Hey All,

It's rare that I post here. It seems that I only seem to post when it's smog/registration time. For the most part, I ignore my 2003 S2k, other than the daily smile I give it when I come into the garage to toss some garbage in the can.

It's slow. Unbearably so. I have three other cars: 2014 ML 350, 2015 X5 and a 2015 S550. I want to ditch my other cars and drive the S to the office each day...but I need an excuse.

The S2k was the first new car that I ever bought and I love it for being that milestone in my life. I hate it because I don't feel like I've done it justice. It's been mine since it was born 14 years ago and all that I've done to it is a Greddy Turbo Kit.

Which brings me back to my post today. i want to do something to the car this month. I'd either like to build a motor so I can up the boost, or....?

Does anyone have any opinions? I'd like to budget about $5K for this project and it would be great if I could squeeze another 100 WHP from the car. A buddy of mine in San Diego has a Elise with a supercharged V6 Toyota Solara motor. The car is a beast. I'd like for him to sing similar comments about my beautiful S.

Thanks in advance.

 

sounds like you need a different car.

 

may i recommend, the porsche 911 turbo s.

 

Appreciate the input, but saying goodbye to this car would be difficult. I used to live in SF and my car was stolen from me @ UCSF graduate housing. Police found it the next am in Inner Sunset and towed it away for being illegally parked. It was stripped and I was heart broken, but relieved when I found it.

I built it back to normal, but maybe even better. KW Suspension, SW388 wheels, blah, blah, blah. I added the Greddy Turbo kit in 2005/06 or whereabouts.

Getting rid of the car is the easy way out. I still love my S. I just need it to defy its genetics.

 

There's a multitude of options for making the car fast in a straight line. How little power are you getting out of the turbo kit that you still call the S2000 slow? The three other cars you listed aren't necessarily any faster depending on trim. Yes they have horsepower, but their weight is counterbalancing that (ML350 is slow in just about anyone's book).

 

True the ML is not a speed demon. I do like its torque, however. I don't know if I'm necessarily trying to go fast in a straight line, as much as I want some more pull in general terms. With such a small motor, I don't have delusions of grandeur when it comes to torque, but it would be nice to have some WHP kick in eventually. Having to ring out the motor, racing around the tach to 9 is fun, but at this point it's more sound then pound.

I guess what I was hoping for in this thread was some ideas on where to take the car next...

Fingers are still crossed.

 

Torque is going to be either large hp numbers or more cylinders. You could step into an SOS Twin Scroll setup; a local has been running one with up to 550hp (depends on the fuel he's running) and it's definitely fast. The more cylinders options would be either a J-series V6 or an LS swap. The V6 when built will give you horsepower and torque, though your max limit will be lower in NA form. The LS swap will gain you large amount of HP and TQ, though that's a very custom job.

It all depends on how much money and effort you want to sink into it.

 

I wanted to post this earlier, but I couldn't find it. Attached, please find my dyno run. This is a Greddy Kit and no other options aside from exhaust and no cat. Dyno from Church Automotive from 2015.

 

Wow, I am glad to see that you are an original owner and one of the founding members here on S2ki. If I was you, I would keep the motor and not swap it for something else. The F20C is a great and a unique motor in of itself, it is what made the S2000 what it is, an high sprunged motor.

I hope some other members can contribute and give you a better idea on what you can do with an $5k upgrade project. Since you already are modded, I would look into either working with the Greddy turbo kit and increase HP somehow or replace it with something else? Such as the PTunning Turbo Kit since they are one of the best off the shelf kits for the S. I hear they stopped making it for our s's and moved onto exotics but recently hear them pop-up on the forums time to time engaging our interests in their kits again. However, from the motor standpoint, does the motor leaks oil and burns oil, then I would consider about rebuilding the motor with new seals and gaskets and etc. for high HP parts.

My plans in the long run for a 200k mile club, would replace my oem F20C with an F22C and work around that and mod it with an Individual Throttle Body and keep it naturally aspirated since I have always been content with the S2K for what it is. I however, daily my S and myself too, don't ever planning on replacing her.

Sorry no expert, but I try to give you some encouraging thoughts, I hope others can chime on in and help an old head out

Goodluck Bro!

 

NOS would give you a healthy dose of midrange. Its basically on demand chemical supercharging. Would fit your $5k budget.

Obviously its not for constant use. But your are already boosted. How many times will you need to squirt juice on your way to work?

PS - Damn, bay area commuting must be worse than I thought!