ok i've searched and found alot of good info.
excellent forum and its helping alot chaps- keep it up hey!

alright lets start: got a b16a6 motor in my 97 civic. just skimmed the head 0.8mm or 0.0315 " to bump up compression, with a new stock 3 layer oem headgaske.
i've got a piggy back tuned to the above with aftermarket i/h/e
its tuned nicely and makes good power- i'm pleased with that.

the thing is, i picked the car up and went around the block for a test drive. came back 3 mins later and one of the water hoses popped. no hassles, machy fixed it there and then. drove it about 150kms so far, hard also, and nothings happened since. everything seems ok.

now after searching here i've found that some people are also saying the motor runs hotter with a bump in compression.

I need to know more about how reliable will my water/cooling system be with the head now skimmed? I've searched and heard guys talk about running the car without a thermostat etc? ( where i live, its always hot-- averages around 25degrees celcius all year ). my car is 12 years old, and the hoses must are all original stuff, so they also 12 yrs old.. wud i be bette roff removing thermostat? or replacing all water hoses ( any brands anyone can suggest) or what do i do?


i have searched and have seen alot of guys running nicely for many thousand of miles with a skimmed head to bump up compression..

anyone can give their views on this pls?

Thanks,
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