- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
Smoothest in my Accord so far has been Edge BB 5W30. Maybe give the 10W30 a try.
Son just picked up a '00 Honda S2000...
- Thread starter dblshock
- Start date
Valve guides? You mean adjustment?
You have one of the best cars Honda has made - I’ve enjoyed driving those at the dealership. A modern-day classic.
The F20C is more related to the K20 than the F-series engine that powered the Accord and it’s the only RWD Honda ever made, it borrowed the torque frame idea from the Miata.
The F20C is more related to the K20 than the F-series engine that powered the Accord and it’s the only RWD Honda ever made, it borrowed the torque frame idea from the Miata.
The NSX would disagree with you
Maybe the only FR (or really FMR) Honda ever made, but certainly not the only RWD.
Absolutely a cool car. For many years, I owned a 2004 S2000 with a big laggy turbo setup. What a hoot when it was running. It made 407RWHP.
Had more than a few failures due to "too much torque" though. I strongly suggest leaving it unmodified.
Had more than a few failures due to "too much torque" though. I strongly suggest leaving it unmodified.
Last edited:
Use 10w-30, 5w-40 or a 10w-40. Change it often.
The engines tends to litterally drink Shell / Pennzoil / Quaker state GTL based oils. Be warned...
Check the oil Level often. The engines consume oil and need top-off often.
The dipstick has a "Nice" feature: The side how faces to the crankshaft give you the correct reading, the other side who faces outside to the engine block often shows perfect - full-. (!!) Allways read both sides of the Dipstick and when in doubt, check it several times!
These engines are notorious for vibrating the oil filter loose. Use a OEM Honda Filter and torque it down to the spec printed on it. Seriously. If you use a aftermarket filer, give it the 3/4 + a extra 1/8 turn. Installing the Oil filter "Handthight as allways" has cost many engines and ends in a fire.
Make a account there https://www.s2ki.com/ and meet a bunch of helpfull and friendly people with a lot of knowledge.
Enjoy it! And master the oversteer...
The engines tends to litterally drink Shell / Pennzoil / Quaker state GTL based oils. Be warned...
Check the oil Level often. The engines consume oil and need top-off often.
The dipstick has a "Nice" feature: The side how faces to the crankshaft give you the correct reading, the other side who faces outside to the engine block often shows perfect - full-. (!!) Allways read both sides of the Dipstick and when in doubt, check it several times!
These engines are notorious for vibrating the oil filter loose. Use a OEM Honda Filter and torque it down to the spec printed on it. Seriously. If you use a aftermarket filer, give it the 3/4 + a extra 1/8 turn. Installing the Oil filter "Handthight as allways" has cost many engines and ends in a fire.
Make a account there https://www.s2ki.com/ and meet a bunch of helpfull and friendly people with a lot of knowledge.
Enjoy it! And master the oversteer...
It's always nice to read about S2000's so I could not resist the revive an old thread.
One thing about the engine oil.
The F20C and the F22C are high revving engines.
This does not mean they need 'racing oil' or that they need to be protected by thick oil.
Quite the contrary, actually.
Journal bearings create their own oil pressure by rotating, as high as 20 bar.
No engine oil pump is going to create that, it's not even needed, the oil pump's job is to deliver oil to the journal bearings.
Going by the standard oil recommendation in 1999 (10W-30) I can't see it otherwise: Honda designed the F20C/F22C around a 10cSt oil.
30 weight / 10 cSt oils @ 100C - as recommended by Honda - are thin enough to flow fast through all the small passages towards the bearings, pushed by the oil pump, and are capable enough to create the needed internal oil pressure once inside the bearings.
The oil pump is a positive displacement pump and this means it needs - and has - a safety valve, or bypass valve.
The F20C bypass valve is a spring loaded piston that is pushed open by oil pressure, as simple as that , pressure x area = force.
Positive displacement pumps also deliver more oil and at a higher pressure as the rpm's go up.
It's also clear a thicker oil will produce higher oil pressure.
Combine this and you will (should!) conclude that using a thicker oil will open the bypass at a lower pump rpm.
In other words: a thicker oil will reduce the amount of oil flowing through the engine at higher rpm.
When you need it most there is less oil going around.
What I mean is, there is less oil delivered at all the bearings, there it less oil sprayed up under the pistons to cool them, there is less oil removing heat from where it's generated.
Honda updated the oil jets on the early MY engines because prolonged high rpm showed an overheated #4 cylinder.
As we live in 2024 now, but even in 2022, the 1999 10W is obsolete.
So the best choice for the F20C/F22C is 5W-30 or 0W-30, IMO the thinner when cold the better.
One thing about the engine oil.
The F20C and the F22C are high revving engines.
This does not mean they need 'racing oil' or that they need to be protected by thick oil.
Quite the contrary, actually.
Journal bearings create their own oil pressure by rotating, as high as 20 bar.
No engine oil pump is going to create that, it's not even needed, the oil pump's job is to deliver oil to the journal bearings.
Going by the standard oil recommendation in 1999 (10W-30) I can't see it otherwise: Honda designed the F20C/F22C around a 10cSt oil.
30 weight / 10 cSt oils @ 100C - as recommended by Honda - are thin enough to flow fast through all the small passages towards the bearings, pushed by the oil pump, and are capable enough to create the needed internal oil pressure once inside the bearings.
The oil pump is a positive displacement pump and this means it needs - and has - a safety valve, or bypass valve.
The F20C bypass valve is a spring loaded piston that is pushed open by oil pressure, as simple as that , pressure x area = force.
Positive displacement pumps also deliver more oil and at a higher pressure as the rpm's go up.
It's also clear a thicker oil will produce higher oil pressure.
Combine this and you will (should!) conclude that using a thicker oil will open the bypass at a lower pump rpm.
In other words: a thicker oil will reduce the amount of oil flowing through the engine at higher rpm.
When you need it most there is less oil going around.
What I mean is, there is less oil delivered at all the bearings, there it less oil sprayed up under the pistons to cool them, there is less oil removing heat from where it's generated.
Honda updated the oil jets on the early MY engines because prolonged high rpm showed an overheated #4 cylinder.
As we live in 2024 now, but even in 2022, the 1999 10W is obsolete.
So the best choice for the F20C/F22C is 5W-30 or 0W-30, IMO the thinner when cold the better.
