1986 Honda civic si swap a d16a1

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Kingbugsy24

New Member
Okay I bought this car a while ago with the original engine and running but I bought d16a1 engine at first I thought it was a browntop but then I was told it was a Blacktop because of the distributor that it needed so now I'm trying to figure out what I need

I got the engine d16a1
Transmission
Axles what else am I missing

And if I was to get a 1987 Honda civic 1.3 what will I need for that
 

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DISCLAIMER* I have no expertise in Third Gen Civics, or D16A1 (ZC) engines.

Without doing much research, I would think you'll probably need engine mounts from a concurrent Integra, although the stock engine mounts may work. Also, you may have to do some extensions in the wiring harness, because of the slightly larger dimensions of the DOHC head vs the SOHC head. Then, you'll probably need a custom intake and exhaust, as well as the proper computer to run the D16A1.

There are a couple of people on the forum here who are really into ZC's and older Civics, so I would start by doing some searches here. Also, you can get a pair of quality service manuals for the Civic and the Integra to compare wiring. Or, if the car is not a daily driver, pull the original engine, set it on a pallet or concrete, and use a plumb bob to take measurements at the factory engine mounts. Then take the engine mounts off, and see if they fit the D16A1, then measure again, and compare the two sets of measurements. While you are doing that, you can remove the electrical harness from the stock engine, and start draping it over the D16A1, to see where it fits, and where it doesn't.

So, either continue doing research to gather more information, or start pulling things apart and doing physical comparisons.

Good Luck! And, again remember that I am no expert with this chassis.
 
That style zc uses a browntop dist but if your car is wired obd0 with electronic advance you can put a blacktop dist in it ,if cars set up for vac advance use the brown top one, the blacktop dist in the brown top head only uses one bolt
 
And as stated in wrb thread you got your hands on a 87 dohc zc, its the p29 higher compression bottom end and the lower compression older brown top head, and I dont know anything abt the 1.3 cars we didnt get those in the states
 
Okay I bought this car a while ago with the original engine and running but I bought d16a1 engine at first I thought it was a browntop but then I was told it was a Blacktop because of the distributor that it needed so now I'm trying to figure out what I need

I got the engine d16a1
Transmission
Axles what else am I missing

1st gen Teg knuckles/hubs and shift linkage, 86-87 (not 88-89) PG6 ECU (manual trans), #6 cap for the intake camshaft so you can bolt on the 86-87 distributor
 
My bolts don't hold up
 

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If I put the distributor in the right way the bolts won't hold up and don't match up if I put the distributor the opposite way that supposed to go 1 Bolt holds but the other only half and the other one nowhere near when I bought the engine someone told me that the engine was modified into to different engines put in. I left a YouTube link so you guy can check it out.

one
 

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1st gen Teg knuckles/hubs and shift linkage, 86-87 (not 88-89) PG6 ECU (manual trans), #6 cap for the intake camshaft so you can bolt on the 86-87 distributor
I have boxes of black top and brown top cam caps if needed @Kingbugsy24 , I still want to say with the correct cam only the top bolt lines up with the distributor using the blacktop dist on browntop head, and @Kingbugsy24 the ecu needed really depends on what you are wanting to do or rewire, was the engine in the car a vac advance or electronic advance dist ? if you dont want to change or rewire anything you need to stay what the single cam was in your car (that is saying it was efi already)
 
that motor is clean and those cam gears are sexxyy , and im pretty sure the knuckles dont have to be changed to accept the axles
 
if your car is a 86 si you can use the brown top distributor with a pg7 86-87 integra ecu , and get the CG 86-89 integra transmission and axles and should be able to use stock hubs etc , its a pretty straight forward swap , if you went electronic advance etc you would have to rewire the car to obd0 the 86-87 cars are technically pre obd (notice PGMFI light not a check engine light) , ecu still pretty much works the same though with the light flashing for codes though , super basic efi and easy to work on and diagnose issues with the pre obd because you only have a few sensors lol can even ditch the whole nasty vac box
 
I still got the old ew4 engine
 

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For the browntop distributor I might have to grind it because my bolts wont go in and how much are you selling the valve caps for a brown top and a black top
 
Yea your car is currently set up for a vac advance distributor which I would stick with for the mean time for ease of the swap and they still work good long as your vac system is correct, and I will have to rummage through them when I get home Idk if I have complete sets but I should have just the end caps you need for the dist and id just ask you pay shipping
 
that motor is clean and those cam gears are sexxyy , and im pretty sure the knuckles dont have to be changed to accept the axles
the 1st gen Civic hubs have 23 splines (like 88-91 Civic STD and CRX HF) the integra axles are 26 splines - you will need the Integra knuckles/hubs
 
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