Honda S2000 Tuning - Project S2000

We Design Water And Oil Cooling Systems To Support A High-Stress Race Environment. In anticipation of the increased power output and consequent increase in heat that comes with turbocharging an engine, we've fitted a slew of cooling upgrades to ensure engine oil and water temperatures are kept in check in our time attack S2000. First off, we started with an all-aluminum Mishimoto radiator. The conventional S2000 radiator is mounted vertically, which is difficult to duct and has a higher center of gravity (CG) than a lay-down radiator setup.

By removing the rad filler neck, changing the angle on the lower rad hose fitting and installing an AN -20 fitting for the upper rad hose, the radiator would now suit our application perfectly. All the unused ports were capped with 0.065 sheet aluminum and TIG-welded. We then fabricated a new lower radiator support that fastened to the front subframe, as well as new upper radiator mounts. With the rad secured in the lay-down position, a lower CG has been achieved and a clear path is available to duct the radiator outlet up through the hood (look for more on this in an upcoming installment).

Plumbing of the radiator required some special pieces, but the lower radiator hose was a straightforward affair. With the modified fitting on the rad, it was simply a matter of trimming the T1R silicone hose and clamping it down. The upper rad hose was more involved.

With the radiator filler neck/cap deleted from the radiator, it was necessary to mount a remote filler neck/cap. We turned to CSR racing, which offers an inline radiator neck with an array of fittings available. We used the standard S2000 1.25-inch-diameter push-on from the engine side and AN -20 to the radiator. Unfortunately, there are no mounting provisions on the CSR part, so a custom bracket welded to the housing was required. With the neck mounted to the shock tower, a trimmed T1R S2000 upper rad hose handles the fluid transfer to the engine.

BAT Inc. supplied all of our lines and fittings and we used the Aeroquip Startlite -20 hose to go from the neck to the radiator. The Startlite hose features a Kevlar braid and is much lighter than a conventional stainless steel braided hose. It's also much easier to assemble because the Kevlar braid doesn't poke holes in your fingers like a stainless braided line. Be sure when assembling the AN reusable fittings that the hose is cut square and pushed all the way into where the threads begin (a sharp utility knife works very well). Use some clean engine oil to lubricate the threads and hose prior to assembly. BAT's black/nickel-colored AN fittings look great and offer a secure connection. With the radiator system complete and sealed up, a pressure test was performed to ensure there were no leaks at any fitting/weld areas.

The turbocharger and higher power output, as well as prolonged high-engine rpm, will add heat to the engine coolant and oil. By maximizing the radiator's efficiency, it will be possible for a heat exchanger to use the reserve capacity of the radiator to lower the engine oil temperature, critical to prolonging engine life, turbocharger life and achieving maximum performance. This offers several benefits when compared to using a front-mount, air-to-oil cooler setup. A front-mount cooler increases the exit air temperature while reducing the pressure differential across the radiator, reducing the cooling system's efficiency. The air-to-oil cooler is typically mounted forward of the radiator and requires longer plumbing, which causes increased pressure drop in the oiling system, increased weight and a greater risk of damage from debris/incidents on track.