High Mileage S2000 needs some advice!

Joined
Feb 12, 2021
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Hello everybody! New member here.



I have a 2001 Honda S2000 with 258,472mi (415,970km). It’s my daily driver, but it’s in great condition and I religiously change the oil every 3 months (I put around 4,000mi (6,537km) in 3 months). I live in Puerto Rico, and my area NEVER drops under 60*F (16*C) ambient temperature, it’s summer year round. My daily drive consists of around 5mi of bumper to bumper traffic until I get onto open roads, so my engine coolant temperature commonly is around 205*F (96*C) during traffic. My car burns about 1qt/1000mi (0.6L/1000km), which is considered pretty normal for early AP1 S2000s.



I have a couple of questions for you guys.



  1. Since my area NEVER gets cold under 60*F (15.5*C), how does that effect the flow of oil during cold starts? Will a 10W, 5W, and 0W oil flow the same during cold start ups? How will they compare when I do a cold start when the ambient temperature is hotter, like 85*F (29.4*C)?
  2. I’ve been using High Mile synthetics (Castrol Edge HM, Valvoline Maxlife HM and Pennzoil Platinum HM) for my last oil changes, will using non-HM synthetics be detrimental to my high mileage engine?
  3. Since S2000s are rated for 10W-30 or 5W-40 oils, which oils provides better protection for my high engine temps and could help lower oil consumption?


Thanks in advance, I want only the best so I can keep hearing 9000 RPM every now and then!
 
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5W-40 is shown in the USDM owners manual too for a wider temperature range than 10W-30
If I’m correct,is 5W40 spec’d by Honda for cold weather operation? Does seem strange,as I thought I saw that on Honda’s fluid spec sheet
 
If I’m correct,is 5W40 spec’d by Honda for cold weather operation? Does seem strange,as I thought I saw that on Honda’s fluid spec sheet
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They cover the same temperatures above 0*F
 
Yes, 10w-30 is specd for normal all year round use in the owners manual, while 5w-40 is specd for winter use, below freezing.
This "weird" reccomendation from Hondas puzzles S2000 owners for ever.

EDIT: AP1s2k was faster.
Today on s2ki.com one member was saying that about half of the members of the S2ki forum are also members of Bitog... :LOL:
 
As is always the case with these questions, "flow" is irrelevant. As long as the oil can be pumped it will flow. The only time it's not going to be pumped is if the ambient temperature is too low for the winter rating which is never going to happen in PR. For you the winter rating of the oil is also irrelevant.

I'd run a 40-grade there but the 30-grade is probably fine too. Buy something decent on sale and forget whatever the winter rating happens to be.
 
Honda spec’d 10W-30 for these so just run that.

These engines run at very high RPM so it’s likely your oil consumption is due to wear.

A buddy of mine had one new back in 02-03 and I remember it doing 4K RPM at 60 miles per hour.
 
Honda spec’d 10W-30 for these so just run that.

These engines run at very high RPM so it’s likely your oil consumption is due to wear.

A buddy of mine had one new back in 02-03 and I remember it doing 4K RPM at 60 miles per hour.
You’re at 4000RPM in 6th gear at 75mi/h. Im going to get a new PCV and oil cap too son to help seal the crankcase better
 
You’re at 4000RPM in 6th gear at 75mi/h. Im going to get a new PCV and oil cap too son to help seal the crankcase better
Yeah it may have been 70mph. I just remember it was a high RPM.

These are fun little cars. They’ve aged well.
 
Oh get over yourself. Spec or recommended, all of us who have commented have told the OP to use 10W-30 or 5W-40, which is in the owners manual.
Sure, okay. But you said "Honda spec’d 10W-30 for these so just run that" as if one recommendation was all they gave.

Others need to get over themselves as well and give advice that is based on what's given. Considering the higher ambient there and the consumption on this engine the 40-grade is a better recommendation.
 
Sure, okay. But you said "Honda spec’d 10W-30 for these so just run that" as if one recommendation was all they gave.

Others need to get over themselves as well and give advice that is based on what's given. Considering the higher ambient there and the consumption on this engine the 40-grade is a better recommendation.
Honda did spec 10W-30, and 5W-40 depending on ambient temperature. How am I wrong by using the word “spec”?
 
Honda did spec 10W-30, and 5W-40 depending on ambient temperature. How am I wrong by using the word “spec”?
A specification is something that isn't a recommendation. My Tiguan specifies VW approval 508 00 which is a 20-grade.

Honda doesn't specify grades in that manual at all. That chart is entirely a recommendation.
 
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