hwyix

iTrader: (1)

I checked the FAQ in this forum. I did not find anything on making the S2000 reliable for the track. I did search and could not find what I was looking for. If your going to tell me to search then give me useful information like what keys words you used. Thx.



For people who track their S2000 3 to 5 times a year. What are its weak points? Anything break?

I have fd3s and the list is long to make it reliable for the track. Radiator/brakes/oil cooler are to small, etc..


This is for DD S2000 ( not trailered race car )

What are the must haves to making a S2000 reliable on the track?
Does it starve for oil in long sweeping turns and burn up crank?

What is the low hanging fruit to make it go faster around the track?
Widest rims/hoosier tires that fit without rubbing is a given. Brake pads.

I don’t want to spend $3000 in carbon fiber to go .3 seconds faster around the track.

kangaroo

I'll help you out. I just started AutoCrossing last summer, but I plan to do a lot more Autocrossing this coming summer as well as some HPDE days.

From what I've read and my own knowledge about this car. Depending on what year your car is. AP1 or AP2, a Bigger front sway bar will help a lot. For tire/wheels, Most people that track their car run 255/40/17 on 17x9 +60 offset on all four corners. Those will fit your fenders without much issues. And you will want to get a set of better brake pads. Something like Hawks HP+ will be good enough. They say that a good alignment will help a lot too.

I'm getting my car aligned this summer, and going with

-2.9* camber Front
-2.4* camber rear
6-6.4* caster
-0 toe front
1/4" toe rear

If youre just planning to do 3-5 events a year, I would just do fluid changes. Coolant, oil, tranny, diff, brake fluids and new brake pads. That should be plenty for your needs.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

hwyix

iTrader: (1)

That is great info.

So, the car is good to go right of the box then????


Most cars I know when you start to drive them hard (30 minutes at a time in 100+ heat) they start puking parts.

I don't need a special oil pan, bigger radiator, oil cooler, fuel pump? Nothing...
I know some cars only start to show problems when you put sticky hoosiers on them and take looonnngggg turns, then you get fuel starve/oil starve, etc..




I don't have to renforce anything? (E36 rear suspension in trunk, fd3s sway bar mounts, etc....).

kangaroo

Out of the box they are pretty good. Oil temps do run hot in the S2000. But if you're only doing a few events per year, then fresh oil will be fine. I'd run 5W30

Nope, you should be fine with a stock S2000 at the track. What year is your car?

bigmacnfries

Yup, good to go - i've been to 4 full day track days so far and all the advice i got was the same - check the basics, but otherwise she's good to go.

What year is it? It might be worth looking at the oil starve on some older models from memory

hwyix

iTrader: (1)

I own a 1994 rx7 that I bought new and used to take the track. I want to sell it buy an S2000. Trying to do my research now. If everybody came back and said the car is stressed on the track I would consider a different car. The only that I don't like about the S2000 is you need a cage to take it to the track.


I have a 93 hatch with gsr motor for DD and taking the kids to school, etc..

kangaroo

Get the CR!!! Perfect track car from the factory. That's if you can find one.

Boots

nothing special needed...its reliable as it is...and do not run 10w40, thats horrible advice

and where are you planning on tracking it that hey require you to have a cage?

kangaroo

What oil is recommended?

kangaroo

quote I found on S2ki.com For a racecar, you should go with the thinnest weight oil that meets manufacturer specs. If it starts to break down, go one step thicker (higher weight). Thicker oils will run hotter because there's more friction. Thicker oils will also rob power.

Sorry OP. Thinner oil is better. I currently run Mobil 1 Full synthetic 5w30.


Finding the right oil to use is confusing. Just by doing a quick search, it can lead to one thing or another. :shurgs:

Some recommend 10w40, others 5w40, others still 10w30, 5w30, 5w20.......the list goes on......

Boots

i would never, ever put 10w40 in an S...5w30 or 10w30 is the way to go...i personally run 10w30 dino oil...my car doesnt particularly like synthetic and it used to eat Mobil 1 like there was no tomorrow

HondaKyle

Synthetic isnt that great. especially on turbo cars.

Boots

agreed...even in NA cars is not worth the money...i run castrol GTX now and hardly burn anything and its way cheaper

bigmacnfries

I think most don't need a roll cage - it does have anti-roll protection in the doors, so is normally exempt.

rice_classic

Around here, with legal liabilities such as they are, just about every club requires a rollbar beyond OEM rollover protection. There's only a small few that still accept OEM rollover protection but that number is declining.

Without lawyers we wouldn't need lawyers.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

You shouldn't need an aftermarket roll bar for HPDEs. Usually, they want roll bars beyond the stock hoops for competitions...but not for track events. The S2000 is incredibly reliable. I've tracked mine since 2006....I was at road america 8 days after buying the car!

Don't mod it for your first track day. Just get some nice pads and high performance street tires to get a good baseline. A lot of people want race mod after race mod before they think their car is "ready for the track". Stock S2000s are surprising well built and very very fast.

As far as oil temps...you'll be fine...but an auxillary oil cooler with a thermostat won't hurt.

When you start modding, the most effective mods are:
-Square setup. 255/40/17s all around.
-Alignment. Car needs MOAR neg camber. I run 0 rear toe also
-Suspension. Decent set of trackable coilovers.

The car with those mods alone is ridiculous fast. A final drive gear is also a good idea.

I have literally driven my S2000 off the track, to my house, and then from Chicago (burbs) to California and back. In Recaro Pole Positions. With no changes made to my KW dampening or alignment/height of the car. Best car ever made.

hwyix

iTrader: (1)

I hate you young kids all you have to do is turn a key. hahaha


Back in the day it was not like that. It probably didn't help my car is a touchy turbo with little room for error.

I has was going to try my 93 hatch/gsr but I don't think I will have much in fwd.
Around town the car is a blast though.

boosted920

good thread

bump for useful info

boosted920

btw, properly set up fd3's are very fast track cars. some of tsukuba's fastest times were from fd3's

just sayin...

hwyix

iTrader: (1)

I know I know. I used to track my fd3s. Lots of my friends have them, etc... I think the fd3s with proper mods is much faster than a S2000, but it takes a lot to make the reliable where you can bang on them for 30 minutes at time in 100+ heat.

I think of the S2000 as reliable hot rod miata. I mean that as a compliment. Once you try and make a miata as fast a S2000 then the miata becomes unreliable.

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Fixed.

boosted920

^^^ lol

Hwyix: gotcha. Then again, at the 2012 RWD shoot out, the fastest NA car was a basically stock s2000 with a nice suspension setup. It even had stock intake and stock ecu! My numbers are off but I know it ran around a low 1.28.xx vs the no. 1 turbo RWD (which was also an s2000) that ran a high 1.27.xx. The info is in this month or last months Import Tuner I believe?..

Fd3 are wayyyyyyy sexier IMHO but you cannot beat s2000's potential

B serious

iTrader: (1)

I think people really under estimate how fast S2000s are. Mine was really impressive when it was stock. Mine's been slightly modded for a while now...but when I took my gf's stock AP2 out on track once just to check it out...I remembered.... ****'s fast, y0.

Driven

Must haves?
Nothing.

Strongly recommended?
- Oil cooler.
- Baffled oil pan. (usually a "must-have" if on R-comps)
- Oil catch can.

About it.

See above.

Aero is the biggest.


Track day guys usually go with 255 all around, on either 17x9 or 17x10.


About the advice of using 10w40 being bad advice... S2000s tend to run in the realm of 260F+ oil temps on track, some as high as 300F. Oil tends to break down quite quickly.



Yes, heavier oil will rob more power, but, I can handle being down 1-3hp if it means my engine is going to survive the higher oil temps for longer.


With that, I was running 10w40 to combat the higher oil temps. I have recently installed an oil cooler, which has dropped my oil temps 40-50 degrees, which will allow me to run a thinner oil without the risk of having the oil be too thin at racing temp.


Things to consider when tracking a S2000:
- front brake rotors will crack. Two piece rotors are a bit better. Run brake ducting to help combat this... although they will still crack. Only reliable remedy, stoptech or other BBK.

- rear brakes and bearings get intense heat. Consider rear brake ducting of some sort to bring those temps down. This will help save your wheel bearings, axles, and rear brakes. I have burned thru a set of fresh duralast gold pads in a track day. Carbotech XP10s in three track days.

- AP1 front suspension likes to tear from the frame when there's a lot of grip. AP2s don't.

- A roll bar and aftermarket seat will allow you to run harnesses safely. This will help keep you in control of the car as well as prevent your left knee from bruising

- OEM suspension is incredibly potent. You don't need coilovers to be competitive or fast.

kangaroo

Where else can you find these upper control arm braces that don't cost an arm and a leg??

http://www.gotuning.com/product_info...oducts_id=1088