My S2000 died on me on the freeway ... Help!!

[XenoGears]

Sounds like mdjice needs to bend his 'friend' (the one that he bought the car from)'s head back into his as*. You should use your right hand to do so.

[s2000COP]

Your car isn't at a dealership is it? If it is, get it the hell out of there. See if the head can be saved. If not, I almost got a head from these guys. You would still need to get it resurfaced by a machine shop.

http://www.speedomotive.com/ps-468-7...alvetrain.aspx

[S2KCRick]

I would look at the head myself, I cant believe that the valves are bent just from the coils melting. Did the timing chain break? That would cause the pistons to break/bend the valves. Breaking the timing chain would cause the car to just die like you described, and cause damage to head. You might be better off looking for a used head, prolly cheaper than having it rebuilt.

[philiam]

He said it was running on 3 so the tc should be ok.

[jagg]

sounds like he's in need of a second opinion.

jumped time, but why?


jagg

[S2KCRick]

Yea, he says that its running on 3 right now, before it wasnt running at all. It seems like two issues: 1) Melted coil, 2) bent/broken valve. Melted coil would prevent the spark occurring for cylinder x, causing it run on only 3, but not cause the engine to die, and that wasnt evem the initial issue. Initial issue is that the engine just died, so what would cause the engine to just die? A break in the timing chain would do it and cause catastrophic damage to the valves if he was going fast enough, say 60+miles per hour.

What would cause melted coils?

[jagg]

60+miles per hour.

60mph in Neutral, and 60mph in Second, are miles apart, aye?
who knows? the only thing fer sure is that it's broke now.

buyer beware on a car with two colors......
jagg

[S2KCRick]

Well, going 60+miles per hour, the pistons are going pretty fast. If the timing chain breaks going that fast, the piston will slam into valves (if open) a bunch of times and break em. If he were going slower, then the pistons wouldnt hit the valves as much and might just bend the valves.

[S2KCRick]

Originally Posted by mdjice

Ok the shop called me and said that 2 coils caught on fire and melted...he said it won't be bad if he can take them out without taking the head but right now they are stuck....

Did the 2 coils catch on fire at the shop?

[philiam]

Coil overheating can be caused by bad connections, spark plugs or corrosion. I don't know if there are ballast resistors on theses cars but they can cause problems if the voltage is too high. If air was leaking on that missing cap it could have been running lean which would make it run hotter.

[mdjice]

ok...
The car was running fine, I was driving 5th gear 70mph on the freeway when it died. cause : one of the ignition coil completely desintegrated in half (he showed me the remains) and another was in pretty bad shape so he changed both. that's WHY the car stop on the freeway. Now because of the coil melting he said the valve head got bent. now that he changed the 2 ignition coils the car starts but runs on 3 cylinders only(clicketing noise and 0 pressure on that 3rd cylinder). he says it could be a damaged piston etc... but then we would see some oil coiming out of the exhaust along with blue smoke (I know cause I had that problem on my vette once) so he thinks its fine but with his camera he can definitely see the bent valve head. he doesn't want to change the head, just get it re machined. he called Hinda and a new head is around 3600...yeah right no way!!
at this point I don't know what to do...I'm thinking about getting the car back and selling it as is and be done with it... I mean it's a little BIG of a problem for a car after only 2 weeks...I can't imagine what's in stock for me after 2 months....

[S2KCRick]

Originally Posted by mdjice

ok...
The car was running fine, I was driving 5th gear 70mph on the freeway when it died. cause : one of the ignition coil completely desintegrated in half (he showed me the remains) and another was in pretty bad shape so he changed both. that's WHY the car stop on the freeway. Now because of the coil melting he said the valve head got bent. now that he changed the 2 ignition coils the car starts but runs on 3 cylinders only(clicketing noise and 0 pressure on that 3rd cylinder). he says it could be a damaged piston etc... but then we would see some oil coiming out of the exhaust along with blue smoke (I know cause I had that problem on my vette once) so he thinks its fine but with his camera he can definitely see the bent valve head. he doesn't want to change the head, just get it re machined. he called Hinda and a new head is around 3600...yeah right no way!!
at this point I don't know what to do...I'm thinking about getting the car back and selling it as is and be done with it... I mean it's a little BIG of a problem for a car after only 2 weeks...I can't imagine what's in stock for me after 2 months....

Man, i just dont see the connection between the coil melting causing the valve bend or break. The only thing that can cause the valves to bend or break would be the piston hitting it. And that can only happen by an over rev, or timing chain break, that i know of anyway. You should have someone else look at it for a second opinion.

[s2000COP]

This is so familiar, because something like this happened to me.

http://s2000.com/forums/engine-tech-...o-upgrade.html

http://s2000.com/forums/engine-tech-...-the-shop.html

$5200 and 2 months later, I got my car back.

[s2000COP]

The first mechanic said that I over revved it...at 3500 RPM

[TheCarGuy2021]

Why not pick up a used head? I sold a perfectly good head for $500 a few months ago, they are out there.

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by S2KCRick

Man, i just dont see the connection between the coil melting causing the valve bend or break. The only thing that can cause the valves to bend or break would be the piston hitting it. And that can only happen by an over rev, or timing chain break, that i know of anyway. You should have someone else look at it for a second opinion.

I feel you, the problem is that the car doesn t really "run" I mean on 3 cyclinders but I'm sure it's not that great to drive it like that so Unless I get towed "again" it's pretty difficult.

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by TheCarGuy2021

Why not pick up a used head? I sold a perfectly good head for $500 a few months ago, they are out there.

yeah but it's taking the risk of getting a bad one, anyways the price of re surfacing the head is around $250 so it's half a used head

[S2KCRick]

So you only need to have the head resurfaced??? What about the bent valves? Those need to replaced. I think I'm missing something.

[TheCarGuy2021]

Originally Posted by mdjice

yeah but it's taking the risk of getting a bad one, anyways the price of re surfacing the head is around $250 so it's half a used head

1) 99% of the time you can tell if a head is good with some good pictures from the seller.

2) Resurfacing a cylinder head should cost no more than $50.

[TheCarGuy2021]

Also, if you have bent valves you're going to need more than a new head.

[mdjice]

So what would you guys recommend? should I take it somewhere else?
can I drive a couple of miles on 3 cylinders to take it home?

[philiam]

Heading to a road race about 130 mi away I had a piston seize in my 52 MG about half way there. After it cooled down we continued on and then back home on 3 pistons. The rings were melted in to the piston.

[mdjice]

So I guess I shouldn't then...

[philiam]

The rings melted when it seized. The damage was already done. Unless it's making loud metallic sounds a few miles won't do more damage.

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by philiam

The rings melted when it seized. The damage was already done. Unless it's making loud metallic sounds a few miles won't do more damage.

ok thanks

[kigz]

What the hell man, this story of getting your car and having this problem occur so suddenly, is getting me mad.... I feel like ripping heads off. Keep your head up.

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by kigz

What the hell man, this story of getting your car and having this problem occur so suddenly, is getting me mad.... I feel like ripping heads off. Keep your head up.

Man...I feel the same way... I just got the damn car..and now I'm looking at buying an entire Engine??....

[skatepozer23]

Originally Posted by mdjice

Man...I feel the same way... I just got the damn car..and now I'm looking at buying an entire Engine??....

Well Dude anything new come up with your car?

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by skatepozer23

Well Dude anything new come up with your car?

not really I was out of town until today. They want $1275 to fix it and he aid he is not even sure that it would be "IT" it could be worst but he won't know until he takes the head off.

[S2KCRick]

Ok so your still at the point where the mech told you that you have 2 melted coils and bent valves.

If the valves are bent, you should start looking for a good used head. I would also take it to another mech for a second opinion. Maybe T6 can refer you to someone.

How is it that the mech knows that the valves are bent even though he has yet to pull the head??? And how did the melted coils cause the valves to bend?

[H20]

IF in fact, your car just slowed and stopped, the valves shouldn't be bent. You just desperately need another opinion. It's easy enough to see with the valve cover off. Mr. Valve goes down but doesn't come up. Should make a loud ticking like a valve seriously WAY out of adjustment.

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by S2KCRick

Ok so your still at the point where the mech told you that you have 2 melted coils and bent valves.

If the valves are bent, you should start looking for a good used head. I would also take it to another mech for a second opinion. Maybe T6 can refer you to someone.

How is it that the mech knows that the valves are bent even though he has yet to pull the head??? And how did the melted coils cause the valves to bend?

He can see the valves are bent using his little camera scope tools, also testing the compression it equals 0, nada not even a little bit. He is going to get the head re machined (could I get more horsepower at the same time by getting it bored like with my vette ?) about the coil one litterlay desintegrated and the plug felt or some like that

Originally Posted by H20

IF in fact, your car just slowed and stopped, the valves shouldn't be bent. You just desperately need another opinion. It's easy enough to see with the valve cover off. Mr. Valve goes down but doesn't come up. Should make a loud ticking like a valve seriously WAY out of adjustment.

I do hear a ticking noise and it's only running on 3 cyclinders.
I don't have the time to take it to another shop as I'm about to go out of town again for a few days. I told him to go ahead and fix it...total $1200...hopefuly that will do it... I'm not going to lie I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of it as soon as it's fixed...

[mdjice]

ok so the car is ready, 2 bent valve heads and 2 bad ignition coils, total $1200...ouch

[skatepozer23]

Im glad you got your car back all fixed and $1200 when it comes to engines is pocket change.

My MR2, before i got my stewie, blew its engine $5000 including labor. That was a big ouch in my financials

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by skatepozer23

Im glad you got your car back all fixed and $1200 when it comes to engines is pocket change.

My MR2, before i got my stewie, blew its engine $5000 including labor. That was a big ouch in my financials

no shhhh, i wasnt in town so I won t get the car back until monday hopefully it runs great again!!

[S2KCRick]

hows the ride? all fixed now?

[mdjice]

Originally Posted by S2KCRick

hows the ride? all fixed now?

yep, just got it back today. I need to drive it some more but for some weird reasons it feels like the engine goes up in RPM the same way but it doesn't pick up accordingly, I feel like the car drags on a bit compaire to before even though it picks up RMP, it just doesnt have the same boost and torque. He said it should be the same and to give it a few hundred miles to break it in...

[mdjice]

Ok...I'm gonna try to STAY FUCKING CALM!!!!.... I just got the car back, took it for a ride, got on the freeway drove 8mn...and SAME FUCKING problem!!! engine dies, car comes to a stop...car dead AAA towing....I'm Soooo pissed right now....I paid $1200 drove the car less than 10 mn and it's dead again the exact same way!!??? are you serious??...The car is in front of the shop now....I'll be there at 8am when they open...I'm sure I'll have to fight with the BS they gonna give me saying it's something else and I gotta pay more....We'llsee about that...anyways, I'm getting this car fixed and I'm SELLING THIS P.O.S. glad the s2000 is working out for you guys...it's definitely NOT for me...

[skatepozer23]

dude WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should probably bring it to a certified honda dealer if you plan on repairing it again

[RMurphy]

Originally Posted by mdjice

...I'm SELLING THIS P.O.S. glad the s2000 is working out for you guys...it's definitely NOT for me...

It does seem that your assessment of the particular vehicle you purchased is accurate. It is not, however, representative of the overall quality of the product line in general. It seems likely that the particular car you bought suffers from a common malady that most heavily molested vehicles have. They sometimes break or are temperamental because they've been modified and perhaps not modified particularly well or with the best of expertise.

I had some aftermarket modifications on previous cars and while those mods made the cars special to me, it meant a trade off. The trade offs meant occasional problems or "considerations" that a bone stock vehicle wouldn't exhibit. And I was okay with those trade offs because I made them knowingly and I knew how to deal with them. But with this car I have opted not to mess with it. You really need to know what you're messing with and be willing to expect and deal with the trade offs.

I'm just saying I hope you don't write off all S2000s based on your one bad experience with a single example that appears to have been rat-f***ed by someone before you got it.

And I hope you can get it fixed without need for any additional personal lubricants to ease the pain of the procedure.