I need some help with my 1981 Nissan 280 zx. After not having any issues for over 30 years my car will not start at all. New gas pump, new coil, spark plugs, new ignition modulator, new injectors and the only way it will start is if I put staring fluid on the manifold hose. It dies after a few seconds. The light on the ECU is green but it goes away after the engine turns a few times. Can someone help please?

 

Welcome to ZDriver!

An engine needs 3 things to start:
-Proper fuel delivery
-Proper spark delivery
-Proper compression

Since it fires over with starting fluid, you have spark but no fuel delivery. Check fusible links: Is power getting to the injectors? Power getting to fuel pump? Fuel pump priming / turning on? Fuel pressure?

 

The gas pump is new, new injectors but I am not getting any power to the injectors. My ECU light turns green as I turn the key but it goes away after the engine start to turn.

 

Check fusible links.

 

I replace them too with the proper fused link wire.

 

Is driving me insane. I have spend so much time and money to make it right and now it won't start at all. It was running fine and started by dying ones while driving and did it a couple of times and now won't start at all unless I put stating fluid on the manifold top hose.

 

If the injectors aren't getting power, then simply use a multimeter to check the wiring back to the battery... it's a very simple setup:
1 wire from battery to fusible link
1 wire from fusible link to drop resistor
1 wire from drop resistor splits to two wires at the "Y" of the injector harness
1 wire to each injector
The other wire to each injector leads back to the ECU for grounding.

So... either there is a disconnect somewhere on the positive (HOT) side of the wiring, or there is a disconnect somewhere on the ground (ECU) side of the wiring. Checking with a multimeter should take about 5 minutes to find where the power / ground stops.

 

I try that but it looks like the injectors are not getting power. The vehicle starts if I spray the top manifold hose with staring fluid but in a few seconds it dies?

 

This is insane!!! I had the vehicle for over 30 years and never had this issue. I love this car and all my children where made in it. I don't have a shop where I live that can fix it.

 

Check with the hooligan garage guys on youtube. They have a fleet of Z's and I saw them working on your issue on one episode. I think it was the 4th or 5th of a 280zx ratsun build. I can't remember if it was the first one or second one.