2001 Honda S2000
Discussion
Picking up from where we left off……
It was now the beginning of August and we were still getting a little bit of sun in Scotland. So when the chance presented itself I would go out for a rip around the local backroads with the roof down. I wasn’t using the car all that much as I still had the VRS for daily duties. If I was going to a car event or trackday at knockhill (spectating thus far) I would always prefer the S2000 but for everything else the Skoda was used.
I went out for a blast after work on my birthday. It was the first time I’d had a real chance to drive the car properly and it was fantastic. I’d been building it up in my head all week and the weather was clear for the first day since I’d had it so why not.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
During my drive it gave me a chance to evaluate what I thought the car was needing. As already noted during the test drive, there was certain bushes at the rear that were not happy and 6th gear synchro was a bit nippy at high rpm. On the drive home my friend mentioned it also picked up a problem when selecting 5th gear too. No crunching but incredibly stiff to put it into or pull it out of 5th. I’d resigned myself to the fact I’m probably going to need to replace the gearbox at some point but it’s not an expensive part and I had already factored that into my offer when buying. Other than those items I was relatively happy mechanically with my purchase. The interior is nice and clean with no untoward rattles or dins from the dash or plastics. The drivers side soft top latch can be a nuisance when going over terrible surfaces so I will need to look at that with either tightening up the fasteners or a bit of tube over the latch. The soft top itself has not long been replaced and with the facelift version so it now has the glass rear screen instead of the cloudy old plastic one.
Over the next few months I used the car pretty sparingly and only racked up around 200 miles. I bought a few parts to change the appearance a little.
BuddyClub Type A gear knob
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
OEM front lip
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
OEM boot spoiler (not my car, just for reference)
Boot spoiler. by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Tein springs (no photo, still in the box)
Another standard steering wheel that I will have recovered by royal steering wheels. This is the finish I’m looking for
steering wheel example by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
06 model 17” wheels that came with winter tyres (in desperate need of a clean)
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
I won’t be going mad with the modifications, just subtle changes to the appearance and possibly some sort of induction and exhaust. Being so highly strung from the factory there is little benefit from N/A modifications without emptying your wallet.
Cheers,
Melly
It was now the beginning of August and we were still getting a little bit of sun in Scotland. So when the chance presented itself I would go out for a rip around the local backroads with the roof down. I wasn’t using the car all that much as I still had the VRS for daily duties. If I was going to a car event or trackday at knockhill (spectating thus far) I would always prefer the S2000 but for everything else the Skoda was used.
I went out for a blast after work on my birthday. It was the first time I’d had a real chance to drive the car properly and it was fantastic. I’d been building it up in my head all week and the weather was clear for the first day since I’d had it so why not.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrDuring my drive it gave me a chance to evaluate what I thought the car was needing. As already noted during the test drive, there was certain bushes at the rear that were not happy and 6th gear synchro was a bit nippy at high rpm. On the drive home my friend mentioned it also picked up a problem when selecting 5th gear too. No crunching but incredibly stiff to put it into or pull it out of 5th. I’d resigned myself to the fact I’m probably going to need to replace the gearbox at some point but it’s not an expensive part and I had already factored that into my offer when buying. Other than those items I was relatively happy mechanically with my purchase. The interior is nice and clean with no untoward rattles or dins from the dash or plastics. The drivers side soft top latch can be a nuisance when going over terrible surfaces so I will need to look at that with either tightening up the fasteners or a bit of tube over the latch. The soft top itself has not long been replaced and with the facelift version so it now has the glass rear screen instead of the cloudy old plastic one.
Over the next few months I used the car pretty sparingly and only racked up around 200 miles. I bought a few parts to change the appearance a little.
BuddyClub Type A gear knob
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrOEM front lip
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrOEM boot spoiler (not my car, just for reference)
Boot spoiler. by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrTein springs (no photo, still in the box)
Another standard steering wheel that I will have recovered by royal steering wheels. This is the finish I’m looking for
steering wheel example by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr06 model 17” wheels that came with winter tyres (in desperate need of a clean)
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrI won’t be going mad with the modifications, just subtle changes to the appearance and possibly some sort of induction and exhaust. Being so highly strung from the factory there is little benefit from N/A modifications without emptying your wallet.
Cheers,
Melly
With the gearbox, strip the lever out the box and replace the bushes and grease up. The lever does get pretty hot and can stiffen the change. It might help with the changes. Also a gearbox oil change is really easy and only £25 for 2 ltr of oil.
I have the same engine albeit pushing a lighter car, in my Westfield. Love the nature of the engine , although my changeover is at 4300 , which does mask the cam changes and makes it less noticeable.
I have the same engine albeit pushing a lighter car, in my Westfield. Love the nature of the engine , although my changeover is at 4300 , which does mask the cam changes and makes it less noticeable.
The soft top latches can be sorted by removing them and opening them up then some shims fitted I used cardboard, it fills the slight gaps around the latch body and no more rattles, guide on you tube for this.
Your car looks nice, had an early one myself in the past, I fit the oem rear spoiler but used heavy duty double sided glue strips rather than drilling, had no issues at all. Also the headlights respond well to the buff kits to remove yellowing, really look brand new afterwards.
Enjoy they are cracking motors!!
Your car looks nice, had an early one myself in the past, I fit the oem rear spoiler but used heavy duty double sided glue strips rather than drilling, had no issues at all. Also the headlights respond well to the buff kits to remove yellowing, really look brand new afterwards.
Enjoy they are cracking motors!!
Justin S said:
With the gearbox, strip the lever out the box and replace the bushes and grease up. The lever does get pretty hot and can stiffen the change. It might help with the changes. Also a gearbox oil change is really easy and only £25 for 2 ltr of oil.
I have the same engine albeit pushing a lighter car, in my Westfield. Love the nature of the engine , although my changeover is at 4300 , which does mask the cam changes and makes it less noticeable.
I recently watched a video on youtube of a lad doing just that job. Seemed simple enough and the results (according to him anyway) were excellent.I have the same engine albeit pushing a lighter car, in my Westfield. Love the nature of the engine , although my changeover is at 4300 , which does mask the cam changes and makes it less noticeable.
I don't think I will be going to the expense of a standalone ECU so my changeover will remain as standard. I love how pronounced it is over the newer IVTEC engines, more like the B-Series of old.
Cheers,
Melly
Edited by MELLY-WRC on Monday 18th December 11:39
ST270 said:
The soft top latches can be sorted by removing them and opening them up then some shims fitted I used cardboard, it fills the slight gaps around the latch body and no more rattles, guide on you tube for this.
Your car looks nice, had an early one myself in the past, I fit the oem rear spoiler but used heavy duty double sided glue strips rather than drilling, had no issues at all. Also the headlights respond well to the buff kits to remove yellowing, really look brand new afterwards.
Enjoy they are cracking motors!!
Thanks for the info! I will give it a go at some point over the winter.Your car looks nice, had an early one myself in the past, I fit the oem rear spoiler but used heavy duty double sided glue strips rather than drilling, had no issues at all. Also the headlights respond well to the buff kits to remove yellowing, really look brand new afterwards.
Enjoy they are cracking motors!!
My spoiler has come with heavy duty double sided tape on it also. I much prefer that over having to drill into the boot lid.
I have the Meguires head light restore kit that I was going to use but I have also seen a few videos on a new restore kit that only uses wipes in a 2 or 3 stage process. It's only £12 so I was going to order it and give it a go.
Cheers,
Melly
I decided to have another car re-shuffle again so it was time for the Skoda to go. I stuck it up on the bay of E with a buy it now or best offer and luckily I was contacted within a few days. It was all arranged for the lad to travel up on the Saturday with a mechanic friend who would look the car over and give his verdict. On the Thursday when I was going to work I heard what I thought was a knocking noise coming from the rear when turning into a junction. The road surface was poor but I couldn't recreate the noise again even when going through small imperfections or over drain covers. Puzzled I thought I would at least take it into my uncles garage for them to look it over. I would have hated for the lad to drive 300 miles only to be disappointed with the car or feel I mislead him. After around 10 minutes of checking all the bushes, arms and bars everything seemed ok until they checked the dampers. Upon operating the rear pass side damper it would make a knocking noise.......great. The drivers side was ok but I didn't feel comfortable just replacing the one so I had two new rear dampers fitted and the car was back to being ready for test and collection.
Everything went well on the Saturday and the Skoda left with it's new happy owner. A growing family had dictated a larger car and the Skoda was a perfect fit for them.
With the Skoda gone and the wife wanting to change her Qashqai we decided to buy a new family car. She really liked my Golf R but we have a Bull Mastiff now and with the rear diff the boot is just too small to fit him in there.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
So we decided to go down and enquire about a Golf GTD estate at our local VW dealer. After having a look about the wife wasn't too keen on an estate car but liked the look of a GTi in Oryx white with a fair whack of extras on it including the DSG box. It has the performance pack fitted to it which interested me so we went for a test drive and loved it. Decision made we put a deposit down and picked it up 10 days later. It will mostly be driven by the wife which is pretty evident when I come out for work every morning and the golf is gone as she leaves first.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
So that left me with the S2000 as my do it all car. With the poor weather already here and reports of snow in my area I decided to clean up the 17's I got with the winter tyres and chuck them on the car. They actually cleaned up much better than I had hoped but then I did spend hours cleaning, scrubbing and polishing.
Before
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
After
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
I've found that even with the winter tyres, the lack of any weight over the rear tyres still causes some real traction obstacles. With that in mind and the fact it was never bought to daily I decided to buy something to cover those bases. The S has only covered 43k miles and I don't want to load it with boring daily miles and crap short journeys. It will also help me from getting bored of it prematurely too.
A very good friend of mines bought a 2005 EP3 Premier Edition around a year ago and added some track focused parts to take to knockhill.
His PH thread can be found here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Well as some of you may have read he has now bought a comically fast Fiesta ST that will serve as his track car leaving little room for the civic too. I made him an offer for the car pretty much as it was when he bought it (intake, wheels, coilovers, exhaust, wing etc). So I should be picking that up some time this week after we have removed the diff, manifold, K-Pro, buckets and replaced all the interior plastics and recaros. I'm really looking forward to bringing it home.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
I've got some more S2000 updates coming regarding the clutch, transmission and exhaust mods.
Thanks for reading this far, have an ace Xmas and i'll speak to you all again with an update in the new year!!
Cheers,
Melly
Everything went well on the Saturday and the Skoda left with it's new happy owner. A growing family had dictated a larger car and the Skoda was a perfect fit for them.
With the Skoda gone and the wife wanting to change her Qashqai we decided to buy a new family car. She really liked my Golf R but we have a Bull Mastiff now and with the rear diff the boot is just too small to fit him in there.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrSo we decided to go down and enquire about a Golf GTD estate at our local VW dealer. After having a look about the wife wasn't too keen on an estate car but liked the look of a GTi in Oryx white with a fair whack of extras on it including the DSG box. It has the performance pack fitted to it which interested me so we went for a test drive and loved it. Decision made we put a deposit down and picked it up 10 days later. It will mostly be driven by the wife which is pretty evident when I come out for work every morning and the golf is gone as she leaves first.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrSo that left me with the S2000 as my do it all car. With the poor weather already here and reports of snow in my area I decided to clean up the 17's I got with the winter tyres and chuck them on the car. They actually cleaned up much better than I had hoped but then I did spend hours cleaning, scrubbing and polishing.
Before
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAfter
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrI've found that even with the winter tyres, the lack of any weight over the rear tyres still causes some real traction obstacles. With that in mind and the fact it was never bought to daily I decided to buy something to cover those bases. The S has only covered 43k miles and I don't want to load it with boring daily miles and crap short journeys. It will also help me from getting bored of it prematurely too.
A very good friend of mines bought a 2005 EP3 Premier Edition around a year ago and added some track focused parts to take to knockhill.
His PH thread can be found here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Well as some of you may have read he has now bought a comically fast Fiesta ST that will serve as his track car leaving little room for the civic too. I made him an offer for the car pretty much as it was when he bought it (intake, wheels, coilovers, exhaust, wing etc). So I should be picking that up some time this week after we have removed the diff, manifold, K-Pro, buckets and replaced all the interior plastics and recaros. I'm really looking forward to bringing it home.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrI've got some more S2000 updates coming regarding the clutch, transmission and exhaust mods.
Thanks for reading this far, have an ace Xmas and i'll speak to you all again with an update in the new year!!
Cheers,
Melly
Edited by MELLY-WRC on Monday 18th December 13:51
Time for a much needed update.
After parking the S2000 up in the car port for the winter months I was happy enough ripping about in the Civic. It was perfectly fine and capable during the insane snow storms we had too. I can't tell you how happy I was that I had made the change from the S2000 when I did.
While the S was off the road I decided to performs a major service on it including the box and diff oils. It wasn't due until the summer but the fact the clutch pedal was basically now on the floor when it engaged and selecting gears was very difficult it had me worried the master, slave or even the clutch assembly itself was on the way out. There was no real fluid leak that had dripped on the carpet on the inside where the master cylinder comes through the bulkhead but there was evidence of slight wetness at the cylinder rod port.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Because of this I decided to order a new master just in case.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
I had a good look at the slave and everything seemed dry and in decent condition apart from a little corrosion on the bolts.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
I started by removing the clutch fluid from the reservoir and it was a real nasty looking black colour.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
After I removed the master cylinder I decided to strip it down and have a look at the internals. It was full of nasty sludge and grit. Even after a quick spray and clean with some penetrant oil it wasn't the best.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
I gave the piston and seals a quick clean and noticed everything was still very healthy looking underneath the grime. The seals were still sitting proud so I decided to clean it thoroughly and rebuild it.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Due to the complete state of the fluid and the internal of the master I stripped and rebuilt the slave cylinder too. It was just as well seeing as it was completely minging too and the missing fluid was trapped in the rubber boot between the slave and the clutch selector fork. I also filed down the small nipple that had worn on the ball of the clutch selector fork pin. While that was all off I greased up the selector fork and pin as they were dry. We also pushed new fluid through the lines until it was clean and clear again before putting it all back together. After filling it up with new fluid and bleeding the system the clutch felt absolutely brand new again (this was February and the clutch travel, bite and pedal resistance are still perfect). Pretty impressed as it only cost me (and my friends) some time and a some new fluid. It's most likely been a case of the grit stopping the seals from holding the fluid back and that's why I've lost the pedal the way I did gradually over time.
After the clutch was sorted we moved onto the engine oil and filter, gearbox and rear diff oil. That all went pretty smoothly as expected. The biggest problem was the rear diff oil and just how thick that stuff is. Because we were doing this with a funnel and a hose it took almost 30 minutes to refill the diff.
Lastly I stuck in a new air filter, pollen filter and some plugs. Job Done!
I had planned on changing out the gear selector assembly items that I purchased
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
But I ran out of time and we were all a bit hungry after a long day.
Hope you enjoyed my latest ramblings!!
I'll update with what I have been up to recently in my next post but i'll mention that I've sold a car, bought another car and the S is still with me
Cheers,
Melly
After parking the S2000 up in the car port for the winter months I was happy enough ripping about in the Civic. It was perfectly fine and capable during the insane snow storms we had too. I can't tell you how happy I was that I had made the change from the S2000 when I did.
While the S was off the road I decided to performs a major service on it including the box and diff oils. It wasn't due until the summer but the fact the clutch pedal was basically now on the floor when it engaged and selecting gears was very difficult it had me worried the master, slave or even the clutch assembly itself was on the way out. There was no real fluid leak that had dripped on the carpet on the inside where the master cylinder comes through the bulkhead but there was evidence of slight wetness at the cylinder rod port.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrBecause of this I decided to order a new master just in case.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrI had a good look at the slave and everything seemed dry and in decent condition apart from a little corrosion on the bolts.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrI started by removing the clutch fluid from the reservoir and it was a real nasty looking black colour.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAfter I removed the master cylinder I decided to strip it down and have a look at the internals. It was full of nasty sludge and grit. Even after a quick spray and clean with some penetrant oil it wasn't the best.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrI gave the piston and seals a quick clean and noticed everything was still very healthy looking underneath the grime. The seals were still sitting proud so I decided to clean it thoroughly and rebuild it.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrDue to the complete state of the fluid and the internal of the master I stripped and rebuilt the slave cylinder too. It was just as well seeing as it was completely minging too and the missing fluid was trapped in the rubber boot between the slave and the clutch selector fork. I also filed down the small nipple that had worn on the ball of the clutch selector fork pin. While that was all off I greased up the selector fork and pin as they were dry. We also pushed new fluid through the lines until it was clean and clear again before putting it all back together. After filling it up with new fluid and bleeding the system the clutch felt absolutely brand new again (this was February and the clutch travel, bite and pedal resistance are still perfect). Pretty impressed as it only cost me (and my friends) some time and a some new fluid. It's most likely been a case of the grit stopping the seals from holding the fluid back and that's why I've lost the pedal the way I did gradually over time.
After the clutch was sorted we moved onto the engine oil and filter, gearbox and rear diff oil. That all went pretty smoothly as expected. The biggest problem was the rear diff oil and just how thick that stuff is. Because we were doing this with a funnel and a hose it took almost 30 minutes to refill the diff.
Lastly I stuck in a new air filter, pollen filter and some plugs. Job Done!
I had planned on changing out the gear selector assembly items that I purchased
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrBut I ran out of time and we were all a bit hungry after a long day.
Hope you enjoyed my latest ramblings!!
I'll update with what I have been up to recently in my next post but i'll mention that I've sold a car, bought another car and the S is still with me
Cheers,
Melly
Great recent ramblings!
I was coming home in my BMW Z4 Coupe a couple of weeks ago at around 9pm and I had a little fun with an S2000 - it was f
g quick! (But I just don't do convertibles).
A couple of miles up the road at a set of traffic lights we were going in different directions - a smile and a thumbs-up. Drives like that make the tedium of traffic, average cameras, traffic lights, etc. worth it.
Looking forward to your update BTW - an AMG maybe?
I was coming home in my BMW Z4 Coupe a couple of weeks ago at around 9pm and I had a little fun with an S2000 - it was f
g quick! (But I just don't do convertibles).A couple of miles up the road at a set of traffic lights we were going in different directions - a smile and a thumbs-up. Drives like that make the tedium of traffic, average cameras, traffic lights, etc. worth it.
Looking forward to your update BTW - an AMG maybe?
) Looking forward to reading more.Another Update,
Due to having had a few of these cars over the years I was able to tell that the gear shift just wasn’t as sweet as it should be. I was hoping that it was down to the clutch hydraulic system but after sorting that out it still wasn’t perfect. I had read on a few forums and watched a few videos online about how to change the shifter pivot bushings and spring. I ordered the parts along with some high temperature grease and had a go at it.
The first thing to do is pull the plastic centre console/tunnel up. It’s just a simple case of starting from the leather pad at the back and gently teasing the piece up and out. Remember to remove the plugs for the roof, handbrake and hazards before pulling it completely away.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
After removing the rubber boot by releasing the tangs on the white plastic ring you are left with 3 hex head bolts holding the shifter in place. The rubber cap is a bit of a pain and you have to sort of roll it back up the shaft enough to get access to the bolts. It’s also a lot easier to move the shifter into gear and out of the way of each bolt as you go.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Top tip, remember to have the shifter in the neutral position before you remove it as it’s an absolute ball ache to get it back out of reverse once you have removed it.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
The old grease left behind was cleaned up thoroughly and ready for a coat of new high temp grease.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
The parts removed had signs of wear and were a bit loose on the shifter so it was probably a good time to change them.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Removing the ball socket was a pain in the rear as it had an almighty grip. I tried to tease it open with a flat blade screwdriver but no luck. I boiled the kettle and stuck the shaft in a cup of hot water to soften the plastic. After a few minutes the socket came off by hand. There were a few witness marks from my earlier attempts so I rubbed it down with some wet and dry until smooth again.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
New parts
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
With everything cleaned and greased it was time to put it all back together again.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
The install was just a reverse of the removal……………………………………………………
This is of course if you fit the ball socket on the correct way……FML
I hadn’t noticed that the socket had a lip on one side making it only fit one way. I had a 50/50 chance and managed to balls it up. I didn’t notice my error until I had it all back together and the shifter was sitting further to the left than it should be when in neutral.
Cue a full dismantle, removal of new parts and then installing them the correct way. Because of my error, the dying light and the fact my hands were covered in grease I didn’t take any more photos.
Once it was all back together I let the car warm up and took it for a drive to see if there were any improvements. Thankfully the shifts are now completely notch free and back to the crisp bolt action rifle feeling I loved and missed. I think the parts and grease came in at around £30 which is excellent value for the change it has made to the car.
As previously mentioned I have sold one of my cars. As much as I wasn’t planning on selling it any time soon, I had an offer on it and that was that.
37899049591_2375947145_b by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
And picked up another.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Unfortunately it had a problem with the bonnet coming up and taking itself and the windscreen out. Since then its sat in my friends garage for around 3 years. He planned to fix it fast and have it out again but he nicked a few parts from it for his P1 and so it has sat. I made him an offer on it and now it is mine. It needs a bit of work but I’m happy to do it. I’ve already got a V5/6 complete front end for it as I much prefer the facelift look and it doesn't have the standard bumper anyway. The front wings have been rolled for track so I will be replacing them too. It’s only been in the uk since 2013 and off the road for most of it’s time here meaning the shell is super fresh and not full of rot like most classics. I’ve always wanted Type R Subaru and hopefully I will have this thing up and running before the summer.
Until next time!
Cheers,
Melly
Due to having had a few of these cars over the years I was able to tell that the gear shift just wasn’t as sweet as it should be. I was hoping that it was down to the clutch hydraulic system but after sorting that out it still wasn’t perfect. I had read on a few forums and watched a few videos online about how to change the shifter pivot bushings and spring. I ordered the parts along with some high temperature grease and had a go at it.
The first thing to do is pull the plastic centre console/tunnel up. It’s just a simple case of starting from the leather pad at the back and gently teasing the piece up and out. Remember to remove the plugs for the roof, handbrake and hazards before pulling it completely away.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAfter removing the rubber boot by releasing the tangs on the white plastic ring you are left with 3 hex head bolts holding the shifter in place. The rubber cap is a bit of a pain and you have to sort of roll it back up the shaft enough to get access to the bolts. It’s also a lot easier to move the shifter into gear and out of the way of each bolt as you go.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrTop tip, remember to have the shifter in the neutral position before you remove it as it’s an absolute ball ache to get it back out of reverse once you have removed it.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrThe old grease left behind was cleaned up thoroughly and ready for a coat of new high temp grease.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrThe parts removed had signs of wear and were a bit loose on the shifter so it was probably a good time to change them.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrRemoving the ball socket was a pain in the rear as it had an almighty grip. I tried to tease it open with a flat blade screwdriver but no luck. I boiled the kettle and stuck the shaft in a cup of hot water to soften the plastic. After a few minutes the socket came off by hand. There were a few witness marks from my earlier attempts so I rubbed it down with some wet and dry until smooth again.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrNew parts
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrWith everything cleaned and greased it was time to put it all back together again.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrThe install was just a reverse of the removal……………………………………………………
This is of course if you fit the ball socket on the correct way……FML
I hadn’t noticed that the socket had a lip on one side making it only fit one way. I had a 50/50 chance and managed to balls it up. I didn’t notice my error until I had it all back together and the shifter was sitting further to the left than it should be when in neutral.
Cue a full dismantle, removal of new parts and then installing them the correct way. Because of my error, the dying light and the fact my hands were covered in grease I didn’t take any more photos.
Once it was all back together I let the car warm up and took it for a drive to see if there were any improvements. Thankfully the shifts are now completely notch free and back to the crisp bolt action rifle feeling I loved and missed. I think the parts and grease came in at around £30 which is excellent value for the change it has made to the car.
As previously mentioned I have sold one of my cars. As much as I wasn’t planning on selling it any time soon, I had an offer on it and that was that.
37899049591_2375947145_b by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAnd picked up another.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUnfortunately it had a problem with the bonnet coming up and taking itself and the windscreen out. Since then its sat in my friends garage for around 3 years. He planned to fix it fast and have it out again but he nicked a few parts from it for his P1 and so it has sat. I made him an offer on it and now it is mine. It needs a bit of work but I’m happy to do it. I’ve already got a V5/6 complete front end for it as I much prefer the facelift look and it doesn't have the standard bumper anyway. The front wings have been rolled for track so I will be replacing them too. It’s only been in the uk since 2013 and off the road for most of it’s time here meaning the shell is super fresh and not full of rot like most classics. I’ve always wanted Type R Subaru and hopefully I will have this thing up and running before the summer.
Until next time!
Cheers,
Melly
Thanks for sharing the updates especially on the gear shifter. The S2000 has a very good gearbox but not uncommon sometimes for it to feel a bit notchy between 2nd and 3rd gear especially. Mine is doing that occasionally and booked in tomorrow to have the clutch fluid flushed and replaced with fresh fluid and if that doesn't work, we'll work through all the other known fixes including what you've done to yours. Please continue the updates when you can. Cheers
Update time.
One of the more common and more serious problems the S2000 is blighted by is rust. While my car is not actually effected by rust too much at the moment I will have to have the rear arches rubbed back and painted this year to prevent it becoming a real problem in the future.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
One of the most common places for rust to start is the boot floor. Due to water ingress through the rear lights or an air vent behind the rear bumper, you could potentially have a small swimming pool in the boot thanks to the bucket like shape of the centre of the boot floor. I decided to have a look at mines to get an idea on the condition and carry out any repairs as necessary. Due to the insane amount of factory clips holing in the boot carpets I took my time removing it to all to save and breakages. Once removed this is what I was left with.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
With my car being an earlier model (2001) I was pleasantly surprised to find more than some surface rust. I gave it a quick blast with the Dremel then a coating of Hammerite Kurust to the affected areas.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
After that had done its thing I masked it up and stuck on a couple of coats of primer.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Then a couple of coats of some nighthawk black I had kicking about from my old EP3.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Happy that the boot floor was now cleaned, treated and painted I decided to move onto the headlights. Ever since I bought the car I have been meaning to get around to this. They have gone that sort of dull, yellow colour and were in need of restoration. I bought a restoration kit a few years back to use on a Civic Type R that I had and the difference was amazing. Sadly my wife seems to have misplaced the mop attachment for the drill that came in said kit so I decided to try it by hand. To be honest I wasn’t really expecting much without the mop but I gave it a good go and there was a clear difference between the before and after so I’m happy enough to leave it as is until I find the attachment or buy a new one.
Before:
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
After:
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
After that little lot I gave the car a good wash and took it to a local spot for a few pictures.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
As usual, thanks for reading. In the next update I will be trying to squeeze these bad boys into the cockpit…..wish me luck!
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on Flickr
Cheers,
Melly
One of the more common and more serious problems the S2000 is blighted by is rust. While my car is not actually effected by rust too much at the moment I will have to have the rear arches rubbed back and painted this year to prevent it becoming a real problem in the future.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrOne of the most common places for rust to start is the boot floor. Due to water ingress through the rear lights or an air vent behind the rear bumper, you could potentially have a small swimming pool in the boot thanks to the bucket like shape of the centre of the boot floor. I decided to have a look at mines to get an idea on the condition and carry out any repairs as necessary. Due to the insane amount of factory clips holing in the boot carpets I took my time removing it to all to save and breakages. Once removed this is what I was left with.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrWith my car being an earlier model (2001) I was pleasantly surprised to find more than some surface rust. I gave it a quick blast with the Dremel then a coating of Hammerite Kurust to the affected areas.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAfter that had done its thing I masked it up and stuck on a couple of coats of primer.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrThen a couple of coats of some nighthawk black I had kicking about from my old EP3.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrHappy that the boot floor was now cleaned, treated and painted I decided to move onto the headlights. Ever since I bought the car I have been meaning to get around to this. They have gone that sort of dull, yellow colour and were in need of restoration. I bought a restoration kit a few years back to use on a Civic Type R that I had and the difference was amazing. Sadly my wife seems to have misplaced the mop attachment for the drill that came in said kit so I decided to try it by hand. To be honest I wasn’t really expecting much without the mop but I gave it a good go and there was a clear difference between the before and after so I’m happy enough to leave it as is until I find the attachment or buy a new one.
Before:
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAfter:
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAfter that little lot I gave the car a good wash and took it to a local spot for a few pictures.
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrUntitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrAs usual, thanks for reading. In the next update I will be trying to squeeze these bad boys into the cockpit…..wish me luck!
Untitled by Paul Meldrum, on FlickrCheers,
Melly
Edited by MELLY-WRC on Monday 4th June 15:55
Really enjoying the thread mate, keep it up. Funnily enough the next post on mine is going to be looking at the headlight restoration I had done a few months back. Makes such a difference to the overall look of the car.
Check out my thread if you're interested, its following the progress of my Accord – https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Check out my thread if you're interested, its following the progress of my Accord – https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
MFR_TT said:
Some story that, I would be bloody furious. Cracking car though, what is there not to love about an S2000.
Yeah I wasn't best pleased that's for sure. Thankfully it didn't put me off having another as I'm really enjoying this one. The changes I have made and am planning to make keep my interested also.Cheers,
Melly
Kewy said:
Really enjoying the thread mate, keep it up. Funnily enough the next post on mine is going to be looking at the headlight restoration I had done a few months back. Makes such a difference to the overall look of the car.
Check out my thread if you're interested, its following the progress of my Accord – https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Thanks Kewy, I appreciate the positive feedback.Check out my thread if you're interested, its following the progress of my Accord – https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I have been following your thread with interest. I really like the Euro R in pearl white, it sets it apart from all others I feel. Looks like we will be enjoying the same recaro seats too. I think mine came from the earlier CL1 model though.
Cheers,
Melly
MELLY-WRC said:
Thanks Kewy, I appreciate the positive feedback.
I have been following your thread with interest. I really like the Euro R in pearl white, it sets it apart from all others I feel. Looks like we will be enjoying the same recaro seats too. I think mine came from the earlier CL1 model though.
Cheers,
Melly
Ah good to hear! Seats are fantastic mate, will be interesting to see what they look like in the S. I do really like the oem S2K seats also though, what made you want to change?I have been following your thread with interest. I really like the Euro R in pearl white, it sets it apart from all others I feel. Looks like we will be enjoying the same recaro seats too. I think mine came from the earlier CL1 model though.
Cheers,
Melly
Glad you're enjoying the thread, think I ramble on a bit but its more for me to look back on and log my progress than anything else. Yeh the Pearl seems to be a popular choice for the Euro R, for good reason I guess! They made the UK model in all the other colours as far as I know, so the Pearl is a much more unusual sight over here. That being said, I do like the look of the Milano Red ones
Kewy said:
Ah good to hear! Seats are fantastic mate, will be interesting to see what they look like in the S. I do really like the oem S2K seats also though, what made you want to change?
Glad you're enjoying the thread, think I ramble on a bit but its more for me to look back on and log my progress than anything else. Yeh the Pearl seems to be a popular choice for the Euro R, for good reason I guess! They made the UK model in all the other colours as far as I know, so the Pearl is a much more unusual sight over here. That being said, I do like the look of the Milano Red ones
I find the standard leather seats a bit unsupportive and you tend to slide about in them a bit when pressing on. I also like to make small, subtle changes to a car that makes it my own without going crazy on the spends.Glad you're enjoying the thread, think I ramble on a bit but its more for me to look back on and log my progress than anything else. Yeh the Pearl seems to be a popular choice for the Euro R, for good reason I guess! They made the UK model in all the other colours as far as I know, so the Pearl is a much more unusual sight over here. That being said, I do like the look of the Milano Red ones
Nothing wrong with a bit of rambling. I seem to do a bit myself.
Cheers,
Melly
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