No Oil in S2000!!
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,762
Likes: 1
From: Sheridan
broken_S2000, I'm really sorry your engine seized with lack of oil. The thread I started a year ago has a good summary of engine failures that Honda fixed with short block or engine repairs. It is referenced above and again here: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...rt+block+thread
I think it is important to check the oil at every gasoline fill-up and document it on the receipt. It may not be important for preventing engine failures, but it is certainly important for maintaining your warranty. Honda has provided a few engine replacements to owners whose engine failed with no oil left as one-time-courtesy-replacements, but that is above and beyond.
Almost all the owners who ran low on oil had NO INDICATION on the oil idiot light. My dealer tried to explain this to me rationally last year, but I really don't get it. Suffice it to say, for whatever reason, the oil idiot light does not give you any advance warning that you are about to run out of oil and ruin your engine. I'm not sure what it does do of value.
My first engine suffered the #4 cylinder failure without being low on oil. The car only had 650 miles on the odometer and I checked the oil at each gasoline fill-up. The dealer documented full engine oil at time of failure. Rarely these engines suffer the #4 cylinder failure through plain bad luck with no owner error.
Some of these engines seize up when the owner lets the engine oil get too low.
I suspect some of these engines develop a catastrophic engine failure when then quickly consumes the oil so that at the time the dealer inspects the engine he finds BOTH a failed engine and no oil. Honda has blamed the failure on the low oil, but it may be that Honda has it backwards, at least some of the time.
So far almost everyone who has suffered the #4 cylinder failure has been satisfied with Honda's response.
Barry in Sheridan, Wyoming,
3000 miles and 14 months into my second engine.
I think it is important to check the oil at every gasoline fill-up and document it on the receipt. It may not be important for preventing engine failures, but it is certainly important for maintaining your warranty. Honda has provided a few engine replacements to owners whose engine failed with no oil left as one-time-courtesy-replacements, but that is above and beyond.
Almost all the owners who ran low on oil had NO INDICATION on the oil idiot light. My dealer tried to explain this to me rationally last year, but I really don't get it. Suffice it to say, for whatever reason, the oil idiot light does not give you any advance warning that you are about to run out of oil and ruin your engine. I'm not sure what it does do of value.
My first engine suffered the #4 cylinder failure without being low on oil. The car only had 650 miles on the odometer and I checked the oil at each gasoline fill-up. The dealer documented full engine oil at time of failure. Rarely these engines suffer the #4 cylinder failure through plain bad luck with no owner error.
Some of these engines seize up when the owner lets the engine oil get too low.
I suspect some of these engines develop a catastrophic engine failure when then quickly consumes the oil so that at the time the dealer inspects the engine he finds BOTH a failed engine and no oil. Honda has blamed the failure on the low oil, but it may be that Honda has it backwards, at least some of the time.
So far almost everyone who has suffered the #4 cylinder failure has been satisfied with Honda's response.
Barry in Sheridan, Wyoming,
3000 miles and 14 months into my second engine.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,762
Likes: 1
From: Sheridan
broken_S2000, any update on your car or warranty coverage?
Personally, I think Honda is at fault for designing a car that can suddenly lose a lot of oil and have no indication of impending doom from the oil light not coming on.
Honda would have done us a favor to have NO OIL LIGHT AT ALL on the car and to imprint on the steering wheel, "Check your oil before starting car."
Barry
Personally, I think Honda is at fault for designing a car that can suddenly lose a lot of oil and have no indication of impending doom from the oil light not coming on.
Honda would have done us a favor to have NO OIL LIGHT AT ALL on the car and to imprint on the steering wheel, "Check your oil before starting car."
Barry