Considering a Turbo S2000 - need advice on problems.

[joeo]

I test drove a 2003 S2000 yesterday that has the Ultimate Racing turbo kit installed on it. This includes larger injectors and the Greddy Emanage. The car looks great, but driving it is almost impossible. The clutch on it is the most aggressive I've ever driven. The problem, however, is severe bucking under partial throttle. It's impossible to drive the car smoothly say at 4000RPM in 1st gear. As soon as you touch the gas the car bucks violently back and forth. Full throttle the car runs great - amazingly fast. Above about 5000RPM things start to smooth out.

Could this bucking problem be related to a bad tune on the emanage - something that could be easily fixed - or could it be a more severe problem? Is there anything that I could try that would help?

The other thing I noticed is a squeak from the rear end when taking off in first gear. The sales guy told me it's the clutch - maybe - could be a throw out bearing, but I'm not sure.

Thanks very much for any ideas!

Here are some pictures:

[Haakon]

well the car looks great, the engine...maybee some bad tuning, has the car ever been dynoed?

And a squeck from the rear end is the clutch...?sounds weird since the clutch i placed around the middle of the car.

[UKunt]

hmm it hardly seems the best thing to test drive if ur thinking of buying it.if thats there demo car i would stay clear of them

[Marek]

If the car is for sale it should be in tip top condition

Just look at the dirt on the air intake, it wasnt taken car of properly

(not trying to bash your ride or anything)

The clutch you can adjust it yourself to suite your driving style

and like Hakoon said, the squeek is from the back its not the clutch

It could be a finished Damper plate on the driveshaft (fairly cheap) but you need to rise the car to replace it. How much Psi is the boost running? according to how its set you can get a good idea of how its been driven, also smell the oil, you'll most likely know right away.

[joeo]

Didn't smell any oil or coolant smells, and I didn't see any smoke coming out of the exhaust. I do know that the turbo kit has been installed on the car for about 2 years time.

What I'm most concered about is that bucking problem. You cannot drive this car smoothly at all below 5000RPM. It's kinda like my car (MR2) would be with a blow off valve vented - except 10 times worse.

-Joe
http://videos.lovehorsepower.com

[rydinturbo]

could be the spot where the v-taakk iss engaging and its changen thats why its like jerking , thats just a guess though becuase i thought the v-takk didnt kick in tull about 6000rpms but i know u can change it with tuning

[Marek]

Originally Posted by rydinturbo

could be the spot where the v-taakk iss engaging and its changen thats why its like jerking , thats just a guess though becuase i thought the v-takk didnt kick in tull about 6000rpms but i know u can change it with tuning

Actually when v-tec is "not operationnal" there isnt any bogging or anything, theres just less power

I already sat in for a ride in a 685wHP integra and the vtec wasnt working and trust me, you wouldnt of made the difference with vtec or no vtec.

Another possibility is the turbine is done, and is shaky at low rpm's but stabilizes at higher speed. I remember right before my turbo blew, i would be taking off all smooth, passed 2000 rpms it would be all going crazy up to 4000 down to 1500 back up to 5-6000 and above 5-6000rpms it would be smooth, but then i just floored it 3/4 getting on the highway and the turbine just blew!
the entire manifold+turbo+exhaust were glowing red like lava!!!

I would suggest you find a Non-turbo S2000 and build it up yourself, you never know how the car was treated or who installed the turbo, and you basically dont know anything else about the ride. As if you find a regular s2000 and build it up, you'll know it from a-z and you'll get a good look at the guts, and there are so many possibities when doing it yourself (or getting it done) that you would probably end up with a way better NON BOGGING result!!!

Unless you have a sick deal on the s2k and have some spare dough to fiddle around, i'd say go find another one!!!

And those engines are ceramic finished, so you can boost the living shit out of em on stock internals and even go addon some Nitrous and stay safe !

Another tip i would give you for the s2k : check the roof linings as they tend to leak around the side windows of the car (from what ive read!)

good Luck Buck!

[joeo]

Wow - that's crazy. I've never heard of a turbine going like that. What a blower! I do know that the kit was installed on the car about 2 years ago by Ultimate Racing. Here is the car:
http://www.ultimate-racing.com/Custo...JackieNY.shtml

The engine is making huge power up top - it's pretty crazy. It will spin tires in 3rd gear! Past history of the car might be pretty bad though - I'm trying to get in touch with the previous owner.

I'm also thinking that it could be a bad sensor, that perhaps the ECU ignores under WOT like an O2 sensor. Perhaps a bad IAT sensor.

-Joe
http://www.lovehorsepower.com

[Marek]

Originally Posted by joeo

Wow - that's crazy. I've never heard of a turbine going like that. What a blower! I do know that the kit was installed on the car about 2 years ago by Ultimate Racing. Here is the car:
http://www.ultimate-racing.com/Custo...JackieNY.shtml

The engine is making huge power up top - it's pretty crazy. It will spin tires in 3rd gear! Past history of the car might be pretty bad though - I'm trying to get in touch with the previous owner.

I'm also thinking that it could be a bad sensor, that perhaps the ECU ignores under WOT like an O2 sensor. Perhaps a bad IAT sensor.

-Joe
http://www.lovehorsepower.com

I dont know, the bogging problem you mentionned really reminds me of blowing my turbo, same symptoms

[01mmmz28]

bucking is a result of a poor tune and lack of proper fuel. Gears may also be an issue. You may have the injecters for it, but the fuel pump may be crap. A/F ratio is off I bet ya and fuel maps are off the charts. That's gunna cost some money to diagnose and fix, the tune alone will be $$$

[ihone]

when I first spooled my SHO back in 2001, it kinda did the same thing. 1st gear was the worst. I'd let out on the clutch, give er a lil gas, and off we went.

from idle up to about 3.5k was ok, but if I let out.....it'd damn near killl me. It was the effect of a poor tune, and not running 93 octane *yeah, I was cheaping out on gas....sheesh*

could be just a poor tune. OR, could be a clutch mid-adjustment.

Does it miss at all? Does it sputter at any time through out the rev-range? Does it have any soot in the pipes? does it have plenty of oil-return from the turbo? I noticed from the pics, and I may be wrong, but is that red hose coming from the oil return from the engine? it's awful close to the outlet of that turbo, without proper shielding. I'd be afraid of it melting the hose, or at least weakening it to the point of rupture.

Just a few questions from a guy that's only turbo'd 1 vehicle.

[Soup]

The car wouldn't have been turbod if it wasn't going to be beat on, and apparently you've either got a bad tune that it's had for two years or a bad turbo, either way it looks to me like you'll be dumping a lot of money into this car pretty soon.

[rydinturbo]

he never sed he wanted to buy it

[BOTLFEDLT1]

My friend owns one of the first s2000s that ultimate turbo'd. Ive driven this car before, as has R1_kid, so he might weigh in with his impressions as well. My advice? Unless you have a daily driver to rely on and a patience for constant tuning issues, Id stay clear of this car. Sometimes it seems like my friend's car spends more time in the shop working out tuning gremlins than on the road. Its fairly quick (best of mid 12's @ 116 mph), but it has the boost turned down on the street for longevity. Top end is pretty good. The last time I spoke with my friend, he mentioned that he had a standalone put in and driveability had improved... it takes quite a bit of money to do a turbo kit properly on an s2000.

As an aside, Ive never put much faith in utlimate racing.. back when I was in highschool, I took my car there to do a brake job and they forgot to tighten my wheel lugs before I left their shop...

[EVILZ33]

i personally wouldnt buy it but if you do it might be a bad tune emanage kidna sucks.if i were you and had the extra cash id get hks f-con V