I know this doesn't follow the same years as the forum, but I figured if anyone will know it would be the people cruising this forum, since you can do the same swap and all, but anyways, I have a 1986 CRX with a blacktop swap. Car is not running quite yet, still working some bugs out. I occasionally move it into the garage to work on it, but after I put the CV axles in, the car seems to be in gear, but the shifter is in netral, so I have to jack up the front end and roll it into the garage with the front wheels off the ground. When the front wheels are in the are, you can turn a tire and the motor will turn over. I don't know what shift linkage is in it, but it seems to fit, and is in the right place. A few weeks ago (before I realized I had more bugers to fix) I tried to start it, and you can push in the clutch and the transmission won't activate then, telling me the clutch is good. Anyone else had this problem, or know of a potential solution? I got the car with the swap already in it, just had to be finished up. Thanks for any and all help!

 

Just a question but, do you realize that damn near EVERY HONDA MOTOR has a black valve cover? We need the engine code (you should be able to see it on the front side of the motor, close to halfway down on the left side, right beside the fransmission. Itll be a letter, then 2 numbers, then another letter, and if its a usdm motor, itll have one more single digit number.)
Pictures will help as well.

 

Im not talking about the color of the valve cover... Heck mine has a red valve cover. There's swaps for these cars commonly know as blacktop browntop etc. The differences are the electronic advance and vacuum advance. Motors from an obd0 Integra... D16a1

 

so it starts but wont go into gear? or is it stuck in gear?

 

Although I knew what you meant, not once in your original post did you mention that it is a DOHC ZC. Doesn't really matter though since that is irrelevant since the problem is the trans. Does it feel like it shift normally? Worst case, you can disconnect the linkages and see if you can get into neutral. Best case, it has a LSD.

 

I would check to make sure linkage is adjusted correctly. Also i believe you need 87 teg linkage. And make sure that your axles arn't binding for any reason.

 

IT IS NOT A DOHC ZC dohc zc came in the jdm civic's



browntop/blacktop swaps are the D16 dohc integra motors. they don't fit without custom made motor mounts into 88+ im not sure about 87- but as far as the mechanics its the same as a any other d series obd0 with a completely different motor mount arrangement.

make sure you have the correct linkage, does it hit the car when you try to move it into 2nd or 3rd or is it locked tight into position?

if it hits the car you have the wrong size linkage, if its tight and wont move it can be something as simple as a shifter installed without a bushing (higher quality) or no spacers on the bearing (ebay short throw)

also if its locked into position it could be a gear inside the tranny has thrown and locked up. have had both happen personally. as far as LSD very unlikely unless someone has spent a great deal of money on a D series transmission. unless there is something special on the 87- models you cant "adjust" the linkage but it could be bent even though it will still typically move.

 

THe actual linkage has no binding, not tight, actually it feels like a realy long throw from first to second, lol ( could be because Im used to my 07 by now) I did notice its really hard to get into some gears, like first (if im actually going into first, because im not in neutral at anytime). if I go underneath the car and actually move the linkage through every click, I still can not find neutral. Someone told me it could be the shifter forks in the wrong place or slipped when putting the casing together if someone rebuilt or took it apart. Im not sure, I hope thats not the problem, but Im pretty much outta any more solutions.

 

Here we call blacktop, brown top and goldtop the DOHZ ZC.
We also call D series boat anchors lol

 

If it is a DOHC D-series then it is a ZC. You're also wrong about needing custom mounts in an 88+ Civic/CRX. The whole reason why people differentiate between a blacktop and a brown/goldtop is because the blacktops are direct fit into 88-91 Civic/CRX, and the brown/goldtops are direct replacements for 84-87 Civic/CRX. Other than the mounts, they are pretty much the same thing internally.