There's really no harm in using a blockguard, although sleeving your block is certainly a more durable, albeit more expensive, solution. Blockguards first gained popularity during the early years of Honda engine building. Machine shops that were capable of installing ductile iron sleeves were few as were the number of manufacturers that produced Honda-specific forged pistons and rods. Many early turbocharged D- and B-series engines consisted of no more than a set of forged pistons and a blockguard. When tuned properly, the setup was fairly reliable. Today, there are more than a few Honda sleeves on the market and, if you can't find a machine shop competent enough to install them, you can find one online and ship your block off to them. Will your engine be fine if you forgo the sleeves and opt for the blockguard? Probably. But it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to skimp on sleeves in light of the rest of your setup.
ITBS?
I have a D16Y8 that I want to get the most out of. A friend of mine is selling some individual throttle bodies for it but he's telling me that, once I put them on, it can be hard to get them to work, especially if you don't have experience with them. I'm asking you for some good, honest advice. Should I buy them or not?
Your friend, Raul Moran, whereabouts unknown
It depends, especially since you didn't mention what brand they are. Some ITBs can be difficult to set up initially, but once they're properly tuned, and provided you have a sound engine management system and a reputable tuner, you shouldn't have any problems. MAP-based ITBs are definitely trickier to tune than TPS-based ones but, once they're properly tuned, any of them will "work." Also, keep in mind that some of the lower-end ITB throttle plates often stick, which is never a good thing.
Touge H22A
I have a '94 Integra LS coupe and I've been entertaining the idea of swapping in a JDM H22A Type S with an H2B transmission adapter. Will I still be able to touge and eat up the corners? With the added weight of the H22A, is there a way I can balance the weight in the rear with a larger rear antiroll bar, preferably the ASR 32mm? A lot of people say that if you're swapping the H, forget the touge. Damn that, I know there's a way, I just need some guidance. To help you guys answer my question, I'll give details about my suspension setup. As of right now, I have Ksport Full Kontrol coilovers, BLOX lower control arms, Omni Power camber kits, Brembo rotors, Hawk HP pads, an ASR rear subframe, an ASR 24mm antiroll bar, ASR end links, Toyo R1R 205/50-15 tires, and Enkei 15x7 RPF1 wheels with a +35 offset. Any input or advice will be greatly appreciated.
-Donne Morriso, Long Beach, California
Sure you can. Depending on which accessories and transmission you're using, the H-series could be as little as 50 lbs heavier than your B-series setup. No, the extra weight over the front axles isn't a good thing for you, but it can be overcome with a little bit of ingenuity. The added weight is going to increase understeer, but you can fight that off with a few tricks. You're right about the rear antiroll bar; play around with a stiffer one out back and soften up the front. Try the same thing with your spring rates. You also might try adding some negative camber up front and keeping the rear near zero and, of course, shift any weight that you can from the front of the car to the rear. You also might look into an H-to-B transmission adapter kit. The B-series transmission isn't a whole lot lighter than the H's, but every pound counts.
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