2001 HONDA S2000 radiator cap

Coolin
g Syste m

Addin g Engin e Coolan t

MA X MI
N

I f th e coolan t leve l i n th e reserv e
tan k is a t o r belo w th e MI N line , ad d
coolan t t o brin g it u p to th e MA X line .
Inspec t th e coolin g syste m fo r leaks .
Thi s coolan t shoul d alway s b e a
mixtur e o f 5 0 percen t antifreez e an d
5 0 percen t water . Neve r ad d straigh t
antifreez e o r plai n water . Alway
s us e Hond a Al l Seaso n
Antifreeze/Coolan t Typ e 2 . Thi s
coolan t i s pre-mixe d wit h 5 0 percen t
antifreez e an d 5 0 percen t water . I t
doe s no t requir e an y additiona l

mixing .

I f i t i s no t available , yo u ma y us e
anothe r major-bran d non-silicat e
coolan t a s a temporar y replacement .
Mak e sur e it i s a high-qualit y coolan t
recommende d fo r aluminu m engines .
However , continue d us e o f an y non -
Hond a coolan t ca n resul t i n
corrosion , causin g th e coolin g
syste m to malfunctio n o r fail . Hav e
th e coolin g syste m flushe d an d
refille d wit h Hond a antifreeze /
coolan t a s soo n a s possible .
I
f th e reserv e tan k i s completel y

empty , yo u shoul d als o chec k th e

coolan t leve l i n th e radiator .

1 . Mak e sur e th e engin e an d radiato r

ar e cool .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .
RESERV
E TAN K

Coolin
g Syste m

Replacin g Engin e Coolan t
Th e coolin g syste m shoul d b e
completel y draine d an d refille d wit h
ne w coolan t accordin g t o th e tim e
an d distanc e recommendation s i n
th e maintenanc e schedule . Onl y us e
Hond a Al l seaso n Antifreeze /
Coolan t Typ e 2 .
Drainin g th e coolan t require s acces s
t o th e undersid e o f th e vehicle .
Unles s yo u hav e th e tool s an d
knowledge , yo u shoul d hav e thi s
maintenanc e don e b y a skille d
mechanic .


1. Tur n th e ignitio n O N (II) . Tur n

th e heate r temperatur e contro l

dia l full y clockwise . Tur n th e

ignitio n off .

2 . Ope n th e hood . Mak e sur e th e

engin e an d radiato r ar e coo l t o th e

touch .

3 . Remov e th e radiato r cap .
DRAI
N BOL T

4 . Loose n th e drai n plu g o n th e

botto m o f th e radiator . Th e

coolan t wil l drai n throug h th e

splas h guard . Remov e th e drai n

bol t an d washe r fro m th e engin e

block .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
DRAI
N PLU G

Coolin
g Syste m

5 . Remov e th e reserv e tan k fro m it s
holde r b y pullin g i t straigh t up .
Drai n th e coolant , the n pu t th e
tan k bac k i n it s holder .
6
. Whe n th e coolan t stop s draining ,
tighte n th e drai n plu g a t th e
botto m of th e radiator .
Appl y non-hardenin g sealan t t o th e
drai n bol t threads , pu t a ne w
washe r o n th e drai n bolt , an d
reinstal l th e bol t i n th e engin e
block . Tighte n it securely .
Tightenin g torque :61 lbf .
ft(8 3 N .
m , 8. 5 kgf .
m )

7. Loose n th e bleede r bol t o n to p o f
th e engine , an d remov e th e
bleede r ca p nea r th e engin e oi l fil l

cap .

Maintenanc eRESERV
E TAN K CA P
BLEEDER BOL T
HOLDE R
RESERVE TAN K

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m

You r car' s air conditionin g is a seale d
system . An y majo r maintenance ,
suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e don e
b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u ca n d o
a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e sur e th e
air conditionin g work s efficiently .
Periodicall y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d air conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e air flow an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h t o remov e them .

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Ru
n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigeran t HFC-134 a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e
247 .)

Whenever you have the air conditioning
syste m serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

AI R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE R

NOTIC E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
6 . Loo k fo r an y obviou s coolan t leaks ,
suc h a s a spli t radiato r hose .
Everythin g i s stil l extremel y hot ,
s o us e caution . I f yo u fin d a leak , i t
mus t b e repaire d befor e yo u
continu e drivin g (se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 241 ). 7
. I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s leak ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tan k (se e pag e
120 ). I f th e leve l i s belo w th e
MI N mark , ad d coolan t t o halfwa y
betwee n th e MI N an d MA X marks .
8 . I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o hav e t o
ad d coolan t t o th e radiator . Le t th e
engin e coo l dow n unti l th e readin g
reache s th e middl e o f th e
temperatur e gauge , o r lower ,
befor e checkin g th e radiator . 9
. Usin g glove s o r a larg e heav y
cloth , tur n th e radiato r ca p
counterclockwise , withou t pushin g
down , t o th e firs t stop . Thi s
release s an y remainin g pressur e i n
th e coolin g system . Afte r th e
pressur e releases , pus h dow n o n
th e ca p an d tur n i t unti l i t come s

off .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e is ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .