S2000 - Will 9000 rpm and M1 0W30 AFE be ok?

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Hello BITOG!

I've been on this site for quite some time but don't really put my two cents in due to lack of true knowledge. I've done as much research as possible about my question but would like to poll you guys for a second opinion.

Here's my deal:

I've recently purchased a 2000 Honda S2000 with 100K well cared for the miles on it. The previous owner mostly look the car to Honda for oil changes (looks like bulk) and a PCX filter for a majority of it's life. Being a older gentlemen I'd like to believe he didn't beat on it much due to lack of any noticeable oil consumption.

I will be doing all the oil changes and due to the Autozone Mobil 1 AFE sale have a substantial stock of 0W30.

My concern with the high rev limit of this particular car and the from what I've read sheer instability of M1 AFE worries me. The lack of anti wear additives worries me also but I'm no expert and would like some opinions if the oil should or shouldn't be used in this application.

Currently running Edge 10W30 Gold Bottle and all seems well.


Would a high mileage oil with a higer HTHS work better for this particular situation?

Thanks for any input!
 
Since higher RPMs means the S2000 is operating to the far right on the Stribeck curve, your 0w-30 is perfect for this engine. 6 month oil changes, don't even count miles, time is better.
 
Yes I have a bunch of 0W30 AFE but also have a 1992 Civic I can use it in so it won't go to waste.


I don't "race" the car but will do a couple late night pulls for a quick thrill. My concern is it sheering and causing damage to the engine.

I've seen people rave about the PAO content of the oil so I thought perhaps it'll be fine but other UOA's come back with reports of sheering into the 20 weight range.

The engine was originally spec'd for SJ 10W30 dino.
 
I'd like to add I live in Louisiana so the car see's mostly warm weather.


I drive alot on mostly rural highways and the interstate. I will take the car on 100-250 mile trips for work and at 70mph it's turning ~4000 rpm.
 
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I'd be using a 10w30 in it.

When was this Mobil 1 sale? Is it an older sale or is it going on now?
 
Well since you have a lot of it on hand then I'd go ahead and use it but change it out sooner than later. Don't go 10,000 miles on it. I'd do 4,000 miles max on this oil.
 
I owned a 2003 S2000 for many years. I ran 5w40 (rotella) and various 30 weight oils, including M1 0w30. At the time the M1 0w30 was not the AFE variety.

The only thing I noticed with the M1 0w30 was increased engine noise. Not necessarily a rare thing based on the anecdotal reports from other guys running the same oil. I eventually settled on PP 5w30 and ran that for many OCIs until I finally sold the car.

I think you'll be just fine with the AFE 0w30, I would use it for a few OCIs and then do a UOA just so that you can see what's going on. While my 2003 did not consume much oil (maybe 1/3 quart over 6000 miles), the earlier years 2000 and 2001 have a tendency to be oil burners, especially later in life. Don't be too surprised if you have to keep it topped up often. I would also look into having the valve retainers checked. If the previous owner over-revved the engine, the retainers can crack and will eventually drop a valve. Good luck and enjoy the car, they are excellent vehicles and tend to be very reliable for what they do.
 
I have a mixed of 40% M1 EP 0W20 with 60% M1 0W40 to get slightly higher HTHS(3.3 vs 3.0 for M1 10W30) for my 2004 S2000.

Both M1 EP 0W20 and 0W40 have higher percentage PAO than normal M1 varieties.

Honda recommends 5W40 for colder climate(below 0F), this means S2000 can run with xW40 if you like. But thicker oil may reduce the engine power a little.

My S2000 is driven about 5,000 miles a year so I do yearly oil change.
 
Having built and raced import engines that turned up to 10,000 RPM in my youth I would chose a better.

In my case none of these engines where stock like your application.

I would shudder to use anything with an HTHS of less then 3.5 until I had some UOA from a track day with an oil under 3.5. Even then I would monitor the engine with at least 2 UOA with progressively longer OCI's before I felt safe.

I have not taken the time to see where you live but at sustained 9000 rpm use Mobil-1 AFE 0W30 is going to be like water at the crank journals.

If I was going to try thinner oils in a 9000 RPM engine I would prob. stick to things like Redline 0W40, 10W30. If I was going to try M1 it would be Delvac 5W40,0W40 or M1R 0W30.

How much time are you going to spend at 9000 rpm??? The sound alone scares most people. I have to imagine that @ 9000 RPM you could likely be doing 70MPH in 2nd gear??? So by 5th gear I would imagine you are in high tripple digits unless it is speed governed?

When you have sliding parts going that fast inside the engine beefy additive packages and fancy expensive base stocks really earn their keep!

Also oil cooling also starts to really earn it's keep as well under those conditions.
 
Originally Posted By: ExMachina
Since higher RPMs means the S2000 is operating to the far right on the Stribeck curve, your 0w-30 is perfect for this engine. 6 month oil changes, don't even count miles, time is better.


Got to be careful with using "the curve" like that in that the other factor is the load...while the RHS rises with RPM, the loads vary as well.

Inertial loads on the bearings rise with speed squared.

So a doubling of the speed over a similarly designed engine should double your Stribeck number for constant load, the four fold inertial load increase could reduce your Stribeck number by a factor of 4.

So load = constant, an 8 may be a 16 on the X axis due to speed, the 16 could become 4 when inertial loads come in.

Honda chose a shear stable grade initially in 10W30, and a higher HTHS but potentially more shear prone 5W40 if the 5W is needed, so I think 0W30 is going counter to their thinking on the engine's needs.
 
I don't see why not but I'm the type to choose a performance oriented run for a performance oriented engine.

I'd stick with the castrol stash you have or switch to 0w40 mobil 1.
 
I would think m1 hm 10w30 would work nicely. Hths of 3.5 and boosted add pack.
 
Back in January AZ had a huge clearance. A bunch of name brand oils fir $1 a quart. This was one. It was to move slow sellers and old stock.

I got almost 50 quarts of m1 0w20 ep foe $1 a quart.

3 5 quart jugs of m1 0w30 afe fir $5 a jug.

7 quarts of German castrol 0w30 for $1 a quart. Still have that actually.

I missed out on the gold bottle castrol stuff. But they also had a bunch of atf and the like foe the same price.

Some of them are better run than others. Some had the sale price up. Some didn't. It always rang up the same.
 
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Nine thousand RPM and VTEC is sure to be hard on any oil, especially a low hths shear prone 'fuel economy' oil.

If you use the car as it was intended, look to Redline, Amsoil, Motul or Schaeffers.
 
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