I just bought my new AP1 and do not know what type of oil was used by the previous owner. Let me just note that the engine was completely clean with no oil leakage when purchased and it is a 2000 with only 71K. With that said I brought it to the Honda dealer to have them do a oil change, they suggested synthetic oil, so that is what I had them add to the engine. Now I am seeing leakage around the front of the head and above the oil filter should I drain out the oil and add regular oil to it instead. and if so I would use Castrol 5W-30 is that a good choice?

 

Synthetic oil wont cause a leak compared to regular oil. Synthetic oil is a great idea in this car.

The car takes 10w30.

Find and fix the leak, oil type is not the cause.

 

Thank You, I see that you are very knowledgable on the S2000. So now I am having some problems. I just returned back from Iraq with the army and have been working on my newly aquired AP1 and I removed the valve cover to have it powder coated and I ordered a new valve cover gasket set from Japan. Put it all together and have been driving it for some time now. I drove down to a friends house in Sebring Fl that works for a shop called Sick Speed and has 3 S2000's that they rent out to race with chins motorsports. He said that my idle was rough and that I should check the spark plugs, so I came home and bought new spark plugs. I was looking for NGK IFR7G's but I could not find a store that had them in stock. Pep boys said to buy these E3 spark plug that I have never herd of so I did. but now after looking at the posts I guess I need to take them back and go to the dealer to get the NGK's. Well before I got on here I was going to change the spark plugs and found when I was taking the coils off that I had oil down in there with the spark plug so I have taken the valve cover off and found that the spark plug tube seals have slid down the spark plug tube why would that have happened and now what should I do?

 

Congrats on the new AP1! From everything I've read on this forum, OEM plugs are definitely the way to go for the S2. As far as the spark plug gaskets falling into the engine, I haven't seen that pop up before (but I'm not an expert by any means). Are you sure the seals weren't bad/rotted and didn't just fall down when pulling the valve cover off? I would think the car would run like crap if they were floating around inside the spark plug chamber. Either way..I'd think fishing them out and getting a fresh set would be the next step. Hopefully an easy fix, best of luck!

 

Well I have just downloaded a S2000 manual so now I can find where I went wrong. I valve cover set was new from Japan and the O-ring like seals get sort of pressed into the under side of the valve cover and are supposed to go around the tubes for the spark plugs to seal the valve cover to the spark plug tubes so that oil dose not get into the spark plug chamber well I am guessing that I put the seals on backwards or upside down and some how the they managed to come out of where they are pressed in on the valve cover and slide down around the tube that houses the spark plugs before taking the valve covers off you could see that the seals have fallen out of place lucky it did not hurt the engine and now about that oil in with my spark plug should I just remove the spark plugs and let the oil go down into the combustion chamber? how can I clean up the oil there inside with the spark plug.

 

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/875...30-weight-oil/

 

Damn, I just bought 10W-30 with Lucas OS.. but after reading I am draining this crap out. You still think 0W-30 for Arizona temps? Winter is sometimes high 40s and mostly 50s to low 70s. Summer is the obvious above 100F and nights are 90's hahah so you think OW-3O Synthetic is good for AZ temps?

 

Good information

 

You cant let a lot of oil go into the cylinder.

Shove some paper towels down there and get most of it. Then remove the plugs and dry the oil off. The dry the oil out of the tubes.

Seems your tube seals were incorrectly installed.

 

Thank You, Yeah I found a small syringe like thing to suck the most of the oil up, I agree with you there a little but I bought the Gasket set from a company in Japan, and I compared the old Spark Plug tube seals with the newer ones and the newer ones seem a little flimsey so I reinspected the original tube seals that I have taken of the valve cover to powdercoat and 3 of the 4 looked like I can reuse them so I reinstalled them and one of the cheaper ones I am going to watch what happens and go to the dealer today to get new ones from them.

I guess I am finding out from now on if I need somthing for this car I need to start at the dealer first LOL,