Hello, I'm sort of new here (have been lurking a bit ), I don't even own an S2000...
I'm building a kitcar, based on the Lexus LS400 engine, producing (hopefully) close to 400lb-ft of torque (at 5500-6000rpm) with a max rpm of 9000. Since these engines come with a big heavy automatic box I decided to find a manual six-speed to adapt to it.
I found someone with an S2000 gearbox laying around (according to the him it has 18.000 km on it and is in very good shape).
The million dollar question: Will the S2000 gearbox survive this??

Since the S2000 gearbox has about the perfect ratio's and is probably also the most compact sixspeed around, it would be the perfect choice.

 

400ft lbs?

Yikes.

I dont think has ever gotten even CLOSE to those kind of tq numbers in an s2k, turbo, supercharged or otherwise.

 

I think it's up to 400hp at the engine.
Anything more than that I think the gears will give.
Here is a picture of 2nd gear from a 270rwkw s2k

 

Hmm, that doesn't look good...
I'm shooting for 450-520 HP at 8500rpm at the engine...

Any idea what caused the teeth to strip off? If it is the case flexing (seems to be a common cause) I can fix that, but if the gears themself are too weak...

 

I think the gears are just tooo weak.
He shifted to 2nd, heard a crunch and that's what left of the second gear on the right.

 

My tranny made about 19 passes on the dyno at around 500 flywheel to 540 flywheel (peak) and several passes on the street and it's fine. I don't launch it with this sort of power however....

Chris

 

Thanks guys!
I think I'm going to take a look at the Lotus Carlton gearbox that was for sale over here, I know that box is strong enough. Too bad the S2000 gearbox is too weak, it has much better ratio's and overall weight than any affordable alternative over here...

 

are you drag racing? if not it would probably be OK. One of the reasons it is so "weak" is because it is so compact and light weight. Tradeoffs....

 

Yeah, it is for a 600kg kitcar (full weight) and I am planning to take it to the strip once in a while. The real amount of torque I'm going to make remains a mystery, since I don't know of any similarly tuned NA LS400 v8. It could be just 320lb-ft, but when everything works together well it would be closer to 400...
I'm trying to extend the torque curve up in the rpm's as far as I can to get the HP (too bad the valve springs keep the engine from going over 9k)

Another question, while were at it, I picked up that the S2000 front uprights are great for kitcars, does anyone here have info on them? Like weight, minimum rim size, cost?

 

So u are plannig to have 400 hp or torque or whatever in a 1200-1400 pound car? And how are you plannig to keep that car on the ground?