While the car was up in the
air with the transmission out, it seemed like a good idea to replace the engine
mounts too. The stock engine mounts moved enough to affect my shifting. I
noticed this at Streets of Willow where I needed to shift from second gear into
third while going through a left-hand sweeper. The lateral G-forces were enough
to cause the engine to shift a bit, so when I shifted third, I jammed between
first and third instead of sliding into third. This would also happen when WOT
would torque the engine, affecting my ability to shift quickly. So, what's the
cure? Stiffer engine mounts of course.
While the car was up in the air with the transmission out, it seemed like a
good idea to replace the engine mounts too.
Hasport needs no
introduction when it comes to Hondas and it recently came out with an engine
mount kit for the S2000. The Hasport mounts include powder-coated metal
brackets along with billet machined bushing mounts. It's a shame the mounts are
hidden because they are really pretty. The Hasport mounts come in four
durometers (hard-nesses): 62A, 70A, 80A and 94A. As my car is nearly stock
power, I opted for the softest 62A durometer.
Mounts tend to break- in a
bit. As of right now, they add quite a bit of vibration (mostly at idle) even
though they are of the softest durometer. It's not hard to imagine why when you
look at how much rubber is used in the stock mounts. Once above idle speed, you
barely notice the added vibration. An interesting effect I didn't expect was
the change in sound of the car. It actually sounds like the car has a mild air
intake or exhaust upgrade. My theory is that the front subframe acts like a big
speaker. The Hasport mount connects directly to the subframe with an aluminum
mount whereas the stock engine mounts use the big rubber bushing to dampen the
vibration. It's kind of cool as the car now has a throaty sound to it.
It's kind of cool as the car now has a throaty sound to it.
Performance-wise, I haven't
really tested the mounts properly, but I can already tell they have reduced
engine movement as the throttle is more responsive. In the past, some of the
engine torque caused engine movement and slowed response. Now, the engine torque
goes into accelerating the engine rpm instead of moving the engine. It's like
riding a bi cycle with a wet noodle frame versus a super stiff frame; with the
super stiff frame, your pedal inputs translate directly into propulsion instead
of twisting the frame. Remember the graph showing the steeper slope line at
throttle ti p-in? I would attribute that added response to the stiffer Hasport
engine mounts.
The engine torque goes into accelerating the engine rpm instead of moving the
engine.
My initial impressions of
the drivetrain upgrades are great! I haven't been able to push it properly as I
have to break-in the clutch, but the clutch pedal effort and engagement
smoothness is dang near stock. The combination of the lighter flywheel and
stiffer Has port engine mounts has made downshifting much nicer due to the
quicker accelerating engine, snappier throttle response and better shifter
engagement. When moving away from a stop, you have to use a couple hundred more
revs, but the lighter flywheel doesn't require a drastic driving style change,
even with the A/C on and dragging the engine down. So the compromise with the
lighter AP1 flywheel and stronger Centerforce Dual Friction clutch has been
minimal. The Hasport mounts have introduced a good amount of vibration at idle,
but that was the expected compromise for improved shifting and better throttle
response. The added throaty noise is an unexpected benefit as it gives the car
some character without being loud. I have a track day coming up, so I'll report
back as usual. Stay tuned!
