Inlet valve guides Honda B16 B17 B18 H22

Applicable Honda engines

The guides in this kit fit the inlet side of the cylinder head of Honda B and H series four-cylinder engines with 5.5 mm valve stems: B16A, B17A1, B18C and H22A. They are found in the Civic, CRX, Integra and Prelude, as well as the Acura Integra.

Each of the 8 inlet valves slides in a guide pressed into the aluminium cylinder head. On the B16A1 and B16A2, Honda only sells these guides in repair size: 12204-PR3-305 for the inlet and 12205-PR3-305 for the exhaust, 8 of each. The 12204-PR3-305 inlet guide is made of grey cast iron; it measures 12.10 mm outside diameter, 5.5 mm bore and 41.7 mm long.

FERREA and SUPERTECH inlet valve guides

The valve guide centres the valve on its seat, transfers part of the stem's heat to the cylinder head and carries the stem seal. When it wears, the valve tilts, seats poorly and lets oil pass along the stem: oil consumption, blue smoke and loss of compression.

Where the Honda repair guide is made of grey cast iron, FERREA and SUPERTECH use bronze. FERREA makes its guides from a copper-bronze alloy produced from American-sourced materials, with a proprietary heat treatment that, according to its catalogue, improves heat dissipation, heat resistance and lubricity. They are CNC machined to precise tolerances and suit both titanium and stainless steel valves. SUPERTECH uses a manganese bronze which, according to the brand, transfers heat far better than the sintered guides fitted as original equipment by carmakers. Each kit contains the 8 inlet guides of one cylinder head. These guides are generally fitted with reinforced valves.

Valve guide technical specifications

Valve guide installation

Technical guide

Our brands

	Born in 1978 in Fort Lauderdale, FERREA produces most of a racing engine valvetrain in its workshops in Florida and Argentina: valves, springs, guides and stem seals.
	A Silicon Valley manufacturer for more than 30 years, SUPERTECH produces valves, springs, titanium retainers and guides for racing, developed through finite element analysis and then with engine builders.

Standard or oversize?

Both brands offer a standard size and a 0.025 mm (0.001") oversize. At SUPERTECH, the outside diameter goes from 12.07 mm to 12.095 mm.

Manganese bronze

The manganese bronze of SUPERTECH guides is a copper and zinc alloy with added manganese, aluminium and iron. It combines high mechanical strength with good wear and corrosion resistance, and is used for bushings and guiding parts subjected to heavy loads.

When valve guides must be replaced

• Oil consumption through the valve stems
• Fitting reinforced valves to a worn cylinder head
• Cylinder head overhaul on a circuit, drift or rally engine
• Complete valvetrain rebuild

Vehicle compatibility

Remember the exhaust guides and valve stem seals

Replacing the guides goes hand in hand with new valve stem seals. For these engines we offer: