I was cleaning up some old saved WORD documents and came across this from long ago:

SOME PROBLEMS / SOLUTIONS REPORTED BY HONDA & BY OWNERS

The majority of owners have not experienced any major problems with the Honda S2000. Given the demands put on such a car, it’s a testimony to its reliability. However, every car has some problems to sort out and the S2000 is no exception. Please keep in mind Technical Service Bulletins (TSB’s) are not considered a Recall. Their purpose is to provide a source of more information for dealers. The following are some of the reported problems and solutions as reported by Honda and by owners:

1 SHIFTING
Technical Service Bulletin 00-055 (Transmission/Driveline) for Grinding When Shifting into 2nd Gear. Honda says this applies for certain ‘00 S2000's, this revision changes applicability and parts and warranty claim information. Some owners that have had this repair claim it doesn’t always work. Other owners report shifts being notchy going into 1st and 3rd gears as well. It’s unclear at this time if the reported improvements in ‘02 S2000s have corrected the problem - it would appear not. Several owners report the grinding condition may be trigger by hotter weather, i.e., 100 degrees +. Some owners report a transmission fluid change has improved the notchy feel.
Demands on the S2000 syncro’s as explained by a Honda engineer, and his suggestion for taking care of them: Since the engine revs to 9000 rpms, it means the transmission mainshaft and clutch disk are also revving to 9000 rpm. When you push in the clutch pedal to disengage the clutch and shift from 1st to 2nd the engine and the transmission are disconnected. At the same time, the engine slows down from compression as you lift off the throttle. The transmission mainshaft, no longer connected to the engine, is freewheeling in the transmission. Given enough time the mainshaft will slow down but not as fast as the engine. The countershaft is connected to the rear wheels and the speed stays constant during the shift. When you shift into 2nd gear the 2nd gear synchro must “slowdown” the transmission mainshaft to match the engine speed when the shift is completed and the clutch is engaged. The transmission mainshaft and the clutch disk together weigh 19.75 lbs. (not including the pressure plate and flywheel that are connected to the engine) When you shift from 1st to 2nd at 9000 rpm the engine speed drops to 5900. That means that the little brass synchronizer rings have to push on the 2nd gear to slow the mainshaft from 9000 rpm to 5900 rpm. It not only has to slow down the mainshaft it has to do it in the time that it takes you to shift. So if you have a tendency to shift fast you may be making the sleeve blow past the synchro rings before it has a chance to do it's job and it will smash into the 2nd gear.

The early '00 cars needed a little change to the sleeve to make the synchros work a little harder. That is what the new parts in the service bulletin are for. Cars after VIN VT006255 already have the new parts. Grinding in a car produced later than 6255 is possible if the synchros have been damaged and now are not able to slow down the mainshaft properly.

Shifting without the clutch, or, shift too quickly and not letting the synchros do their job may permanently damage the gear, sleeve and synchros and make the 2nd gear grind more often. It makes sense that if your shifting at 6000 rpm, it makes the engine speed drop 1700 rpm or 4300 rpm then you should give the 2nd gear synchro twice the time to do the shift from 9000 rpm. If your car does grind once in a while you may not want the transmission removed, disassembled and a new 2nd gear put in. If it does it quite often, show it to the dealer and have it replaced. If you hesitate for another 1/2 second while putting constant pressure on the shifter while the 2nd gear synchro does it's job, I'll bet many of your cars would not grind any more.

When the owner of a new 2002 S2000 questioned the notchy feeling between 2nd and 3rd gear he was advised all was normal: “ Transmission shift mechanism inside has very short throws with rods and detents. These shift rods are held into correct position by detent balls with stiff spring pressure to prevent transmission from slipping out of gear during acceleration. Transmission function is correct at this time and no repairs are recommend by Honda Techinical Assistance. The 2002 S2000 Transmission was assembled with update parts. No updates or TSB's apply to this vehicle."

Honda put out this letter in February 16, 2000 in Portugal. Subject: Honda S2000 Gearbox
Dear customer, Honda has detected that, in some Honda S2000, the gearbox may malfunction. The symptom is difficulty in engaging 1st or reverse. This situation may occur due to a deficient lubrication inside the gearbox. Normally, this deficient lubrication only happens after driving for sometime at high speed. To correct this situation, we would like to install a modified gearbox in your vehicle, so that we can ensure the correct operation of the transmission. [This is a situation that affected early S2000s]

2 WINDSHIELD MOLDING
Technical Service Bulletin 00-064 (Body) for Deformed Windshield Molding. This revision updates applicability to include ‘01 S2000s.

3 CONVERTIBLE TOP NOISE
Technical Service Bulletin 01-037 (Body) for Wind Noise or Rattle at the Convertible Top. For all ‘00 and ‘01 S2000's, replace convertible top strikers with hardtop strikers.

4 CONVERTIBLE TOP LOOSE
Technical Service Bulletin 00-064 (Body), Convertible Top Cover Comes Loose. For all ‘00 and ‘01 S2000's, adjust the convertible top lowered position stops.

5 CLUTCH SPRINGS
Some owners report Buzzing while slowing down. The complaint is that there is a "buzzing noise" noise on deceleration at 4000 RPM to 3000 RPM. The correction is to have the clutch disk changed. The springs in the disk help isolate the pulses from the engine during deceleration. The pulses "excite " the gears in the gear box which make the noise as they vibrate against each other. The quality of the spring isn't the issue, it is the strength of the springs that has been changed.

6 SEAT BELT RECALLS
There has been numerous Technical Service Bulletin’s Seatbelt related issues for certain ‘00 S2000's. There were two recalls: One for the seat belt and another for the boot cover. The former involved stripping down the cabin and fix the seatbelt retracting mechanism, the latter replacing the cover. Reportedly 4,930 2000 S2000 were recalled because the belts do not retract properly with top down (00V-016).

6A SEAT BELT SQUEAKS & CHATTER
A number of owner’s report squeaks caused by the seatbelt(s) rubbing on the seat leather. In some cases, the leather has been replaced. Several people have complained about the noise from the passenger side seatbelt hitting the door when driving alone. One solution is to slide the metal piece to the top of the seat and let it sit on the "shoulder" of the seat, it will stay there (even in agressive driving) and not make a sound.

7 OIL CONSUMPTION
Honda has asked it dealers to Tell Customers About S2000 Oil Consumption. Due to the high performance nature of the ‘00 and ‘01 S2000, its engine can consume a quart of oil in 1,000 miles when driven at high rpm. So Honda suggests S2000 owners follow these guidelines:

7A CHECK LEVEL. Check the engine oil level every time they fill the fuel tank.

7B READING DIPSTICK. Be aware that the oil dipstick goes through the cylinder head, so engine oil draining back into the oil pan can wet the dipstick and give deceptive readings. So look at both sides of the dipstick, and then use the lowest reading.

7C CONSUMPTION. During the first 600 miles (the car’s break-in period), the engine may consume even more than a quart of oil; customers should add Honda 10W-30 or other high-quality petroleum-based oil of that viscosity to the factory-fill oil, as needed to restore the oil to the proper level.

7D WEIGHT OF OIL. For optimum fuel economy and year-round engine protection, customers should use only the 10W-30 weight of engine oil. This is a revision from the 5W-30 recommended in the owner’s manual.

7E BREAK-IN OIL. Because the piston rings, piston rod bearings, cam bearings, and crankshaft main bearings continue to “break in” during the first 5,000 to 7,500 miles, factory-fill oil is provided in the engine of the delivered car. The factory-fill oil has special additives, so it should be left in the engine until the first oil change: 7,500 miles, under “Normal Conditions.”
Reportedly, the oil is slightly thinner than normal and contains more Molybdenum to provide the "slipperyness" that thinner oil may lose.

7F OIL CHANGE. If the oil is changed at 3,500 miles because the car was driven under “Severe Conditions,” replace the factory fill oil only with 10W-30 petroleum-based oil.

7G SYNTHETIC OIL. Do not use any synthetic oil for the first 7,500 miles. Synthetic oil is excellent protection for the car’s engine, but it should not be used before 7,500 miles since it will not allow the rings, bearings, etc. to “break in” properly.
Honda claims that synthetic oil is too slippery to seat the rings properly (seating the rings refers to the rings shaping themselves to the precise size of the bore). The lubricating qualities of synthetic oil coupled with the engine design prevent the rings from properly seating if you switch to synthetic too soon. Also, the break-in oil has special additives, so try to keep it in for 7500 miles if possible.

7H MORE ON CONSUMPTION. Some S2000 engines will consume more oil than others depending on the tolerances inside the engine. The rate of oil consumption will taper off between 5,000 and 10,000 miles.

8 ENGINE FAILURE IN #4 CYLINDER
A small number of owners, approximately two dozen are known, report major engine failure due to the #4 Cylinder Burn-out.

9 DRIVERS WINDOW AUTO DOWN MALFUNCTION
Technical Service Bulletin 01-008 for Driver’s Window - the Auto Down not operating properly. A small number of owners report this problem on ‘00, ‘01and ‘02 models.

10 WATER LEAKING ONTO CARPET (AIR-CONDITIONING)Technical Service Bulletin 00-083 for Air-conditioning Leaks Onto Passenger’s Carpet. When the AC is on maximum in humid conditions, condensation builds up on the condenser. The fan (on max) blows the water into the heater box which isn't water tight. The water leaks from the heater box into the passenger compartment. Reportedly the fix is to get Dupont waterproof paste and tape to waterproof the seam of heater box. Applies to ‘00 and ‘01models.

11 DIFFERENTIAL
A small number of owners claim the car has a Weak Differential; other’s argue it’s how it’s driven and not the car.

12 BUMP STEER
Some owners report the suspension has Poor Bump Steer Tendencies; other’s argue it’s how it’s driven and not the car.

13 SNAP OVERSTEER
Some owners report the suspension has Snap Oversteer Tendancies; other’s argue it’s how it’s driven and not the car. Some owners report this is less of an issue with other high-performance rear tires with different sidewalls. Some owners report very low mileage cars being out of alignment (camber, caster, etc.), thus owner’s experiencing handling problems should consider checking this.

The British press was been tough on the S2000 when it first came out, and the British dealerships issued a TSB to change the alignment spec’s for British cars. In 2002 the British spec car now is reported to have a different alignment then the prior two years. The USA car has maintained the same specs for all three model years - ‘00, 01, and ‘02. This has been verified.

14 PAINT PEELING
A small number of owners report Paint Peeling or scrapping off where bumper and body meet.

15 LOOSE SPARK PLUGS
A small number of owners report major engine failure due to Loose Spark Plugs. An even larger number report finding loose spark plugs when checked. Some owners believe Honda’s recommended torque setting may be too low and the this has be brought to Honda’s attention.

AHM issued a TSB # 02-042 dated July 10, 2002. It applies to all 2000-2001, and 2002 from #0026 to #6983. This TSB involves a simple spark plug replacement, where new spark plugs will be tightened to 18 lb-ft (an increase of 5 lb-ft over the original 13 lb-ft-lb spec.) This is free of charge.

16 OIL FILLER CAP OFF
A number of owners report the Oil Fillter Cap Vibrating Off if not tighten down good. The speculative causes range from the gasket misaligning when being replaced, engine vibration loosening, and just sloppy work by the dealerships.

17 LOOSE OIL FILTER
And a small number of owners report finding the Oil Filter Loose.

18 FENDERS DENT EASILY
Some owner’s report caution should be used when performing engine or transmission work on the S2000's as the Fenders Are Susceptible To Small Dents if the mechanic is not careful.

19 OIL DIP STICK POPPING UP
Some owner’s report finding the Dip Stick Has Popped Up, thus allowing oil to be blown out into the engine compartment. Reportedly wiping the rubber o-rings before reinserting may help and ensuring it is fully engaged.

20 SHIFTING DIFFICULTIES WHEN COLD
Owner’s report Shifting Difficulties When Cold, i.e. winter time. Generally this is considered normal with manual transmissions when cold. However, it may be cause by the clutch is not fully coming disengaged when it is cold. One test is to turn off the engine and see if it goes into gear easier. If it does then it may be the clutch. Another suggested test you can try: With nothing in front of the car (in a level parking lot) with the engine running open the door and take your foot off of the brake. Now when putting the shifter into 1st watch the ground to see if the car creeps forward any. If it does then the clutch isn't fully disengaging. The only way to fix this is to take the transmission out and clean the splines of the main shaft and clutch disk. If the splines are dirty they get cleaned off when the transmission comes out which destroys the evidence of dirt/etc on the splines but this should correct the problem.

21 SPRING SPACERS USED IN SHIPMENT NOT REMOVED
Several owner’s have discovered the dealership Did Not Remove Spring Spacers placed in the suspension during shipment. This creates handling problems and a higher than normal car stance. They are hard rubber blocks put in the springs to raise the car's height during shipment. There are 10 in the front and 4 in the rear. A quick test is to see if you can insert 2 finger straight in between the top of the front tire and the fender; in the back it's 3 fingers. Anything more and you may still have the spacers and need to investigate the springs closer.

22 WINDSHIELD PITTING
Several owner’s report aerodynamics of the car seem to make the Windshield Susceptible To Pitting.

23 REAR AXLE NOISE
A small number of owners report Rear Axle Nuts problems. Rear axle nuts are not loose, they just need to be retorqued to keep the hub from shifting on the axle splines which make the tick tick noise. The axle nut is "staked" and will not come loose from the axle. This is distinguishable by a clicking sound during quick starts in forward or reverse; however, don’t confuse this with the brake pad shift noise which is common.

24 TIRE WEAR
Many owners have reported that the tires will wear out quickly with hard driving, often with less than 8,000 to 10,000 miles. Owners are cautioned to check for wear on the inboard sides of the tires.

25 HESITATION AT HIGH RPM (MAP SENSOR)
A small number of owners report hesitation problems at high RPM's, anemic VTEC, etc. It’s suspected this is due to MAP sensor problems; however, it is a an intermitant problem that is hard to show. The MAP sensor is inexpensive, about $43.

26 BUCKING IN FIRST GEAR (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR)
A small number of owner report a bucking or jerking problem (sometimes violently) in first gear. It’s suspected this is due to a bad Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). Improper driving habits by someone inexperienced with a manual shift will also create this condition.

27 TRANSMISSION OIL PUMP
A very small number of owners have experienced gearbox failure related to the oil pump. Reportedly, an inadequate transmission oil pump in early ‘00 models may result in gearbox failure if the car is driven at high speed (over 200km/h) for extended periods of time. A recall was issued in countries where sustained high speed driving is pervasive.

Here is what one owner dicovered after considerable research into this subject, “It turns out that unloaded bearings have a tendency to fail prematurely, a few reasons being that the rollers can skid instead of roll. Also loss of lubricant has a compounding effect of overheating. And lastly the 1st gear needle bearing (the one that failed) requires the largest amount of lubricant volume, meaning it is the first to not be completley replenished. One more thing, engineers can design the tranny with smaller bearings, and with lower ratings with an oil pump*, the oil flow plays an important part in cooling the bearings, so when you take away the oil pump, it is very much NOT like a regular transmission. When oil stops, there is a much greater chance for the needle bearings to overheat, skid, skew, weaken the surface of the rollers and lead to surface deformation causing spalls and eventually a catastrophic failure, even without load. (like 1st failing while being in 6th gear). This also means trannys will fail without doing 100+ for hours. It will just take many many more miles, and is circumstantial. The 100+ just brings it out almost immediately. *This doesn't mean we have smaller bearings, just that the oil pump was taken into account when they went looking for load and speed ratings.

28 DASH
A number of owner’s report rattles that at first appear to be coming from the dash, which upon closer inspection are coming from the rearview mirror due to screws that have worked loose. Also, there have been complains of bubbles forming on the dash.

FOOTNOTE:
The following is from The Center for Auto Safety (Consumers Union and Ralph Nader founded the Center for Auto Safety in 1970) : “When its cars have defects, Honda often uses secret warranties under which only consumers who complain loudly get reimbursement. Look for the code phrase ‘Any repair performed after warranty expiration may be eligible for goodwill consideration by the District Service Manager’ in Honda Technical Service Bulletins to indicate the possible existence of a secret warranty.”

29 BANJO BOLT
per Woodwork, July 5, 2002: Drivers in Europe do use their cars differently than in the US. Therefore there are different mechanical situations that come up. The banjo bolt update (not a recall) in Europe is not for #4 cyl scoring. It is for something else that I am not at liberty to discuss right now.

30 STALLING
A small number of owner’s have experienced stalling problems. Example, a warm up engine at a stop light and the idle speed drops below 1,000 rpms. Some of the solutions included replacing the MAP sensor or the battery.

 

Ahhh, the days of taking in the S2000 to deal with the tsbs!! I believe they replaced part of my clutch assembly, 4 gears and several other things during the time I owned my first S2k. ANNNND of course I had to replace the rear tires every other oil change! Those were the days.

Edit: Oh, yeah, I forgot that it somehow used a quart of oil every couple/thousand miles. I still miss that 9k redline though.

 

I had the grinding second gear. I eliminated that problem with GM Synchromesh Modified.

 

I am glad you thought so much of my research to save it. I expanded it well beyond that before I tired.

 

How often are you changing it? When I tried it the shifting was silky smooth for a month or two but gradually got worse and worse.

 

Not mine. I added the GM stuff about two years ago. Have not changed it since

 

I think I only had the sparkplug TSB, officially. Unofficially, the shortblock replacement early on, and the u-joint replacement after my breakdown in scenic Moundsville, WV. Ah, those were the days.

 

I wondered who the original author was and hoped they would come out of the woodwork if I posted this. Well done Dave!

 

You've been very quiet, Carmen. How you doing?

 

[QUOTE=OhioRacer,Sep 22 2010, 10:20 AM] I wondered who the original author was and hoped they would come out of the woodwork if I posted this. Well done Dave!