So I have always wanted a CRX, and today I bought one sort of. I'm new to this forums so I'm hoping I will meet some great people here as I am sure I will..

First of all I feel like I hot an ok deal since I paid 1500 (can't go too far wrong) but I guess I will find out right? In any case it's black, the body isn't in the best condition and I couldn't get it today because the kid didn't have the title were waiting to weeks to get another one ERRRRG. Does anyone have any advice related to tile incidents like this?

(anyway) we wrote a contract the Crx in mine. It seems to go VERY FAST and has according to his ad a SI ZC D16 engine which only had 65k on it since it was put in. The body has 134k on it. (according to the seller).

Ok so first of all does anyone have any idea what kind of Honda D engine that is? The engine is definitely honda but what is that? Is it a good engine? How much does it cost to replace that engine? (just curious) Is it hard to replace or expensive?

The kid also said the car is out of alignment it didn't seem that way but I think I see where he might be coming from. Any ideas on that? I'd kind of like to make a hobby out of this crx it's really cool but I'm just looking for advice? I am new to this type of car and hobby. etc.

 

Not sure what to tell you about the title situation but as far as the motor goes you should be alright as long as whatever mods were done to the car were doen right.

A zc motor isn't that much of a big deal really, I'm hoping the seller didn't brag it up to something it wasn't. If it's a single cam zc that's as simple as a replacement engine, nothing more nothing less. If it's a dual cam zc from a Japanese Si they might be a little pricier, $100 or $200 more in most cases I'd think, they're a bit more powerful which is nice though.

 

Thanks J Mark. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the car, however I was just wondering because a friend told me how he bought a used car and it had structural damage and that it's not only unsafe but there's nothing you can do or if there is it's profusely expensive? What's that all about? What's the deal with structural damage and depending how much does that cost like on a crx? (Not saying this car has that problem).

Just curious again. ALSO J MARC as far as the engine goes I believe it's a dual cam from Japan as he said it was a little more pricy and from japan when he showed me the car so that's cool.

 

You paid the dude and didnt get the car or title?? Oh vey.

The SOHC ZC is pretty much just a stock replacement. It is the JDM version of our D16a6 but with a slightly more agressive cam. That is it. The DOHC ZC valve cover looks like a 90-92 Integra valve cover.

Does the car have clean title? I would pray that the car's misaligment isn't structurally related.

Hope everything works out for you!

 

im sorry to hear you paid someone money for a car that you currently do not have a title for/or have the car in your posession....welcome to hondas tho

 

No We signed a contract he still has the car I still haven't paid him but I know where he lives etc. I don't think he is trying to scam me on the title. I don't know if there's structural damage; I was thinking that it hopefully isn't too dangerous and probably isn't we live in Montana he drove from his small town over 30 miles away into my town because he had too to get it sold etc. Then he drove it back. His friend and the guy I bought it from were also doing a few errands around my town; I'm hoping it isn't anything too bad.

 

Hey man I live in Billings, what town are you in. I would probably be able to help you figure some stuff out.

 

i bought a 91 crx in february. my title was a little shady too. i think all hondas are like that.

 

DOHC ZC engine was stamped as a ZC in Japan and as a D16A8 or D16A9 other markets.
I can post the workshop manual details for it later if you want.
Decent engine far cheaper than a B16 and they are an easy swap.

Good luck with the car and if you are not sure about structural damage you could try to get the guy to take the car to a frame repair body shop to have it checked or the damage might show up at an alignment shop.

 

Dont ever buy a car without getting the title first.

 

If you are thinking about doing a swap then defiantly go for a B16 motor. It is more work though verses swapping in let's say a B18A1 (what I did to my 89 DX). The ZC though is pretty much stock though I notice a little bit of added performance from the stock 89 compared to my 91 Si that has the SOHC ZC.

I will tell you one thing though I plowed head on into a 11 Arcadia last summer in mine and had to get some "structural damage" fixed and that was not a fun check to write out. Though I am not convinced it is any more unsafe so I wouldn't worry about it to much.

 

Dohc zc's are pretty cool but theres not much support for them out there.

Just B-series swap it. TONS of support/market.

 

first off you can print out a bill of sales looks exactly like the one at the dmv, or you can go get one there, then just have him fill out the info and ur info and ur done, then wait in that big *** line and have that bill of sales in hand with his registration papers. make sure you check his id to have all the correct info on it and your done, once the registration is paid you gotta smog it and youll get your new tags and your pink will come to you in about 2 weeks and your single cam isnt jdm, if it says plane zc on the block vin then its jdm sohc or dohc.

 

This is the way to go. The ZC is just pretty much a boat anchor.

 

We dont have smog **** in Montana

 

OK, Well im new as well, just bought my first rex about 2 months ago, it came with a standard D16A6, the stock SI motor comes around 118 or so hp.
The Zc may be an exact replacement but because the block is a bit longer and the cam is a bit different with carbon deposits this make the Sohc ZC(not d16 zc) engine more hp then the D16, you have about 130 hp in that car, I upgraded my clutch with a cold air intake and it gave the ZC more of a torquey feel with out as much lag as it used to be, your in california so make sure every upgrade you do comes with a CARB sticker, as for the SI I suggest if they haven't upgrade all your fuel, radiator lines for they may start to crack with the upcoming heat wave California is going to get plus if it stock then those are over 20 year old lines. Upgrade the fuel relay for that might go out on you, mine did, if it has the stock fuel filter like mine did replace the fuel filter and the fuel pump for if its the stock original then with out that back pressure you will loose the pump after starting it up, do the regular tune up and your golden, all in all with this run on rant just read alot like i have and mess around with it do your own small upgrades to get familiar with the car but the zc engine is a stronger and more reliable engine then the D16 and a zc in so cal if your looking for a replacement runs around 500 bucks and to install it depending on who does it for you a total of 1400 dollars total... ooh have your motor mounts checked its a more powerful engine so if they didnt add motor mounts when they dropped the engine in youll be looking at those down the line.

 

thats a good car if you do it up right

 

Cant do a b16 or anything bigger then a D16 or Sohc in california all other motors are to much of a risk, being the emissions, the law states you can have the same engine for the same car or newer.. but the si wasnt avalable with a b16 in the USA only available in Japan. So check your local state laws.

 

Best swap ive seen so far but kind of a cross between american and jap is a crx with a v8 with a jdm california grow wide bw2 special edition body kit, unless your going to stop driving the SI leave the zc motor in it til it blows and buy another one, and really if you live in a state like cali, thats your only option.

 

Oh one more thing about the zc, is most people say bigger is better go dohc, but because the zc is so small and pretty much like the stock engine, you can add more after market parts getting it almost the way to 300 hp and still be street legal, where the b16 to get it bard and carb certified it pretty much has to be stock, even that said fixed up right a zc engine can beat any dohc on the road all day long second a zc fixed up right can beat a dohc on the track but it more so depends on the driver from there, you can beat them you just have less of a chance to do so.