To be blunt, “intake tuning” for the S2000 has been like walking through a minefield until now.
Open the internet, and you’ll find a storm of agony: “I installed an open-type mushroom filter and it got slower,” or “I cut a hole in the stock box and lost all low-end torque.” Yes, for the F20C/F22C engines that Honda built with its prestige on the line, the factory air cleaner box boasted a level of perfection that resided in the realm of the gods.
However, I’ve caught word that SACLAM—the company that drives enthusiasts worldwide crazy with their “singing exhausts” (musical instruments)—is now challenging this impregnable “intake.” My brain is nearly glitched from the stress of not being able to drive my S2000 due to a dead battery, so I decided to investigate this matter.
Let me get straight to the point. What SACLAM is trying to create is not just a “pathway for air.” It is the ultimate logical device to release the “Heat Curse” that the S2000 has carried for over 20 years.
① Why was the “Stock Box” the strongest, and what was wrong with it?
The S2000’s stock air cleaner box looks like a simple black plastic box, but internally, it’s a monster of fluid dynamics and acoustic engineering. At 2100rpm, 4200rpm, 6300rpm, and 8400rpm… it is calculated to the millimeter so that air “resonates” at specific frequencies to force air into the engine (improving volumetric efficiency). If an amateur clumsily cuts the box or replaces it with an inferior aftermarket part, this “Honda Magic” collapses, and power loss is guaranteed. This was common knowledge in the S2000 community.
However, hidden within this seemingly perfect factory system was a “fatal bug that deceives the ECU.”
That is the placement of the Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor. In the case of the AP1, this sensor is plunged directly into the “metal part of the intake manifold,” which is directly connected to the scorching hot engine.
What does this mean? Instead of measuring the “actual temperature of the air” the engine is breathing, it measures the “temperature of the metal heated to a sizzle by the engine’s heat (Heat Soak).”
In fact, even in my S2000 (AP1), the intake air temperature jumps up immediately at the stock location.
After just 15 minutes of idling, the sensor value jumps to nearly 100 degrees Celsius. The ECU panics: “Whoa! Intake temp is 100 degrees! The engine is going to blow, cut the power!” and significantly retards the ignition timing. In reality, once you start moving, you’re breathing cold air at the same temperature as the outside, but because the sensor continues to lie that it’s “hot,” the S2000 was constantly forced into a “power-down state.”
“The phenomenon where the S2000 becomes incredibly slow in the summer or after a traffic jam.” The true culprit wasn’t intake resistance; it was this “glitched temperature sensor.” Period.
② SACLAM: A group of lovable “insane artisans”
At this point, I must talk about the company called SACLAM.
Based in Saitama Prefecture, this company is not just an exhaust manufacturer. They are a unique existence in the industry when it comes to “tuning exhaust notes based on acoustic engineering.” Renault, Porsche, GT-R… they have provided “musical instrument-like” exhausts to numerous masterpieces. Moreover, they are abnormally strict about compliance (street legality), maintaining a management system that rivals major manufacturers by issuing certification plates matched to each individual vehicle’s registration.
The exhaust they co-developed with ASM for the S2000 is legendary. Its clean, clear exhaust note—resembling a wind instrument—is a transcendent masterpiece that fascinates not only the driver but also those listening outside. It is famous not just for the sound, but as a beautiful work of craftsmanship.
And then there’s Mr. Uno, who leads this company. This man is something else. He is a genuine racing mechanic who has fought on the brutal frontlines of Formula car racing (FJ1600), battling the “limit strength” of engines that would shatter the crankshaft if revved over 7000rpm.
“I don’t make parts based on feeling or appearance. Everything is determined by the logic of metallurgy, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics.” That is Mr. Uno’s philosophy. In fact, during the development of this S2000 airbox, he peered into the engine bay in such a strained forward-leaning posture for so long that he developed severe back pain and neuralgia, continuing the vehicle fitting until he was sent to an MRI. That is the madness (obsession) he shows.
Sacrificing one’s health to create parts. That is the kind of company SACLAM is.
③ Why is SACLAM making an S2000 airbox “now”?
It’s been over 15 years since the S2000 ended production. Why now? It’s because Mr. Uno completely quantified the desperate fact of “power down due to heat soak in the stock system” through precise temperature measurement tests (thermocouples).
The old-school tuning of “just making it breathe more air” has reached its limit. What SACLAM aims for is “relocating the intake air temperature sensor to a position completely unaffected by heat mass, teaching the ECU the ‘true coldness of the air’.”
Currently, SACLAM is spending costs comparable to an automaker by maintaining a “two-car system,” running a stock car and a prototype simultaneously to constantly compare data in real-time.
This isn’t just a dress-up part. It is a “thermodynamic solution” to wake up the S2000’s ECU and bring out the original sharp response of the F20C/F22C even in midsummer or after a traffic jam.
■ Conclusion: Save your money and wait.
Even though the official blog states that the development is “delayed and delayed,” that’s fine. There is nothing less valuable than a “compromise” from SACLAM.
“S2000 tuning is all tapped out? Don’t make me laugh. The ‘Dawn of Intake’ based on true logic is yet to come.”
The price? The release date? We don’t know yet. But it’s a “phantom box” being born from Mr. Uno, the man who created the exhaust co-developed with ASM, while he endures neuralgia. There’s no way not to be excited.
My only concerns are the price and production volume. SACLAM often uses sales methods like limited quantities. Aside from stock, MUGEN products were considered the only good option for air cleaner boxes, but unfortunately, they are already discontinued and unavailable.
It is expected that they will sell out immediately after release. I’m worried if a poor salaryman like me can afford the price, but it is more than worth saving money for starting now.
関連投稿:
Every S2000 Owner Must Pay Respect! Explaining the “3 Great Sanctuaries” of Tuning Makers.
S2000 Battery Upgrade: My Lonely Battle Against the “Ghost of 2021” in a Silent Midnight Garage
[Madness] Why the Honda S2000’s F20C Engine is Called a “Legend.” Approaching the 9,000 RPM Abyss — S2000 Attraction (Engine Edition)
[The Ultimate Choice] Turning a 25-Year-Old Veteran into “Modern Perfection.” The 3 Holy Grails I Found After Years of Splurging.
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