alritei just ordered a ZC motor, and it arrived early today. it has a black valve cover, DOHC, and the date says 87, and i have an 88 crx, and i made damn sure not to get the brown cover, but now im scared that because it was made in 87 it wont fit..? i looked for information on it and i read somethign different each time. im assuming they never made a black top zc for the 1st generation. and yes it is a ZC, it is stampled on the block. SOMEONE help me FAST!

 

A lot of engines will have casting dates of the prior year, in this case it would be perfectly normal for an '88 model year blacktop ZC to have and '87 casting date.

If it has an electronic advance distributor, you are good to go.

Happy swapping!

 

He's right, engine castings usually say a year before the model year of the car. Which would actually be the true year it was made since car model years start about 6 months earlier than the actual new year.

Here is my date stamp, however I'm positive my ZC is an 88 because I have the 21 spline clutch and that was only around in 88. Thought technically it is illegal for me to have this engine because your not supposed to put an older engine in a newer car.

 

i heard brown/black top zcs are shit

 

black valve cover ZC - has "ZC" & serial number stamped on front of block, has valve cover attaching bolts out beyond edges of valve cover
brown valve cover ZC - has "ZC" & serial number stamped on top of block next to transmission, right by the starter (not on front of block), doesn't have valve cover bolts at edge - black valve cover from 88-89 integra D16A1 will bolt right on

 

yah mine is stamped as an 88 and it is an 88 because it also has the 21 spline count clutch on it, which i just figured out on accident as i tried to install my new act clutch and flywheel and noticed the clutch disc doesnt mate up. because the input shaft of the tranny has 21 splines (in 88) and 20 splines for every other year 89-91

 

ok, so its the right zc then? ok and ...21 spline..what is all that about? how can i tell which one mine is. cause i have an 88HF and my friend put a d16a6 (si) motor in mine, so can i use that transmission on the zc???

 

all 88 honda motors well as far as hf si and zc have 21 splines on the input shaft of the transmission, and the same on the clutch disc that the tranny mates up with, 89-91's all have 20 splines, u can use the tranny regardless of what u have u may just need a new clutch disc with the correct spline count

 

I heard that dudes that drive aqua colored cars have small dingys! shut up! ;-)

 

The 1986-89 Integra engines bolt in to the 3rd gen Civic/CRX.