This is a buddy's '00 S. It is bone stock and he was driving on the highway and his car shut off one night. He pulls over and doesn't notice anything but his car not starting. After a few tries it starts. Now there is a clunking noise that sounds like a spun bearing/rod. If you listened to it, you would think the same. The noise turned out to be the cam chain idler bolt had broke and the gear was wobbling with the engine rpms. Basically the bolt had snapped clean right in the middle of it (between the threads and head of the bolt). The bolt had to be extracted from the cyl head. It was just enough to keep the timing on and also to keep the cam chain gear from falling down into the timing chain case and destroying the motor. Also lucky the bolt didn't unthread itself out. Have you guys heard of this happening or know what would have caused this? Looks to me like friction caused it. The timing didn't jump any surprisingly and it ran fine...just had the knock/clunk.

I ordered a new bolt, o-ring, and washer (was fished out of the timing chain case with a magnet). I didn't order a new steel insert for the actual cam chain gear/pulley that goes between the bolt and the gear. It looks like it wore the inside of the bushing/insert down and there is some play. Also when i torque the bolt down per helms spec, the idler gear won't move. I am stumped here because even if i get the part that goes in the gear and over the bolt...torquing the bolt down is not going to allow the gear to spin.

I wish i had a camera to take some pics. Nothing looks unordinary. there is just some play in the gear just before i try to tighten the idler gear bolt down. There is no way in hell i want to rig it. Final thought seems, to me, that he has to replace the cylinder head because the gear wobbling damaged the end of the head right behind the gear .



Modified by not so civic at 10:43 AM 8/13/2004

 

Update: Upon further inspection, we found the problem in a matter of minutes anyway...lol. Case closed

And this solved by 2 guys who have never owned or worked on a S2000 ever before in their lives and downloaded the Helm manual off the internet earlier this week?

Now that's progress I say.

Another $70 worth of OEM parts and a trip to the dealer parts counter on Tues, and the owner will again be free to wreak havoc on his S2000's drivetrain.

= S2000 owners that can work on their own engines.

= S2000 owners that can afford an S2000, beat on their cars, run them out of oil, and have Civic owners repair the unneccessary wreckage.

= the $ money$ that the S2000 owner pays to the civic owner, to make his B-series civic faster than the S2000


Modified by nuc79 at 8:48 PM 8/13/2004

 

I think we^ figured it out...back to Honda for more parts.




Modified by not so civic at 11:00 PM 8/18/2004

 

what did you do to fix it? why delete this post? any reason for the failure?

 

Sorry for the VERY large picture below, but sometimes pictures say a thousand words.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vapor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what did you do to fix it?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Order new bolt, o-ring, washer, collar, and gear(see pic). Install next week.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vapor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why delete this post?</TD></TR></TABLE>
problem solved, unless you think it'd be useful to keep around as reference.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vapor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">any reason for the failure? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Owner neglect (i.e., driving without oil) See explanation in <FONT COLOR="red">RED</FONT> in big picture below.




Modified by nuc79 at 3:57 PM 8/19/2004

 

well apparently there was a oil pressure problem (spun bearing) and/or lack of oil that cause all this failure. anyone got a complete shortblock or a crank for sale .


Modified by not so civic at 11:01 PM 8/18/2004

 

I apologize if I am wrong, wasnt there a recall on a quite a few s2000's with the "lack of oil" issue?

 

yeah i'm hearing that too now, but was unaware because i'm new to the s2000. is there anything more specific or links related to this problem?

 

Kev,

i found this: http://forums.s2ki.com/forums/...=8051

But it looks like like the problem was caused by oil starvation to #4 cyl.
Not from the constant abuse this engine saw.

Even then, it look like it was more or less a decision from Honda as to
"Should we cover this under the warranty due to design flaw--,
or was the damage caused by owner negligence..."

In this particular case: car is out of warranty AND owner was negligent.
I think it should be a $4000 lesson, learned the hard way.

 

update: new honda assembled shortblock ($2000 dealer cost) seemed to fix the problem.
along with the above mentioned head work.
owners total cost: $3000 parts and labor.
That's an expensive "why-you-should-check-your-oil-level" lesson.

not so civic -&gt; the new F20C swap-master.

 

when i get the f20c in my hatch with a k tranny i'll then be the swap master.

 

kev rules! I rode in the S when it was clanking. When I get my S, he's the only ************ who will be able to touch it. werd.

and kev.....WHERE IS MY S2000 PISTON!! I need a paperweight for work!

 

[/QUOTE]and kev.....WHERE IS MY S2000 PISTON!! I need a paperweight for work![/QUOTE]

once i rip the block apart this week...man i had a hatch to boost and now that's done i can get to it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nuc79 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Update: Upon further inspection, we found the problem in a matter of minutes anyway...lol. Case closed

And this solved by 2 guys who have never owned or worked on a S2000 ever before in their lives and downloaded the Helm manual off the internet earlier this week?

Now that's progress I say.

Another $70 worth of OEM parts and a trip to the dealer parts counter on Tues, and the owner will again be free to wreak havoc on his S2000's drivetrain.

= S2000 owners that can work on their own engines.

= S2000 owners that can afford an S2000, beat on their cars, run them out of oil, and have Civic owners repair the unneccessary wreckage.

= the $ money$ that the S2000 owner pays to the civic owner, to make his B-series civic faster than the S2000


Modified by nuc79 at 8:48 PM 8/13/2004</TD></TR></TABLE>

omg....man this is so true. i see this kind of **** everyday...

-Deven who pwns the maddest tyt3 cebuk y0!