Mad Max

Went to a track day run by Autocar at the Palmer Autodrome in Bedford yesterday. Some fantastic cars were there including a 360 F1, flame spitting R33 Skyline, Road rally EVO 5 plus the usual splatering of 911's, Impreza's, Elise's and M3's including a new one (also not one but two Alfa SZ's!). Anyway after 3 wet laps things were going well untill I changed down from fith to fourth to third at the end of the main straight, through a right/left chicane and then applied the throttle only to hear a deathly rattle! I toured slowly back to the pits and the Palmersport mechanics checked it out (they know the cars well as they have five at the circuit). They winced as I started the engine and asked that I immediately turn the ingnition off. The prognosis: big end bearing failure = dead engine!!!!!! I then had the car towed to the local dealer in Bedford and a mechanic there confirmed that it was bottom end but a full analysis could not be made untill the engine was stripped.

This was my second visit to the circuit. The first time, last October, Jonathen Palmer (JP) drove the car, it caught fire and dropped all its oil!!! This was due to the oil filter not being screwed on tight enough (I forgot to mention on both occasions I got my local dealer to service the car, prior to the track day). Again it was towed to the dealer in Bedford and fixed then towed and ferried back to Jersey. My dealer took the head off to see if there was any top end damage and reported none. The car ran fine till yesterday but I am now wondering if the bottom-end got damaged/weakened due to oil starvation and has only failed now due to the extra stresses of track work.

Anyway I was really pissed off as I only managed 3 laps in my car and 5 more in one of circuits S2000's which JP let me use, so I didn't get much track time. Plus I have just spent a grand upgrading the suspension and brakes (Spoon X-brace and strut bar, Mugen front sway bar, Eibach springs, Goodridge brake lines, Hawk brake pads which didn't fit! and upgraded brake fluid!!!!) and wanted to see how the car now perfomed. Three very wet laps were not enough to draw any conclusions.

I got chatting to Karen Wheeler of Autocar and she wants me to keep her informed off what happens from now and if Honda give me any grief (re the warrenty and being on the track). JP has also asked that I keep him informed and he will speak to Honda on my behalf. Finally Honda themselves will be represented at the next two track days that Autocar organize so the magazine is going to set me up for one of those.

The silver lining to this very dark cloud is the Ferrari day i'm doing, this Saturday which includes a go in a F355 F1.

Ross

Nightmare!
Really sorry to hear of your problems, my work has been looking at doing a JP track day, and then list the Stook as one of the best track cars.
I haven't had the time/money to take mine on to a track yet, but good luck with getting it sorted.

Ross

AnDy_PaNdY

Good luck with getting this sorted.
It certainly sounds like the initial oil starvation could have initiated this catastrophic failure.

GT2000

Sorry to hear about your engines untimely "demise".

It sounds to me that having oil starvation could well have
contributed to the big end bearing failure. Seeing as I
have never heard of this problem before on an S2K
motor (I could be wrong) I would be suspicious..

All the best on a quick fix!

UK Paul

Max,

I think I know why you had your problem, at the end of the main straight you should turn left, right, left .

I wonder if this is the no.4 cylinder problem that a few 2001 US cars were having.

Having a doofus dealer doesn't help either

How are the 15 miles of roads in Jersey coping with the S2000 when its working?

Mad Max

UK Paul

Driving in Jersey is pretty crap. Blanket 40mph speed limit and sh1t roads. You can understand why I am keen to go to track days.

I will be contacting the dealer in Bedford on Monday morning to find out the cause of the failure. Hopefully they will get Berlina back to me soon.

By the way, on my return to Jersey, I have confirmation of my tickets to Goodwood (Friday through to Sunday), so I will see you there.

Chow.