Hello! im about to buy a turbo Civic, and im pretty new to hondas in general, but i have built several GT-R and Subaru Engines,
Subaru has same weak spot as the Honda, Cylinder sleeves that cracks when u get high enough cylinder pressure.

These is ALOT of "sleeve guards" for the subaru engines but whoever thats a little serious say that the only way is either real sleeves or Remachine the block with closed deck insert, in other words u remachine it and fill the whole block and drill out new water channels.
(not only a guard at the top of the block)

Now when im in the hunt for a fast Honda most of the civics use those block guards, but i dont wanna buy something not reliable. (i know alof of stuff can happen to a tuned car) but i rather not have cracking cylinder walls etc. talking of 600+whp

What experiances do you guys have?

 

CSS is the only company I've seen "do it right".

At that point you really have to have something or have the whole block resleeved.

 

Just my humble opinion, when I reach to point of requiring either I am going with a sleeved setup rather than a guard. I feel like all that work to do a block guard would pay off better with a proper sleeve setup. I know its the more expensive route but when I build my short block I really don't want to be worried about a block guard not being adequate.

 

Maybe engine dependent? Some of the B-series are beast enough to handle WAAYY more than D can stock, so block guard may be sufficient. So what are you intending on building?

 

IMO a block guard (not talking about CSS) is worse than stock sleeves with nothing. Just creates a pressure point up at the top of the cylinders and promotes warping/uneven pressure.

That's not even accounting for the fact that half the time people install these wrong, and just try to mash them down into the cylinder. Proper installation would be to have them pressed in evenly, welded in, and the block decked afterwards.

tl;dr - Get CSS done or sleeves.

Edit: I forgot this crucial part - The block decked and the cylinders BORED afterwards, at least a minimum amount.

 

^^ I should have explained that block guards (done properly) could be beneficial. Lol!

 

600 to the tyre equals real sleeving requirement.
A FWD with 600 whp will either do drag racing or real top speed 60-160++ mph racing.(It what hondas do right? )
Top speed runs TEST EVERYTHING under the hood.
Imo unless youre very sure kf what youre buying id get a good shell and be the one who builds the motor.

 

i agree. The few block guards (not css) I've seen installed never look like they put even pressure across all 4 bores going in. One even had a spot where light where light was getting through.