So as the title says, I'm a noobie to S2000's I've had my 02 AP1 for little under a year, bought it we'll maintained and have had it Brought in early for every service and oil change. Last week I randomly thought to check the oil and long and behold it had little to nothing on the dip stick, no diamonds, literally at the very tip if that. Though it wasn't fully dry as when I pulled it out a couple times after cleaning it off it always came out with oil on the stick somewhere. I immediately went to get some oil in another car and filled it up and took it to my mechanic. A couple hours later and they come back to me saying everything is alright, they used a stethoscope, checked everything, oil pan was clean, and appeared to be all good. Drove it back home and it felt like a new car, incredibly smooth shifting and driving but knowing me I'm still scared that underneath everything I messed it up.

Before I took it to the mechanic the oil light had never popped up while I was driving, only present when I turn the key and start her up, it then goes off a second later. I didn't have any rattling or the sorts. The only thing I can tell is different is the way she sounds and feels, she's much "smoother".

I wanted to come on here and ask you guys because I feel if anybody would know my car it would be you all.
Thanks

 

S2k's typically will use some oil by nature. Most of us check the oil everytime we fill up the tank at minimum. I check mine more often when autocrossing or tracking it.

Filling it back up should not have made it any smoother. If anything had happened with the oil to make it feel less smooth, it would have caused damage and would not feel any different after filling it up. Sounds like it all checked out ok and you escaped any damage this time, so just keep it checked regularly and keep it topped off and you will be good. Some oil usage in this car is not a concern as long as it is kept topped off when it needs it

 

Some cars burn oil faster than others. Ap1 typically burn faster than ap2.

There is another recent thread on this same topic, and everyone's conclusion is its fine, don't worry about it, be more careful in the future.

In that thread, the owner only drove on tbe highway. Had he wrung the car out using vtec and redlining it with low oil, that will quickly kill one of these motors. But if driven 'normally', its like any other car. Low oil probably won't cause significant harm.

Did you redline it while oil was low? If not, you're probably good.

Tip. When checking oil, always look at both sides of dipstick. If they aren't equal, use the lower reading. Also, check oil at every fillup for a while, until you get a feel for how many miles it takes to eat up a quart. Then check it every half that many miles.

 

What oil are you using? Some have been found to burn more than others especially in AP1's. Mobile 1 seems to burn the most so if that is what is being used then I would change it. Plenty of threads on people soil preferences. I like Amsoil personally but others run other stuff and it works fine for them. You may look into some of the common AP2 upgrades people do to AP1's as well if you want to be proactive on this. If you drive the car regularly you should check the oil often like the others have said. Either when you fill up or maybe every other week sort of depends how much you drive.

 

I wouldn't say I'm redlining all the time but in my daily drive I'll occasionally get it up to 8ish before I shift. I drive it normally except for when I get to nice corners I can't resist.

 

That's the thing I can tell it just feels smoother, alot better before I had dropped it off. I don't know I could just tell...

 

Lots of information in that obscure, ignored document called the Owner's Manual: (Emphasis added.)

Page numbers didn't copy but your manual will have them.

You get the idea (I hope).

-- Chuck

 

To be fair if he bought the car used it may not have come with a manual. Mine didnt and i had to go to the local Honda dealership to get one. It would make sense as not everyone keeps the manual in the car and its easy to forget to put it back in when you sell it.

 

No excuse for not having an owners manual. Really none. Asking questions without bothering to check the manual generates traffic here, though.

All Honda owner's manuals are on line in PDF format and download in a matter of 3 seconds. As are several, maybe nearly all, vehicle owner's manuals.

Even if you have the printed copy the PDF versions are indispensable sine they can be searched. Where do you think the section I quoted came from?

-- Chuck

 

My one owner car did not come with a manual. Everything but that. (Poor guy almost died from heart problems) I downloaded the manual, put it on a flash drive and took it to FedEx Office to print. They printed and bound it for about $6 as I recall. I went with black and white; not much color really. It fits perfectly in the secret compartment. I picked out the cover picture from some extra Honda literature I had; I did not have access to what the original manual had on the front for 2009.