The S2000 is not for everyone. You have to like two-seater convertibles and be man enough to endure the accompanying hairdresser jokes. The S2000 is also a Honda, so it's powered by an engine shriller than a banshee's mother-in-law. Although universally regarded as one of the finest naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines available, the S2000's F20C is loved and despised because of the way it makes power-high up in the revs, in a narrow band before redline. While admirers love the free-spinning nature that demands constant shifting of the fantastic six-speed gearbox, detractors simply want more power and torque. And they want it earlier.
Like a few other performance dealers, GReddy has addressed the concerns of the latter through forced induction. A new, comprehensive TZ Turbo Kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is centered around a single Mitsubishi T518Z internally wastegated-style turbocharger. In GReddy-ish, a T518Z is essentially a compact 18G compressor connected to a TD05 turbine with 10 cm2 on a T28 footprint. The kit comes complete with all the parts seen in the photo below, including a V-spec polished front-mount intercooler with cast end tanks, upgraded fuel pump and 550cc/min injectors, turbo downpipe with divorced wastegate piping, wiring harness, and preprogrammed E-manage ECU. Early production units are shipping with a TIG-welded tubular stainless steel manifold, although the company plans on switching to a more durable cast-iron piece, depending on demand. The advantage of a tubular manifold isthe semi-equal-length and compact short runner designs allowed by the placementof the engine.
GReddy claims the kit is good for 305hp at the crank on 8psi of boost: an increase of 68hp over the stock car. To evaluate those claims, we brought a stock, low-mileage AP2 S2000 to our dyno, running back-to-back against a GReddy-equipped model.
For some reason, our stock S2000 showed an abnormally high power and torque output of 216 wheel-hp and 151lb-ft-far more power to the wheels than expected from an engine rated at 237 crank-hp.
GReddy's test car put down 286 wheel-hp at 7.5 to 8psi of boost. At high boost, the kit just makes it into the 300hp club, with 228lb-ft of torque. That's a 72hp increase at the wheels near rev-cut. Most importantly, the turbo (controlled by a PRofec B Spec II boost controller) reaches peak boost around 3500rpm and posts a peak gain in torque of 66lb-ft at 4000rpm under low boost. Crank it up to 9.5psi on high boost and the gain is 95lb-ft at the same rpm. Just what every S2000 needs-gobs of axle-twisting goodness.
At first glance, this is an impressive kit. GReddy has covered all the bases. Not only is all the piping and hardware included, so are trick bits like an oil filter relocation kit, aluminum panels to direct hot radiator air away from the engine bay, and ducting to supply fresh air to the new open-element filter. The turbo is also tucked low in the engine bay for more cooling air at speed.
Only minor modifications to the stock hardware are required, like trimming the exhaust manifold's heat shield, so the new pressurized polished piping has sufficient clearance. Some vacuum couplings and the MAP sensor also need relocating.
The only flaws we've seen are signs of heat soak at high revs as the ECU starts pulling ignition timing, resulting in a slightly rough power curve. But this is on a dyno with thefan barely able to push fresh air into thefront-mount intercooler (neatly tucked deep within the bumper). On the road, this shouldn't be a problem.
In response to installation difficulties with earlier AP1 S2000 kits, GReddy has simplified the AP2 kit with upgrades including banjo bolts and a plug 'n' play harness that makes wiring a snap. Installing the full kit should take the average home mechanic about eight hours.
GReddy's TZ turbo kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is available now for $5599 (MSRP) and a street price of around $4700.
The S2000 is not for everyone. You have to like two-seater convertibles and be man enough to endure the accompanying hairdresser jokes. The S2000 is also a Honda, so it's powered by an engine shriller than a banshee's mother-in-law. Although universally regarded as one of the finest naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines available, the S2000's F20C is loved and despised because of the way it makes power-high up in the revs, in a narrow band before redline. While admirers love the free-spinning nature that demands constant shifting of the fantastic six-speed gearbox, detractors simply want more power and torque. And they want it earlier.
Like a few other performance dealers, GReddy has addressed the concerns of the latter through forced induction. A new, comprehensive TZ Turbo Kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is centered around a single Mitsubishi T518Z internally wastegated-style turbocharger. In GReddy-ish, a T518Z is essentially a compact 18G compressor connected to a TD05 turbine with 10 cm2 on a T28 footprint. The kit comes complete with all the parts seen in the photo below, including a V-spec polished front-mount intercooler with cast end tanks, upgraded fuel pump and 550cc/min injectors, turbo downpipe with divorced wastegate piping, wiring harness, and preprogrammed E-manage ECU. Early production units are shipping with a TIG-welded tubular stainless steel manifold, although the company plans on switching to a more durable cast-iron piece, depending on demand. The advantage of a tubular manifold isthe semi-equal-length and compact short runner designs allowed by the placementof the engine.
GReddy claims the kit is good for 305hp at the crank on 8psi of boost: an increase of 68hp over the stock car. To evaluate those claims, we brought a stock, low-mileage AP2 S2000 to our dyno, running back-to-back against a GReddy-equipped model.
For some reason, our stock S2000 showed an abnormally high power and torque output of 216 wheel-hp and 151lb-ft-far more power to the wheels than expected from an engine rated at 237 crank-hp.
GReddy's test car put down 286 wheel-hp at 7.5 to 8psi of boost. At high boost, the kit just makes it into the 300hp club, with 228lb-ft of torque. That's a 72hp increase at the wheels near rev-cut. Most importantly, the turbo (controlled by a PRofec B Spec II boost controller) reaches peak boost around 3500rpm and posts a peak gain in torque of 66lb-ft at 4000rpm under low boost. Crank it up to 9.5psi on high boost and the gain is 95lb-ft at the same rpm. Just what every S2000 needs-gobs of axle-twisting goodness.
At first glance, this is an impressive kit. GReddy has covered all the bases. Not only is all the piping and hardware included, so are trick bits like an oil filter relocation kit, aluminum panels to direct hot radiator air away from the engine bay, and ducting to supply fresh air to the new open-element filter. The turbo is also tucked low in the engine bay for more cooling air at speed.
Only minor modifications to the stock hardware are required, like trimming the exhaust manifold's heat shield, so the new pressurized polished piping has sufficient clearance. Some vacuum couplings and the MAP sensor also need relocating.
The only flaws we've seen are signs of heat soak at high revs as the ECU starts pulling ignition timing, resulting in a slightly rough power curve. But this is on a dyno with thefan barely able to push fresh air into thefront-mount intercooler (neatly tucked deep within the bumper). On the road, this shouldn't be a problem.
In response to installation difficulties with earlier AP1 S2000 kits, GReddy has simplified the AP2 kit with upgrades including banjo bolts and a plug 'n' play harness that makes wiring a snap. Installing the full kit should take the average home mechanic about eight hours.
GReddy's TZ turbo kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is available now for $5599 (MSRP) and a street price of around $4700.
Compared to the latest turbocharger and supercharger kits, aftermarket nitrous oxide kits have been living in the Stone Age. The turbo market has been flooded with electronic boost controllers, plug-and-play ECU upgrades with laptop uplinks, and constant updates in blade design and compressor housings. On the other hand, many nitrous oxide systems still use bent metal tabs as throttle switches and simple flip-up switches to control nitrous solenoids. Every power adder has its pros and cons, but Venovus Engineering has released its NCM-2 and VRM-1 nitrous control system to tip the favor towards laughing gas.
Nitrous is an easy and cheap way to add an extra 50 to 100hp whenever you need it, but properly controlling the extra power is key to maximizing its use. Venovus' offerings are obviously designed and created by an engineer, with an incredibly detailed manual backing up a complete control system featuring sealed modules, tap fuses, T-taps, and every wire pre-crimped for simple installation. The NCM-2 and VRM-1 come equipped with integrated fuses and relays, so the wiring clutter of a nitrous oxide system can be cut down considerably. All switches for adjustment, activation, and purging are in the NCM-2, so dash clutter is also reduced. Just connect a power source, light source, ground, and TPS (throttle position sensor) source and it's good to go. The only requirement is that the TPS increases in voltage as the throttle is opened, usually ending in a wide-open throttle range of 3.75 to 4.8V.
Venovus sells its universal nitrous control system as two different components: the NCM-2 control module, and the VRM-1 solenoid driver. They can be purchased separately and one will function without the other, but both are required to take full advantage of the system. Once connected, the VRM-1 activates the nitrous and fuel solenoids, while the NCM-2 provides in-cockpit adjustability and control of the VRM-1.
The NCM-2 and VRM-1 combo removes the mechanical throttle switch, arm switch, purge switch, external relays, and excess wiring and fuses. Using this set-up, there are only nine electrical connections to make. And a nitrous kit can be installed in under an hour. All adjustments and activations take place from the driver's seat via the NCM-2. Nitrous system activation/deactivation and line purging are accomplished with a simple push of a button. Plus, by removing the mechanical throttle switch (which is usually installed on the throttle body and can only activate at 100 percent wide open throttle) the NCM-2 can activate nitrous anywhere from a minimum TPS voltage of 2.5V. On most cars, this equates to possible part-throttle nitrous activation at a selected point between 55 to 100 percent throttle. The NCM-2 has a built-in display so users can view in real time how much throttle is being applied, and how close they are to reaching nitrous activation point.
The system also includes a time delay option, allowing the nitrous hit to be delayed anywhere from 0.25 seconds to five seconds, selectable in 0.25-second increments. This is useful for cars that need a top-end boost in power but produce too much wheel spin off the line. An rpm window switch, a feature unfortunately missing from Venovus' line-up, could accomplish the same thing. With a window switch, you set the rev range where the nitrous is to be activated, thereby programming a delay off the line. The NCM-2's time delay performs the same task, but when modifications are made to go faster, or encountering changes in climate and/or altitude, the time delay will cause activation at different points, meaning lots of adjustment. This isn't such a pain because the NCM-2 can still deal with instant nitrous activation's biggest problem: wheel spin. But an rpm signal input would be our first choice for an addition to any future model revision from Venovus.
The S2000 is not for everyone. You have to like two-seater convertibles and be man enough to endure the accompanying hairdresser jokes. The S2000 is also a Honda, so it's powered by an engine shriller than a banshee's mother-in-law. Although universally regarded as one of the finest naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines available, the S2000's F20C is loved and despised because of the way it makes power-high up in the revs, in a narrow band before redline. While admirers love the free-spinning nature that demands constant shifting of the fantastic six-speed gearbox, detractors simply want more power and torque. And they want it earlier.
Like a few other performance dealers, GReddy has addressed the concerns of the latter through forced induction. A new, comprehensive TZ Turbo Kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is centered around a single Mitsubishi T518Z internally wastegated-style turbocharger. In GReddy-ish, a T518Z is essentially a compact 18G compressor connected to a TD05 turbine with 10 cm2 on a T28 footprint. The kit comes complete with all the parts seen in the photo below, including a V-spec polished front-mount intercooler with cast end tanks, upgraded fuel pump and 550cc/min injectors, turbo downpipe with divorced wastegate piping, wiring harness, and preprogrammed E-manage ECU. Early production units are shipping with a TIG-welded tubular stainless steel manifold, although the company plans on switching to a more durable cast-iron piece, depending on demand. The advantage of a tubular manifold isthe semi-equal-length and compact short runner designs allowed by the placementof the engine.
GReddy claims the kit is good for 305hp at the crank on 8psi of boost: an increase of 68hp over the stock car. To evaluate those claims, we brought a stock, low-mileage AP2 S2000 to our dyno, running back-to-back against a GReddy-equipped model.
For some reason, our stock S2000 showed an abnormally high power and torque output of 216 wheel-hp and 151lb-ft-far more power to the wheels than expected from an engine rated at 237 crank-hp.
GReddy's test car put down 286 wheel-hp at 7.5 to 8psi of boost. At high boost, the kit just makes it into the 300hp club, with 228lb-ft of torque. That's a 72hp increase at the wheels near rev-cut. Most importantly, the turbo (controlled by a PRofec B Spec II boost controller) reaches peak boost around 3500rpm and posts a peak gain in torque of 66lb-ft at 4000rpm under low boost. Crank it up to 9.5psi on high boost and the gain is 95lb-ft at the same rpm. Just what every S2000 needs-gobs of axle-twisting goodness.
At first glance, this is an impressive kit. GReddy has covered all the bases. Not only is all the piping and hardware included, so are trick bits like an oil filter relocation kit, aluminum panels to direct hot radiator air away from the engine bay, and ducting to supply fresh air to the new open-element filter. The turbo is also tucked low in the engine bay for more cooling air at speed.
Only minor modifications to the stock hardware are required, like trimming the exhaust manifold's heat shield, so the new pressurized polished piping has sufficient clearance. Some vacuum couplings and the MAP sensor also need relocating.
The only flaws we've seen are signs of heat soak at high revs as the ECU starts pulling ignition timing, resulting in a slightly rough power curve. But this is on a dyno with thefan barely able to push fresh air into thefront-mount intercooler (neatly tucked deep within the bumper). On the road, this shouldn't be a problem.
In response to installation difficulties with earlier AP1 S2000 kits, GReddy has simplified the AP2 kit with upgrades including banjo bolts and a plug 'n' play harness that makes wiring a snap. Installing the full kit should take the average home mechanic about eight hours.
GReddy's TZ turbo kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is available now for $5599 (MSRP) and a street price of around $4700.
Compared to the latest turbocharger and supercharger kits, aftermarket nitrous oxide kits have been living in the Stone Age. The turbo market has been flooded with electronic boost controllers, plug-and-play ECU upgrades with laptop uplinks, and constant updates in blade design and compressor housings. On the other hand, many nitrous oxide systems still use bent metal tabs as throttle switches and simple flip-up switches to control nitrous solenoids. Every power adder has its pros and cons, but Venovus Engineering has released its NCM-2 and VRM-1 nitrous control system to tip the favor towards laughing gas.
Nitrous is an easy and cheap way to add an extra 50 to 100hp whenever you need it, but properly controlling the extra power is key to maximizing its use. Venovus' offerings are obviously designed and created by an engineer, with an incredibly detailed manual backing up a complete control system featuring sealed modules, tap fuses, T-taps, and every wire pre-crimped for simple installation. The NCM-2 and VRM-1 come equipped with integrated fuses and relays, so the wiring clutter of a nitrous oxide system can be cut down considerably. All switches for adjustment, activation, and purging are in the NCM-2, so dash clutter is also reduced. Just connect a power source, light source, ground, and TPS (throttle position sensor) source and it's good to go. The only requirement is that the TPS increases in voltage as the throttle is opened, usually ending in a wide-open throttle range of 3.75 to 4.8V.
Venovus sells its universal nitrous control system as two different components: the NCM-2 control module, and the VRM-1 solenoid driver. They can be purchased separately and one will function without the other, but both are required to take full advantage of the system. Once connected, the VRM-1 activates the nitrous and fuel solenoids, while the NCM-2 provides in-cockpit adjustability and control of the VRM-1.
The NCM-2 and VRM-1 combo removes the mechanical throttle switch, arm switch, purge switch, external relays, and excess wiring and fuses. Using this set-up, there are only nine electrical connections to make. And a nitrous kit can be installed in under an hour. All adjustments and activations take place from the driver's seat via the NCM-2. Nitrous system activation/deactivation and line purging are accomplished with a simple push of a button. Plus, by removing the mechanical throttle switch (which is usually installed on the throttle body and can only activate at 100 percent wide open throttle) the NCM-2 can activate nitrous anywhere from a minimum TPS voltage of 2.5V. On most cars, this equates to possible part-throttle nitrous activation at a selected point between 55 to 100 percent throttle. The NCM-2 has a built-in display so users can view in real time how much throttle is being applied, and how close they are to reaching nitrous activation point.
The system also includes a time delay option, allowing the nitrous hit to be delayed anywhere from 0.25 seconds to five seconds, selectable in 0.25-second increments. This is useful for cars that need a top-end boost in power but produce too much wheel spin off the line. An rpm window switch, a feature unfortunately missing from Venovus' line-up, could accomplish the same thing. With a window switch, you set the rev range where the nitrous is to be activated, thereby programming a delay off the line. The NCM-2's time delay performs the same task, but when modifications are made to go faster, or encountering changes in climate and/or altitude, the time delay will cause activation at different points, meaning lots of adjustment. This isn't such a pain because the NCM-2 can still deal with instant nitrous activation's biggest problem: wheel spin. But an rpm signal input would be our first choice for an addition to any future model revision from Venovus.
The S2000 is not for everyone. You have to like two-seater convertibles and be man enough to endure the accompanying hairdresser jokes. The S2000 is also a Honda, so it's powered by an engine shriller than a banshee's mother-in-law. Although universally regarded as one of the finest naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines available, the S2000's F20C is loved and despised because of the way it makes power-high up in the revs, in a narrow band before redline. While admirers love the free-spinning nature that demands constant shifting of the fantastic six-speed gearbox, detractors simply want more power and torque. And they want it earlier.
Like a few other performance dealers, GReddy has addressed the concerns of the latter through forced induction. A new, comprehensive TZ Turbo Kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is centered around a single Mitsubishi T518Z internally wastegated-style turbocharger. In GReddy-ish, a T518Z is essentially a compact 18G compressor connected to a TD05 turbine with 10 cm2 on a T28 footprint. The kit comes complete with all the parts seen in the photo below, including a V-spec polished front-mount intercooler with cast end tanks, upgraded fuel pump and 550cc/min injectors, turbo downpipe with divorced wastegate piping, wiring harness, and preprogrammed E-manage ECU. Early production units are shipping with a TIG-welded tubular stainless steel manifold, although the company plans on switching to a more durable cast-iron piece, depending on demand. The advantage of a tubular manifold isthe semi-equal-length and compact short runner designs allowed by the placementof the engine.
GReddy claims the kit is good for 305hp at the crank on 8psi of boost: an increase of 68hp over the stock car. To evaluate those claims, we brought a stock, low-mileage AP2 S2000 to our dyno, running back-to-back against a GReddy-equipped model.
For some reason, our stock S2000 showed an abnormally high power and torque output of 216 wheel-hp and 151lb-ft-far more power to the wheels than expected from an engine rated at 237 crank-hp.
GReddy's test car put down 286 wheel-hp at 7.5 to 8psi of boost. At high boost, the kit just makes it into the 300hp club, with 228lb-ft of torque. That's a 72hp increase at the wheels near rev-cut. Most importantly, the turbo (controlled by a PRofec B Spec II boost controller) reaches peak boost around 3500rpm and posts a peak gain in torque of 66lb-ft at 4000rpm under low boost. Crank it up to 9.5psi on high boost and the gain is 95lb-ft at the same rpm. Just what every S2000 needs-gobs of axle-twisting goodness.
At first glance, this is an impressive kit. GReddy has covered all the bases. Not only is all the piping and hardware included, so are trick bits like an oil filter relocation kit, aluminum panels to direct hot radiator air away from the engine bay, and ducting to supply fresh air to the new open-element filter. The turbo is also tucked low in the engine bay for more cooling air at speed.
Only minor modifications to the stock hardware are required, like trimming the exhaust manifold's heat shield, so the new pressurized polished piping has sufficient clearance. Some vacuum couplings and the MAP sensor also need relocating.
The only flaws we've seen are signs of heat soak at high revs as the ECU starts pulling ignition timing, resulting in a slightly rough power curve. But this is on a dyno with thefan barely able to push fresh air into thefront-mount intercooler (neatly tucked deep within the bumper). On the road, this shouldn't be a problem.
In response to installation difficulties with earlier AP1 S2000 kits, GReddy has simplified the AP2 kit with upgrades including banjo bolts and a plug 'n' play harness that makes wiring a snap. Installing the full kit should take the average home mechanic about eight hours.
GReddy's TZ turbo kit for the Honda S2000 (AP2) is available now for $5599 (MSRP) and a street price of around $4700.
