engine HONDA S2000 2001 1.G User Guide

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r ca r an d you r
drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Ca r Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r ca r accordin g
t o th e maintenanc e schedule . Thi s
wil l kee p it i n to p operatin g condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 15 5 ) . Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r car' s undersid e add s weigh t an d
rollin g resistance . Frequen t cleanin g
help s you r fue l mileag e an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f corrosion . Drivin
g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
Alway s driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t
allow s the engin e t o ru n an d acceler -
at e smoothly .
Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r ca r use s extr a fuel . Us e th e
cruis e control , whe n appropriate , t o
increas e fue l economy .
A col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m u p faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o combin
e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e is

moderate .

Before Drivin g

Drivin
g
Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
manua l transmission . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 13 0
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 13 1
Startin g i n Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitud e .................... . 13 2
6-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 13 3
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 13 4
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 13 4
Revers e Lockout....................... . 13 4
Parking........................................... . 13 5
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 13 6
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 13 6
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 13 7
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 13 7
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 13 8
AB S Indicator........................ . 13 9
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 14 0
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 14 1

Drivin g

Startin
g th e Engin e

Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitud e (Abov e 8,00 0 feet /
2,40 0 meters )

A n engin e i s harde r t o star t i n col d
weather . Th e thinne r ai r foun d a t
hig h altitud e abov e 8,00 0 fee t (2,40 0
meters ) add s t o th e problem . Us
e th e followin g procedure :
1 . Tur n of f al l electrica l accessorie s
t o reduc e th e drai n o n th e battery .
2 . Pus h th e accelerato r peda l half -
wa y t o th e floo r an d hol d it ther e
whil e startin g th e engine . D o no t
hol d th e ENGIN E STAR T butto n
fo r mor e tha n 1 5 seconds . Whe n
th e engin e starts , releas e th e
accelerato r peda l graduall y a s th e
engin e speed s u p an d smooth s out .
3 . I f th e engin e fail s t o star t i n ste p 2 ,
pus h th e accelerato r peda l t o th e
floo r an d hol d i t ther e whil e yo u
tr y t o star t th e engin e fo r n o mor e
tha n 1 5 seconds . I f th e engin e
doe s no t start , retur n to ste p 2 .

Drivin g

6-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

Recommende d Shif t Point s
Driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t let s
th e engin e ru n an d accelerat e
smoothly . Thi s wil l giv e yo u th e bes t
fue l econom y an d effectiv e emis -
sion s control . Th e followin g shif t
point s ar e recommended : Engin
e Spee d Limite r
I f yo u excee d th e maximu m spee d
fo r th e gea r yo u ar e in , th e engin e
spee d wil l ente r int o th e tachometer' s
re d zone . I f thi s occurs , yo u ma y fee l
th e engin e cu t i n an d ou t Thi s i s
cause d b y a limite r i n th e engine' s
compute r controls . Th e engin e wil l
ru n normall y whe n yo u reduc e th e
RP M belo w th e re d zone .
Befor e downshifting , mak e sur e th e
engin e wil l no t g o int o th e
tachometer' s re d zone . Revers
e Lockou t
Th e 6-spee d manua l transmissio n
ha s a lockou t s o yo u canno t
accidentall y shif t fro m Fift h t o
Revers e instea d o f Sixth .
Wit h th e clutc h peda l depressed ,
mov e th e shif t leve r t o th e Revers e
sid e o f th e Neutra l gate . The n pus h
th e shif t leve r dow n an d shif t t o

Reverse .

Drivin g

Maintenanc
e Safet y

Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Befor e yo u begi n an y maintenance ,
mak e sur e you r ca r i s parke d o n
leve l groun d an d tha t th e parkin g
brak e is set . Also , b e sur e th e engin e
i s off . Thi s wil l hel p t o eliminat e
severa l potentia l hazards : Carbo
n monoxid e poisonin g
fro m engin e exhaust . B e sur e
ther e is adequat e ventilatio n
wheneve r yo u operat e th e engine . Burn
s fro m ho t parts . Le t th e
engin e an d exhaus t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts . Injur
y fro m movin g parts . D o
no t ru n th e engin e unles s in -
structe d to d o so . Rea
d th e instruction s befor e yo u
begin , an d mak e sur e yo u hav e th e
tool s an d skill s required .
T o reduc e th e possibilit y o f fir e o r
explosion , b e carefu l whe n workin g
aroun d gasolin e o r batteries . Us e a
commerciall y availabl e degrease r o r
part s cleaner , no t gasoline , t o clea n
parts . Kee p cigarettes , sparks , an d
flame s awa y fro m th e batter y an d al l
fuel-relate d parts .
Yo u shoul d wea r ey e protectio n an d
protectiv e clothin g whe n workin g
nea r th e batter y o r whe n usin g
compresse d air .

Maintenance

Maintenanc
e Schedul e

Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l
performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s norma l transportatio n fo r you r
passenge r an d possessions . Yo u
shoul d als o follo w thes e

recommendations :

Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit . Driv
e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s

(kilometers) .
Alway
s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e

116 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g t o th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "

Maintenanc e

Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C, D as required for each distance/time interval.
U.S. Owner s — Refe r t o pag e 14 8 t o determin e whic h schedul e to use .
Canadia n owners : Follo w th e schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .

Note:
Chec k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop . Chec
k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , onl y i f noisy .

Maintenanc e

#
: Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 147 .

Servic
e a t th e indicate d distanc e o r time , whicheve r come s first . D o th e item s i n A , B , C , D , E , F as require d fo r eac h distance/time .
U.S . Owner s — Refe r t o pag e 15 0 t o determin e whic h schedul e to use .
Canadia n Owner s — Us e th e Maintenanc e Schedul e fo r Sever e Conditions .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
*
1
: See Air Conditioning Filter on page 183 for replacement information under special driving
conditions .

# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t column , pag e 147 .

Note :
Chec
k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop . Chec
k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , onl y i f noisy .

*
1 : See Air Conditioning Filter on page
183 for replacement
informatio n unde r specia l drivin g conditions .
# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty ,
las t column , pag e 147 .

NOTE :
Chec
k engin e oi l an d coolan t a t eac h fue l stop . Chec
k an d adjus t valv e clearance , col d engine , onl y i f noisy .
Maintenanc e

Engin
e Oi l

Addin g Oi l
T o ad d oil , unscre w an d remov e th e
engin e oi l fil l ca p o n to p o f th e lef t
valv e cover . Pou r i n th e oil , an d
replac e th e engin e oi l fil l cap .
Tighte n i t securely . Wai t a fe w
minute s an d rechec k th e oi l level . D o
no t fil l abov e th e uppe r mark ; yo u
coul d damag e th e engine . Recommende
d Oi l
Oi l i s majo r contributo r t o you r
engine' s performanc e an d longevity .
Alway s us e a premium-grad e
detergen t oi l displayin g th e AP I
Certificatio n Seal . Thi s sea l indicate s
th e oi l i s energ y conserving , an d tha t
i t meet s th e America n Petroleu m
Institute' s lates t requirements . I t i s
highl y recommende d tha t yo u us e
Hond a Moto r Oi l i n you r vehicl e fo r
a s lon g a s yo u ow n it . Mak
e sur e th e AP I Certificatio n Sea l
say s "Fo r Gasolin e Engines. "
AP I CERTIFICATIO N SEA L

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e