lets stay on topic bout this.. block guards do not cause detonation or prevent it..

back on topic please

 

have you ever seen the bottom side of a head? the water passages in a block gaurd are no smaller than those in the head. so it is not going to resrict the water at all. the open deck configuration was not designed to allow for more water to flow, it was made to be cheaper to cast.

 

Correct. The flow will be the same, but there will be less coolant around the water jacket. This causes less coolant to be affected by more heat.

Either way, aluminum is stronger than water for holding the factory sleeves together. I'd personally try to find a platform with a cast iron block to make more than 350whp on if you want to run a ton of power on the street. There's no question the rods would have to be upgraded either way for a Honda. 99.9% of street cars don't need a block guard for the morning commute. If it were a un-registered trailer-queen weekend-racer, then it starts becoming a practicality because it won't be used for long; thus, heat will never be an issue.

 

Ive never used block guards but Ive read they will eventually make your cylinder walls oval. If this happens your rings wont seal and youll be losing power. Now if you plan on using it for some other purpose later down the line, you might just have to sleeve it for it to be any use to you or like a guy I met, ditch the block and start from scratch. The other problem with these things is that they cause hot spots at the top of the cylinders at the ring pack. I think a block guard is so easy to manufacture, and its easy to sell bec they are such cheap "insurance" for novice builders, They provide peace of mind knowing that you can boost your motor and not worry about cracking your sleeves all the while a different kind of damage is being done to the motor...

 

agreeing with twinring.