yamahapunk154

Ok so I am not much into hondas at all, i bought a 96 civic hatch a while back just for a daily driver. When i got the car i had no clue how many miles were on the car because it has an SI gauge cluster which was not the original.

My motor started making some loud knocking/ticking noises the other day so i am thinking about just replacing the motor instead of trying to repair it.
When i looked at the engine block to see which model it was exactly i realized that it was a ZC motor. I was looking around on the net at ZC motors but all the ones i have been looking at looked a little different as far as the valve cover goes.

Here are some pictures of the motor. Does this look like a normal ZC?

KillBot

Looks like someone replaced the block with an old JDM block.

You should have a d16y7.

yamahapunk154

i want to make sure i get a motor that i will be able to just remove the old one and put in the new one without changing anything else.

I am not sure which motor exactly i would need?????

citizenEK

any 96+ SOHC non VTEC motor will be a direct bolt in job for your car.

KillBot

You want to replace everything? Like the head as well?

For everything look for a D16Y7.

Adankid

just drop a gsr into it.

KillBot

Yeah...he won't have to change a thing going from a Y7 to C1...

DOHC EJ6

i would go with D16y8 so you can have a little more power and all you would need is a 96-98 EX engine wireing harnis and P2P ECU off a 96-98 civic EX good luck!

HiProfile

The previous owner probably changed it because of the way y7/y8's eat themselves with their crappy oil pumps. A y8 would be a step backwards IMO. Any pre-96 1.6L sohc block will bolt right up. Pre-93 will have the temp sensor behind the block. I think the best deal would be an A6, since it would yeild the best compression. It will also have the best non-VTEC power if you use it's head.

Its odd someone would do that, use a ZC block but not the head, intake, exhaust, etc.

thumper64

Weren't the ZCs OBD0 or 1. Wouldn't someone have had to switch oil pumps or something on a ZC for the dipstick to come out on the side like that? And I believe I read that the Y7/Y8 had fewer oil passages in the block, which is why they are more prone to spinning bearings than an A6 or Z6. I'm no expert, and maybe it is the pump, but I seem to remember reading that Honda cut corners on those OBD2 blocks. Maybe the prior owner, or someone spun a bearing and that was their solution.

Check the head casting and see what year it was made.

rkcarguy

I used to import engines and the ZC was availiable in SOHC from EF-EK series engines. They can be ZC vtec or ZC-non vtec, obviously nearly identical to the Y7 and Y8 respectively.
It is rumored that the camshaft is hotter on the ZC versions than the USDM versions. I have confirmed this on the OBD-0 series sohc ZC's but have yet to do a cam comparo on the newer engines. There's the possibility the cam from your ZC could bring you $80-$100...
I think if you change your oil like you are supposed to you won't see any problems, we've had 2 EK sedans one over 180K miles the other almost 230K on the original engine and still quiet.
The guys that run NOS and lots of boost seem to waste the bottom ends, something about the combination of a weaker oil pump and softer high aluminum content bearings seems to be the problem.

94EG8

The engine you have is an OBD2 SOHC non vtec ZC as identified by the position of the dipstick to the side of the engine instead of on the front behind the exhaust manifold.

yamahapunk154

So is that a stock ZC Head??

I would like to just do a direct swap without having to change any wiring or get any harness adaptors. Would a D16Y7 have the same wiring & everything to just bolt right in?

Sorry I am a little retarted when it comes to hondas, this is just my daily driver because i drive 53 miles one way for work so reliability is more of an issue then power. Power is great but i would rather go with a v8 if i was trying to go fast.

94EG8

It could be and mostly likely is. The ZC you have is almost identical externally to a D16Y7 as far as the block and head goes.

Yes, as a matter of fact thats what was in there originally. Its probably a better idea to pick up another ZC from an importer though. Considering how cheap they usually are and the fact they're clean low mileage and come with accessories like the distributor, A/C compressor and P/S pump I find they make more sense then buying a used USDM engine from a junkyard.

seanmycheal

do a mini-me swap.

rkcarguy

The ZC probably doesn't have a crank fluct sensor I'd be curious if it's been bypassed and wired into the dizzy or if it was added to the current ZC? Is there a sensor down in the crank pulley area on the back of the engine? JDM motors typically don't have them...

yamahapunk154

I will have to look later tonighta bout the sensor.

Whats a mini me swap & what all is involved in the swap?

sql_civic

iTrader: (3)

Specifically look for a 96-98 D16Y7 as your harness and computer is likely OBD2a. The 99-00 are OBD2b.

yamahapunk154

So if i was to decide to rebuilt my ZC engine thats in my car would i just be able to call up someone like summit racing and tell them i have a 96 civic to order the parts i need or are the parts not compatible between the ZC & US
d16 motor that came in US cars??