My question is now in plain English (lol)
WHAT DOES THE COMPUTER (ECM) LOOK AT TO TELL THE INJECTORS TO OPEN AND THE PLUGS TO FIRE?

HOW DOES THE SIGNAL GET FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR TO THE COMPUTER AND BACK? ALL SHE DOES IS TURN OVER, and over.. and over..

I have bought all brand new BATTERY, ICM, IGN.COIL, ROTOR, CAP, PLUGS, WIRES, MAG. PICK UP COIL (in distributor), IGN. RELAY (pass side dash), CHTS, fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter too...and now have a common ground going to everything. Also power to and from fusable links under hood.for sure...
but NO FIRE. NO START.
My car dash is tore to shi!!? and I am losin it.

NEVER A PROBLEM FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS since I bought it..(yes I am lucky) now all this ?
IT CAN'T END THIS WAY.. HELP ME PLEASE.
I am eager to learn.
Denise
1981 280zx 2+2 n/t

 

So, did you take out the dash and then it wouldn't start? Or was it running then just shut down and wont restart, or running then turned off then it won't restart?

Reading through your history looks like you did an AFM refurb then you posted about it running too rich and then some. Was it running after you did that? AFM could be the problem or could be something you disconnected and forgot to reconnect.

 

well it started once after doing most of the stuff. only once after each new part, but now no spark at all.

WHAT DOES THE COMPUTER (ECM) LOOK AT TO TELL THE INJECTORS TO OPEN AND THE PLUGS TO FIRE?

HOW DOES THE SIGNAL GET FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR TO THE COMPUTER AND BACK?

thats where im at. AND IF SOMEONE CAN ANSWER THAT I WILL KNOW WHERE I SCREWED UP I THINK
Dash was for chkin relays.

THANKS

 

I assume you have the FSM. Look in the EF and EL section should have everything you need there. have you tested the ignition switch?

 

Update & LAST CRY FOR HELP
So after putting a second pick up coil in yhe dizzy... I had spark again... YEAH. Still no stari. I did all of the volt/ohm meter tests at the 32 pin connector as such from the EFI bible, and all pin tests check out fine MUCH TO MY SURPRISE. and I have gone thru that fsm a hundred times. I fall asleep every night studying hundreds of informative posts in this wonderful forum you zdriver admins provide but cant figure out where I went wrong. Could it be possible that the fuel pressure has just dropped some with all I have had apart? CAUSE FUEL IS MOVING... but maybe not enough cause it almost started after spraying starting fluid somewhere under the hood.
(i was in the cockpit reading more fsm so not sure where he sprayed it.)
Brand new F/P regulater AND ALMOST EVERYTHING ELSE.
Pretty please... just a few more clues? I DONT HAVE A F/P GAUGE
AND THANK YOU ALL TO THOSE THAT TOOK THE TIME TO TALK TO ME.
Denise

 

When trying to start without success you can easily inject enough unburned fuel to effectively flood the engine (using old carburetor terminology). this then prevents you from starting the engine normally. If you have checked everything and still no luck try this. disconnect a wire from the fuel pump so it won't pump (on a z31 pull the fuse). you need a fully charged good battery for this. hold the gas pedal to the floor and give it a long crank. you may or may not get a few pops. Do it again. it may run for a few seconds. do it again. When you no longer get any action reactivate the fuel pump and try a normal start.

been there done that on my 83 turbo

 

Well if there is spot on igniting, knowing all spark plugs sparking. Well then fuel is your real final option. I should also recommend purchasing a brand spanking new whole distributor itself off ebay or amazon by Cardone if you were replacing internals. The fuel pressure regulator can be a cause if its full on stuck open, causing very little pressure build up, having the injectors just drip fuel in rather than shooting from pressure release. To check for FPR conditions, usually checking the spark plugs for no fuel or more than normal fuel smell, or even completely covered and wet with fuel spark plug tips. But dont just jump to there just yet, i recommend checking the injectors seeing if there not clogged from the top where fuel goes in. Maybe your injectors do work and are opening, but the flow for fuel isnt going in right. If that was the cause, i recommend checking your whole fuel delivery system. Lines, tank, pump, or even fuel filter (you'll be surprised). I do know the IC module and the coil pack play a big role on the engine starting process. My 280zx had a same issue when no matter how many times i cranked, no fuel or spark was happening. After long tense of research on the FSM, it was the IC module failing, but you said you replace that so that might not be it then. Just trying to compare your situation with mine just so you know your problem isnt the first. I hoped i helped a bit.

 

Did you get the car running yet? Any updates?