Hey All,

I have a 1988 Civic hatchback which has a straight body, good interior, but is a Gross Polluter here in California. Junk yards don't want it and I can't legally sell it. I was wondering what type of swap would be possible? Is there a swap which would be a drop-in kind of deal? Otherwise I guess this car has a Sawsall in it's future. Thanks

 

An Si motor or a ZC would drop in and use whatever tranny is already in the car.

 

How much money do you want to spend?

 

best bang for the buck is a first gen b16.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'm new to the Honda world so please excuse the stupid questions. What is a B16? Waht is a ZC? I suspect the FI is hot on this car so something that could be dropped in FI intact would be ideal. I really don't want to spend too much. Just save the car from the torch really and maybe get a slepper of a city car out of the deal. It currently has an auto tranny. Thanks

 

The Si motor (110 hp) is the 1.6L 16V SOHC motor that came in the 88-91 CRX Si and 88-91 Civic Si/EX. It will drop directly into your car, and if you wanted to keep the auto, get an ECU for an automatic equiped Civic EX.
The ZC motor (~130 hp) is a 1.6L DOHC non-VTEC motor sold in Japanese and European model Civics and CRXs. It will also bolt directly in, though it may be more difficult to find a ZC-automatic ECU. In a pinch, the EX ECU mentioned above would work as well.
Both of these swaps would likely cost you less than a grand.
B16a is a DOHC VTEC motor that develops 160hp. It would require significantly more work, and keeping the automatic means finding a very rare JDM Integra GSR-auto ECU. This swap involves new motor, tranny, axes, mounts, and significant re-wiring. It costs $2500+

 

do not sawzall/destroy/dispose/salvage/burn /sink your Civic I have seen to many go that way and cant bare to hear you consider doing that to a clean 4th gen shell


[Modified by SEA Hag, 3:46 AM 11/16/2002]

 

Any SOHC D series motor from 88-00 with bolt in with minimal effort. You can keep your existing transmission, intake + exhaust manifolds, ECU, etc. I have an 89 DX for a winter car, recently swapped a 00 LX motor in it. It was a super easy swap, just changing the motor basically. I went a step further when I did the swap and converted it from DPFI to MPFI. You have a lot of options and if it's in good shape body wise, I would definitely consider a quick swap to keep it alive.

 

what is your reason for posting nosense?

stay on topic.

t..

 

teh B16A is a DOHC 1595cc VTEC engine,

teh ZC is teh best of teh 1.6l SOHC non-VTEC engiens...

you will probly have smog issues with both...

your best plan would be just to upgrade to teh Si engine - the 1.6 SOHC, as this is simple and cheap adn should get you through smog as well as being reasonably zippy...

it mostly comes down to how much you wanna spend...

t..

 

1st Gen B16A , I agree.

 

remember the 2 wires on the distributor and the new axles for the ZC swap. But to meet emissions you CAN NOT HAVE A ZC in Cali. Un-less you pay off the emissions tester. Cali. don't allow us ZC people there. So we gotta pay off some emissions tester. But it is getting harder to do that

 

Yuo are teh l33t!

 

Oboy............im speechless

 

im sure that there was a time, long since past, that you and I also did not know of a 'ZC' or a 'B16'...

wasn't there?

t..

PS note correct spelling