Alright guys. I gotta 96 hatchback. It has a d16y7 motor. Im possibly buying a d16z6 here soon and i need some wiring help. Ive looked all over and people are saying i need a new ecu. I know id have to get a p28 ecu. Ive also read i could get a obd2 to obd1 jumper harness adapter. If so do they work? And ive also heard i could just switch over the distributor injectors ect from my motor to the z6. I just need to know whats better. I dont have much money but i will do whatever i can to get my car back running again. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Yes OBD2-OBD1 adapters work.
You have other choices in ECUs. But the P28 will work for simplicity if you don't need to pass emissions.

Use OBD2 injectors for simplicity.

You have an OBD2A car.

Then choose an option below.


Option 1:
you need to convert the 3 wire IACV wiring to 2 wire IACV. Idle Air Control Valve.

You need to add wires for VTEC.

Use the Z6 distributor. Rewire your connector harness connector or get a distributor jumper harness. That way if you have to replace the distributor, you can plug and play.

Option 2:
Get a wiring harness from a manual 96-98 civic EX. You'll still need to convert the distributor wiring....or buy a 96-98 EX distributor as well.

 

Alright thanks man. Ill need to pass emissons test. Ill do some more research on what ecus and stuff i can use. Im not sure if im getting the motor yet i just want to know everything ill need to do before actually buy it.

 

If you need to pass emissions, you can use what I said with a OBD2A manual trans NON VTEC intega ECU (and a jumper wire for the fuel pump relay position).

Or buy a Y8 engine and 96-98 EX wiring harness and ECU. That's the easiest with least changes.

 

You're better off getting a Y8. Same if not better performance, cleaner less complicated install, and emissions legal. Swapping to an older engine isn't legal in the US, though admittedly most states don't currently check it. All states are moving towards stricter checks, especially the ones with poor air quality that want to qualify for federal funding to clean it up.

Throttle cable, vacuum hoses, plug harnesses etc all match the Y8 better than they will with the Z6.

 

I would go with a Y8, especially if you are in a state where the visually inspect the engine.

 

Will a 96 DX harness and ecu work on a y8? If i could find one i will defiantly look into it. Im just trying to find something i can just drop in it easily. I want something better the a y7 but it doesnt really matter to me. Id love a b series but those are out of my price range. Im only trying to find another engine because my block cracked in a wreck and me and my dad doesnt know exactly how to rebuild an engine.

 

With a Y8, you'll need some harness modding for the distributor, I believe.

You'll want an automatic version Y8 to work with your manual Y7 computer and harness if you want to avoid doing the IACV re-wire.

 

If i can find a y8 ill go the new harness and ecu way cause it seems easier. Haha thanks for the help man. Now that i look at it that z6 would be really complicated to put in and i dont want that.

 

No problem. Neither are bad at all if you know how to wire. For some reason, wiring seems to be everyone's "no" zone.

 

You can mod your current harness but its a pain to reroute wires. The reason why you're getting different answers is because people need more details. You just started telling people in your second post that you need to pass emissions which now throws every other answer out the window and forces you to go the obd2a route with a y8 engine. To make it easy just find a complete y8 swap ( engine, tranny, engine harness ) and convert your exhaust system to a y8 setup, and last wire in the secondary o2 sensor that runs inside the car.