engine HONDA S2000 2000 1.G Owner's Manual

1. Because the fuel fill cap is on the
driver's side of the car, park with
that side closest to the service
station pumps.
2. Open the fuel fill door by pulling
on
the knob on the driver's door
jamb.
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or
seriously injured
when
handling fuel.
• Stop
the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and
flame away.
• Handle fuel only outdoors.
• Wipe up spills immediately.
Service Station Procedures
3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.
You may
hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside
the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
CONTINUED
Before Driving 117

3. Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert
the end into the hole on
the front of the hood around the
center.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly
to remove
the support rod from
the hole. Put the support rod back
into its holding clip. Lower
the
hood to about a foot (30 em) above
the fender, then let it drop.
After closing
the hood, make sure
it is securely latched.
Oil Check
Check the engine oil level every time
you
fill the car with fuel. Wait a few
minutes after turning
the engine off
before you check
the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (black
handle).
Service Station Procedures
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth
or paper towel.
CONTINUED
Before Driving 119

Service Station Procedures
3. Insert it all the way back in its tube. 4. Remove the dipstick again and
check the level.
It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
120 Before Driving
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see
Adding Oil on page 157.
Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between
the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant
on page 161 for
information on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to
Owner Maintenance
Checks
on page 155 for information
on checking other items
in your
Honda.

The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things
that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Car Condition
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte­
nance is the
Owner Maintenance
Checks
(see page 155 ). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more
"rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure
at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car's underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your fuel mileage and reduces
the chance of corrosion.
Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler­
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive
in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler­
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel.
Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy.
A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine.
It is not necessary to
"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away
in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside.
The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of
"cold starts," try to
Fuel Economy
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel.
Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Before Driving 121

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual transmission.
It also includes
important information on parking
your car, and
the braking system.
Driving
Preparing to Drive ......................... 130
Starting the Engine ........................ 131
Starting in Cold Weather
at High Altitude .....................
132
6-speed Manual Transmission ..... 133
Recommended Shift Points ...... 134
Engine
Speed Limiter ............... 134
Reverse Lockout.. ...................... 134
Parking ............................................ 135
The Braking System ...................... 136
Brake Wear Indicators ..............
136
Brake System Design ................ 137
Anti-lock Brakes ........................ 137
Important Safety
Reminders ..........................
138
ABS Indicator ......................... 139
Driving in Bad Weather ................ 140
Towing a Trailer ............................ 141
Driving 129

Preparing to Drive
You should do the following checks
and adjustments every day before
you drive
your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights
are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are
fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low,
use a gauge to check its
pressure.
130 Driving
4. Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 68 ) .
6. Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page
79 ).
7. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
8. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passenger has fastened his
seat belt (see page 15 ) .
9. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check
the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
10.Start
the engine (see page 131 ) .
1l.Check the gauges and indicator
lights in
the instrument panel (see
page
43 ).

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
3. Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. The ENGINE SfARTbutton
has no effect unless the clutch
pedal is depressed.
4. Turn the ignition key to ON (II)
position.
5. Without touching the accelerator
pedal, push
the ENGINE Sf ART
button.
If the engine does not start
right away, do not hold the
ENGINE Sf ART button for more
than
15 seconds at a time. Pause
for at least 10 seconds before
trying again.
Starting the Engine
6. If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 5 with
the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down.
If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so
the engine does not race.
7. If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while
starting in
order to clear flooding.
As before, hold
the ENGINE
Sf ART button for no more than
15 seconds. Return to step 6 if the
engine does not start. If it starts,
lift your foot off
the accelerator
pedal so
the engine does not race.
Driving 131

Starting the Engine
Starting in Cold Weather at High
Altitude (Above
8,000 feet/
2,400 meters)
An engine is harder to start in cold
weather.
The thinner air found at
high altitude above
8,000 feet (2,400
meters) adds to the problem.
132 Driving
Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories
to reduce the drain on
the battery.
2. Push the accelerator pedal half­
way to
the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not
hold the ENGINE START button
for more than
15 seconds. When
the engine starts, release
the
accelerator pedal gradually as the
engine speeds up and smooths out.
3. If the engine fails to start in step 2,
push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than
15 seconds. If the engine
does not start, return to step
2.

The manual transmission is synchro­
nized
in all forward gears for smooth
operation.
It has a lockout so you
cannot shift directly from Fifth to
Reverse instead of sixth (see page
134). When shifting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift to the next
gear, and let the pedal up gradually.
When you are not shifting,
do not
rest your foot on the clutch pedal.
This can cause your clutch to wear
out faster.
6-speed Manual Transmission
Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse.
You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the car moving.
Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause for
a few seconds before shifting into
Reverse, or shift into one of the
forward gears for a moment. This
stops the gears so they won't
"grind."
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes from
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Before downshifting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer's red zone
in the
lower gear.
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause
loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving
on
slippery surfaces.
Driving 133

6-speed Manual Transmission
Recommended Shift Points
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This
will give you the best
fuel economy and effective emis­
sions control.
The following shift
points are recommended:
Shift
Up Normal Acceleration
1st to 2nd
15 mph (24 km/h)
2nd to 3rd 25 mph (40 km/h)
3rd to 4th 40 mph (64 km/h)
4th to 5th 47 mph (75 km/h)
5th to 6th 52 mph (83 km/h)
134 Driving
Engine Speed Limiter Reverse Lockout
If you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel
the engine cut
in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls.
The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Before downshifting, make sure the
engine will not go into
the
tachometer's red zone in the lower
gear.
The 6-speed manual transmission
has a lockout so you cannot
accidentally shift from Fifth to
Reverse instead of Sixth.
With the clutch pedal depressed,
move
the shift lever to the Reverse
side of
the Neutral gate, then push
the shift lever down and shift to
Reverse.