Not had my s2k long as u can probably see from my stats. I bought it second hand with 26k on the clock on a 2001 model. Luv it, i mean really luv it. Couple of questions though for you that are in the know. Firstly between 3000 and 5000 revs it sometimes sounds like there is butterfly type of valve making a purring type of sound. The sound then goes away at above 5000k. What is strange though is that it only happens when i 'boot' the car - any ideas????????

Secondly i checked the oil when the car was cold and it seemed really low - like below the L mark. I then checked it when the engine was warm and it was still below the low mark. After a trip to my local Halfords and 400ml later it still showed low. I have definitely no leaks. Again any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

Glad you LUV the car

Are you running an aftermarket CAI, or with airbox cover off?

The car can use a lot of oil. never seen an L mark though. it has X's on the dipstick

 

Oil level is notoriously difficult to check - you have to make sure the car is absolutely level, and dip it a number of times to be sure. Whatever you do, make sure it has enough oil.

Don't know about the purring Is it under any warranty ? If so, I would take it back and ask them to try it if you are worried.

 

sgt.786

Making sure the oil level isn't low is very important on the S2000, see the Tech FAQ for details.

 

Get that oil topped up to the FULL mark ASAP! Check it regularly and always keep it topped up. You're almost certainly suffering reduced VTEC performance with the oil that low, as selection of the VTEC cam is entirely dependent on oil pressure which in turn is dependent on oil level. You may find your noise disappears once you top up.

 

Is it a purr or a whistle, if its more a a whistle then it is normal around 4,500 revs. Its the design of the airbox.

I recently had my car checked by Honda because I felt it used excessive oil (1ltr for 500miles) they told me it was normal for a high performance engine. Also you should use Shell Helix in this car, but don't mix oil's.

 

That 3k whistle is normal.

I have had it checked out and have subsequently heard it on other S's.

 

If your oil is very low you could easily put in a litre to fill it back up.

Make sure your car is fully warmed up and allow to stand for a couple of minutes on a very flat surface - garage forecourt is usually pretty good - before you check.

If you are checking the oil when cold make sure that you don't turn the engine over first or you will have to leave the car a good 10 - 15minutes before you check to get an accurate reading.

If in doubt ask your local garage to put some oil in for you and show you how to check it yourself in the future. Make sure you check it every 300 miles or so.

My car whistles around 3-4k as well

 

The noise and low oil level may well be related. As previously state the engine does use more than normal engines, it is also reliant on good oil pressure and tempreatures to engage vtec properly.

Give it a honeymoon present and do an oil change! U know U will both love it!

 

Could the noise be the injectors ? They're supposed to be louder than most cars, and this would tie in with it being loudest when you boot it. It's more of a tappety sound than a purr though.