Time to work on that old organic clutch. Friction improvement part 2.

Hi everyone 

So the car is back on the road, after years stopped at the garage, and some issues arose instantly.

1- the clutch... it slips midrange.

2- wheel bearings are shot.

Evidently, I instructed the mechanic to replace the bearings with OEM parts, but not the clutch. That, I took under my care as, again, I believe that OEM is always a compromise, and an s2000 should be a no compromise car.

As such, after looking for several alternatives, ai decided to go for: Competition Clutch.

Stage 4 to be precise, and since we are to open the thing... flywheel was an easy hoock-up, so, UltraLight flywheel is ordered too.

I'll update the post with new images as I get the parts, but for now, some ebay screeshots will do.

1- ultra light competition clutches flywheel

2- stage4, ceramic 6pad  spring'd competition clutch with 300% clamp force pressure plate 

Stay tuned... but this mod will make the already amazing mid-range (AEM V2) extend rigth into vtec range as rotational inertia is reduced and High flow (decat) will improve high-end delivery.

Response should also improve, but i'm cooking a diferent approach for that one... depending how the PUMA ST220 itb project goes, I may create a killer recipie that doesn't bankrupt you, for s2k's

Update: WOW

The car feels a lot more rev happy. And if you lift-off (or reverse) it sounds like a grinder, but hey machanical noise is part of the fun... this is why I hate comfortable and filtered-out cars in the first place.

Under vtec is seams quicker to gain revs and evidently it's a hitch in slow traffic. The engagement is close to all or nothing and with about 8cm pedal travel...but the worse is that, unless you plant the back of your foot on the car floor and leverage, the 300% more clamping force makes you stall the car or spin the tires. So yeah, slow traffic if bad, but the s2k was not built to live on a traffic in the first place. 

The first day of rain made me spin 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (under vtec), and fortinately I heel&toe for years now, else the first shift down would have been... bad... bad is the word for locking your reqr wheels mid highway exit.

Very good upgrade, but DO take the driveability impact into consideration if you don't have a dailly driver alternative to your s2k.

The difference in weight between the oem cluth assembly (spring, plate and flyweel) is considerable. The car will stall easier and the speed to gain or loose rpms will also be quicker.

In my case, with an AEM v2 CAI and a decat job you can clearly feel a stronger vtec kick.

S2000 HID to LED conversion ... DIY, NO KIT!

The S2000 is equipped with factory xenon bulbs. It was nice back then... it was expensive back then... it is expensive still. 

When your bulbs go, you're looking at a good 60Euro/each, but have some moisture enter the headlight body and the ballast will go, and those are WAY more expensive. 

And trust me, they'll go out some day. There is also the matter that they are not Bi-xenon, They light pretty good ahead, but more is better, and they take their time to heat and provide the best light. LED, on the other hand, is powerful, cheap, they last longer and you can use the increased efficiency to add power to the package... equaling MORE LIGHT. 

So how did I do it?

1- Remove the front bumper, and while with the wrench at hand, remove the headlight lower support (small metal bar under the headlight assembly)

 

2- Without surprises... proceed to remove the headlights.

3- Start to dissemble the headlight. The ballast is external on this boy, so you can just remove it and, if it works, EBAY the thing. You'll never need that again. Remove also, the lamp, coil pack and cable.

4 - Depending on the LED bulbs you've chosen, you may have to make some adjustments to the fittings, I used a step-drill and bored enough to fit an H7 1300W equivalent, vented aluminum light.  If you opt for h1's you'll probably find out there's a lot less to drill. Still It's all plastic so the drilling is messy but easy. 

DO NOT forget to air-blast the assembly till all the dust comes out. Else, you need to place the headlight assembly in the oven (soften the glue) and then pull the glass appart to clean...NOT an enjoyable experience.

5 - Create the Wiring for the new Lights. You'll need to plug into the ballast input plug.

You should test the connections before insulating them.

 

 Remember: if it doesn't work, check the polarity.

6 - Use a good Insulator. I'm a fan of T-Rex... it's good, easy to work with and it can resist a nuclear attack. 

Do not forget : you're fighting moisture... and THAT gets everywhere! Make sure you're sealing things nicelly. 

Do not worry with dismantling as LED lasts way longer and, in this case, changing bulbs is easier with the front off and light assembly out... you can go crazy on the insulation.

7 - Test!

Presence lights:

 

LowBeams:

 

HighBeams:

 

 

The end result is better light (even during day time and with garage lighting, it's noticeable), longer life, WAY less money and it's cool :)