i am lookin for an engine to put in an 85 honda civic. i heard the dual carb ZC is a good choice. will it bolt up to the stock transmission? Does anyone know where to get one of these? i heard the dual carbed ones are rare. Thanks

 

I *think* the most common dual carb zc only makes about 100hp and it definitely WILL NOT bolt to your stock tranny. A much better choice would be a D16A1 out of an 86-89 Integra, along with its tranny/axles/hubs/knuckles/front suspension/ecu and misc bits and pieces. The 86-87 made 113hp (vac advance engine) and the 88-89 made 118hp (elec advance engine). Unfortunately, NOTHING else bolts to our stock tranny except the 84-87 engines, but the entire teg drivetrains will bolt right in with very few mods that are easily done. It is best to buy a running or wrecked 1g teg to use as swap donor vehicle so you don't get nickle and dimed to death by the salvage yard. They can be found for really cheap.

Now...I'm going to assume that you are looking for a carbed zc because you have a carbed civic and you don't want to do the mpfi swap. Yes, the fuel injection swap is a bit of a PITA, but almost everyone who has done it has said it was worth it. And don't forget that it is only the very early dohc zc engines that will swap into an 84-87 civic/crx without having to make custom mounts and such. Those are the brown top and the first gen black top dohc zc's. They are usually identified by the valve cover bolts being in the middle near the spark plugs instead of being on the edges like later dohc zc's. It is probably easier to carb a D16A1 than it is to find a carbed 1g zc, and it'll make more power too. The downside is the expensive manifold and carbs that you'll need.

WARNING--> if you are looking for an engine online at ebay or an engine importers site or anywhere else, you have to literally force them to be absolutely 100% clear about what they are selling and to be sure they know what it is and what it will fit. Whether by ignorance or just being a lying sack of ****, there are tons of people online who will tell you an engine is one thing when it is really another. If someone calls an engine a "ZC", you MUST have them confirm that the actual engine code stamped on the block says "ZC" and NOT "D16A1"! Lots of crooks, especially on ebay, will have an auction that says "DOHC ZC" but if you ask them what the engine code says it's just a D16A1. They are not the same! If they don't respond, don't buy it. Also, it seems that a lot of the engine importers don't really know what they are selling, so it is your responsibility to make sure what it is before sending money. And always ALWAYS pay with either PayPal or a credit card! If you pay with check, cash, or money order you will have zero recourse if they fucked up or cheated you. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Here are some good resources for ya:
http://www.redpepperracing.com The very best!
http://www.thezcresource.com
http://crxresource.org
http://www.g1teg.org
http://d-series.org
http://sohchonda.com
http://www.honda-acura.net
http://hybrid2.honda-perf.org/
http://tech.hybridgarage.com/
http://www.superhonda.com/
http://www.hondaswap.com/
http://tech.hybridgarage.com/

Good luck!