with either the Amsoil or Honda MTF, I've used both of them and while each S2000 is a bit different, both are top notch choices.

2) I personally haven't noticed a proneness to go into 4th when shifting out of fifth, but admittedly I am in the habit of deliberately directing the lever straight to the gate I want to avoid mis-shifting.

3) For tires, I'll also second cruc1a7's suggestions. Dunlop Star Specs are fantastic tires, and Hankook RS3's are also great bang-for-buck sticky tires. I'd pick one of those two at the mid-upper end of range, while on the lower end (more strictly DD, etc) Hankook Ventus V12 evos, Sumitomo HTR ZIII's, and Conti Extreme Contact DW's seem to be popular choices.

 

Amsoil is definitely worth it. Better than Honda MTF in that its honeymoon period is much longer.
I also use Amsoil full synthetic engine oil and Severe Gear for the differential.
For tires I use and recommend Sumitomo HTZ III, cheaper and better than stock IMHO.

 

Regarding number two, don't all cars centre below three above four?? Hence neutral? All my previous cars have!

Welcome and enjoy your new purchase!

 

Pretty much. Most drivers, especially new drivers to manual 6-speeds, don't have much of an idea what the "gates" are like or how to access all the gears. They shift across gates by doing a straight diagonal. It's not that simple. To access from the "neutral" gate (3-4), a concerted motion to the left or right must be made first before going up or down. Shoving it in the diagonal is a novice approach and won't get the job done and in fact, when done quickly and poorly, will result in snagging the wrong gear and creating a near grind. Syncros and other important bits won't last long if this continues.

Notchy 1-2 shift? This is not a mechanical fault until it's done poorly repeatedly. Then it becomes a mechanical fault later. Shifting is not like pulling a big lever like you see in the Frankenstein movie when the mad doctor yanks on the big lever to complete the circuit. It's more like a 2-stage motion - one to leave the gear you're in and one to enter the next gear. Thinking you can pull with one, quick motion is another novice trait. (This may work with a '72 Datsun pickup truck where it doesn't really matter how you shift it.) Also, when the tranny is cold, the driver must use the proper technique to get the gear changed smoothly. It's always easier to suspect a mechanical problem than it is to think it just might be the operator.
Back in the early days of the S2000, quite a few locals complained about the notchy 1-2 shift. I test drove a lot of those cars to diagnose what might be wrong ................. NOTHING! All those drivers came from automatics or it was the first short throw, close gated, 6-speed they've ever driven. "But it never did this with my 5-speed Integra!!!????" Umm, OK, so what's your point?

 

Amsoil ftw!

I noticed an immediate difference when I swapped from Honda MTF to Amsoil MTF. I was getting a first gear pop-out situation with the Honda fluid. I switched to the Amsoil fluid and have not had anymore pop-out issues.

 

Well to me from 1st to second is one fluid motion. If your shifting quickly up at 8/9k revs are you suggesting you hold it just that little longer in between gates? Mines little notchy 1-2 and can't see how i'm shifting wrong!

Depress clutch, shift from top left directly into bottom left in one fluid motion, push past the notches, release clutch lol! Notches for me seem to only be from cold No big deal for me though imo.

Either way, 5 speed or 6 speed the neutral is always between 3-4. To the OP, you mention having neutral here feels wierd? Would you rather neutral sat in between 5 and 6? That would make shifting in the low gears a right pain right!!?

 

If "one fluid motion" works for you, I'm not going to tell you you're doing it wrong (or right). And I'm not saying you "hold it" between gates. You can have a 2-step motion even if you lighten up your muscle force at the place just before it meets up with the next gear's syncros. I can do an average 2-step shift in less than 1/2 second and when I'm in a hurry, I would guess it's closer to 1/4 second. Additionally, "notchy" means different things to different people. What you call notchy may simply be normal and needs no attention. This notchiness may simply be the slight resistance the syncros offer as it's doing it job. Cold fluid and cold syncros need more time and finesse to do what they were designed to do. If you are getting a severe "notch", it's the syncros telling you to either slow down or do it a bit differently. It doesn't mean something's wrong.
Back 10 to 12 years ago, there was a poster here named "Woodwork". He was one of the head guys with the technical division at Honda's HQ in Torrance, CA. He was in charge of everything technical and mechanical to do with the S2000 and NSX in N. America. He gave insights into the workings of the S2000 that this community would have never seen or heard of. That is, until a couple of punk jerk-offs chased him away. One of those insights was the shifting of the S2000 transmission and that had to do with this 2-step method. Back then (as it is now with you), cries of how this was going to slow down a shift and how it would affect a drag race resounded throughout the peanut gallery. People simply could not comprehend what was being discussed (and it was a long discussion). In the end, people got it. "2-stage" shifting does not mean "holding it" or "hesitation". But then, what did Woodwork know? What do I know?

As for "Amsoil FTW" ............ What's it "winning"? As I've said in past years and I'll say it now. Amsoil may not be the end all, be all. It is great for resolving an existing issue (like gear pop out). I use a 50:50 blend of Amsoil/Honda MTF for second gear pop-out myself. For that, sure, it may be the "best". However, if nothing is wrong with the tranny, many have found that it doesn't do anything special nor does it work "better" than stock Honda MTF. In fact, when you are not addressing an existing issue, Amsoil may be overkill. But hey, it's your money and if you equate more money with "better", then why not? It can be really difficult to circumvent certain people's belief system. I'm not even going to bother, be merely to provide a different perspective.