BBT

Hey everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster

Anyway, I'm looking for some advice on rebuilding my S2k. I have a '00 in NFR with ~124k on it that I purchased around six years ago - thing is she is starting to show some wear. Last year I purchased a BRZ and have been loving it, but it's no replacement for the S... We have driven across the country twice, once through Yellowstone and I have a huge sentimental attachment to her.

So, I'm thinking about doing a complete refresh. Top to bottom. She has a dent in the driver's side door from a parking lot hit-and-run and I'm relatively sure something is up with the #4 cylinder. (Replaced the plugs 2k ago and just from an eyeball inspection it seems that there is a significant amount of carbon buildup).

I am by no means a mechanic - my only rebuild experience comes from helping a friend rebuild his Miata and maintenance on karts as a kid. However, I enjoy the experience and have plenty of expert help nearby if I need it.

She's been sitting in the garage gathering dust for the last two months since I have had to deal with family issues, but I think it's about time for some TLC.

So here is some history and some issues I've noticed - any advice is greatly appreciated

Maint. Notes:
- Purchased her @ ~80,000. Full fluid swap. Installed K&N air filter which has been maintained
- Full Inspection at 95,000, leakdown test passed, full fluid flush
- I have personally changed the oil every 3k miles with full synthetic/Mobil 1 filters
- Minor accident @ 110,000 low speed rear-end collision with no frame damage just had to replace a cracked rear bumper
- I have replaced the soft top twice, and she needs a new one (Arizona is hell on them)
- Who knows how many rear tire replacements!

Concerns:
- She has had skunk 2 coilovers and a slight drop since purchase. I'm thinking of bringing back to stock.
- VTEC engagement seems to be a bit sluggish
- Clutch system needs a flush/rebuild. Has turned black and I have to top off every 3k miles or so to keep the feeling correct.
- Steering pulls hard to the right. This is strange to me since I haven't hit any curbs or caused significant trauma. Started after a period of idleness.
- Some lights in the cabin have died. Climate control and overhead lights.
- Speakers are almost dead.
- When I first bought her, we had some learning experiences with curbs/speedbumps - any cause for concern?
- Bearings/Clutch, I figure I should replace them for good measure.
- Shifting has become a little rough (engagement/disengagement isn't fluid - sometimes I have to skip a gear)

Otherwise starts/runs great and I don't have any complaints. I have had more good experiences than I can count with her.

Anything you guys know of will help at this point! I'm getting together a game plan and if there is interest I can post pictures of the rebuild. At this point nothing is off limits - I'm just looking for some direction!

Legal Bill

Here is what I would do:

1. Diagnose the condition of the engine. If you cannot do it, bring it to someone who can. Don't do any engine repair work at this time, just find out what work it needs and the cost, especially with respect to number 4 cylinder.

2. Flush the clutch hydraulic fluid and replace it with new fluid. This is easy to do with two people. Adjust the master cylinder. Also easy to do. Change the tranny fluid with fresh Honda fluid. Change the rear differential fluid. Now go drive the car and see if the clutch feels good and, more importantly, does the tranny shift smoothly and is the rear end quiet? If the answer to any of these questions is no, determine the cost to repair or replace them.

3. Jack up the front end and test the wheel bearings to see if one of them is going bad. Check all the bushings and links to see if anything is wearing out. Check the wear on the front tires. Check the operation of the front brake calipers and condition of the front brake pads. In other words, figure out why it is pulling.

4. Get the prices for 4 new brake rotors, brake pads, struts/shocks, and wheel bearings, tires and be honest about the condition of the wheels. Do they need to be replaced? If so, used wheels are fine, but again, get the cost.

If you can figure out how much it will cost to make numbers 1, 2 and 3 correct, then you can figure out how much it will cost to restore the car mechanically. Then get an estimate from the body shop to figure out the cost to repair the body and repaint the entire car. This will help you figure out if you really want to restore the car, versus selling it as-is and just going out and buying a low mileage replacement.

onions

Good luck and please keep us updated. I am sure we all need to cross the bridge at some point in time .

_brandon

Could rebuild the head? I just got done doing that thinking everything was ok and all 8 of my exhaust valves were bent. Not terribly difficult to do and it will cost you (doing it yourself) around 500-1000$ depending on the shape. Inspect the bottom end (plasti gauge rod bearings if you like), check for scoring etc. Could replace banjo bolts.. But for the love of god have someone experienced do it. Trust me that is something you do not want to screw up. I did and went through hell fixing it. Leave the rings alone though! From what I learned you cant just slap new rings in and expect it to work fine. The cylinders tend to oval out a bit over time. I am an owner of a 01 with 124k like you. Replace the CMC and the slave cylinder too. Uhh.. Yeah change fluids and have fun. All of this might be unnecessary but it is peace of mind.