AtlStuBird

I have a 2002 that ran without water and blew the head gasket. The engine still spins, so it seems I could get away with replacing the head gasket. I would like to know who the best machine shops at rebuilding S2000 cylinder heads? I am in SWFL but I have no qualms of choosing a recommended shop elsewhere.

Save the Manual Wagons!

As far as I know, LHT Performance is the place to go. No personal experience but I've heard good things.

Wherever you go, make sure they use AP2 retainers/keepers on the intake side only. If they insist on doing both sides, they're wrong, and I would go somewhere else.

How do you know the bottom end is still good?

AtlStuBird

Can you explain "make sure they use AP2 retainers/keepers on the intake side only." I would like to know when talking with them why I need to do this. Why is this important and why is it different than the exhaust side? Would they use AP1 retainers/keepers for the exhaust?

Save the Manual Wagons!

Ok, maybe I was being overly dramatic. The retainers are one of the finer and maybe least important things when it comes to rebuilding the head. But it's a good "test" to see if the shop knows this engine. If they've never heard of the AP2 retainers I would go somewhere else. If they insist on AP2 for both sides, they're wrong, but just haven't done enough reading. Basically, it all has to do with adding a margin of safety in case you mechanically over-rev ("money shift"). This thread is huge but Billman has a good summary in post #25, pasted below in quotes: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-un...-569714/page3/

Just make sure they don't mill the head too much. That actually is important. https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-un...iming-1191577/

I guess my point is, there are some "gotchas" with this engine. And doing a bunch of research on your end is pointless if the shop doesn't know anything and ruins it. So, pick a shop that's known to be successful with the S2000 engine.

B serious

Why do you need a machine shop to be involved at all if you're just replacing the head gasket?

Just replace the head gasket. Put some AP2 retainers in it yourself. That's not machining.

You can even toss some new valve seals in there.

There's nothing wrong with using AP2 retainers on both sides. Overkill, but not wrong.

Buy all your parts at a Honda dealer. Don't use any aftermarket parts.

windhund116

Yes, check the head and block surfaces for warpage. Go from there.

AtlStuBird

I know the head will have to be checked for cracks and warping, so wouldn't it be prudent to rebuild the head too?

B serious

You won't know if the head is warped or cracked until you have it apart.

I'm guessing you've already determined that the head gasket is indeed blown.

Download or buy a copy of the FSM. Follow the directions carefully and take the head off and check it with a straight bar, per the FSM's recommended pattern.

If it needs machining, make sure the shop does not machine it past the FSM limits. If it needs more machining than the FSM allows, you need a new/replacement used head casting...so don't even bother moving forward.

And if it does need machining, do *minimal* other work. The shop needs to follow the FSM on any services...not their instincts.

And as mentioned, buy genuine Honda replacement parts.

The key is to follow the FSM and do only what's necessary, after actually determining its necessary.

I blew my head gasket at like 165K miles, and my head was totally straight. I cleaned up the surfaces very gingerly, with a nylon brush and put the head back on, with a new gasket and new head bolts and nothing else. Worked perfectly when reassembled.

I had tracked my car with a blown HG for probably 2 track events and a few hundred street miles before I realized what was going on.

These engines are quite well built. A lot of them are ruined by shops that fix them without reading the FSM, or try to do too much, or try to use non-genuine parts.

Chuck S

FSM?

The Service Manual (SM) is here. Download it but only print what you need as it's about 1,000 pages.

-- Chuck

Car Analogy

An example. Our heads have 5 angle valve seats. An unfamiliar shop doing a rebuild would likely grind them at 3 angles, and assume they just gave you an upgrade. Really it was a downgrade, and doing nothing would have been better.

They can press new guides in too far.

They can mill too much from head as already mentioned.

All kinds of reasons for less is better.


There is this knee jerk reaction of new aftermarket parts better than partially worn stock parts, or aftermarket performance parts better than partually worn stock parts, or rebuilding is better than partially worn stock. In most instances none of these notions are true for this platform. It is often true for many other cars, so understandable mistake.