13 hours ago, HS30-H said:

ECCS was first used on the 430-series Nissan Cedric in Japan (June 1979). ECCS stands for Electronic Concentrated (Engine) Control System.

Thanks for the clue. I had looked in the 1982 FSM and found the combined EFI and ECCS descriptions, letters only, but should have started at the beginning. In the first 280ZX use of the ECCS, the 1981 Turbocharged 280ZX, they created an ECCS-only Supplement chapter, where they actually used the words, as defined above. Image below.

They do call it a "micro-computer" in their description. I'm still not sure though that it does computing, in today's sense of computing. Besides the fact that it's not digital. (Sorry SteveJ, now that's really pedantic, Just having fun.). But it was still early days for computers, and I think the definition still varies today.

From the 1981 Turbo Supplement Engine Fuel chapter -

2 hours ago, Zed Head said:

They do call it a "micro-computer" in their description. I'm still not sure though that it does computing, in today's sense of computing. Besides the fact that it's not digital.

I've been inside a non-turbo 83 ECU, and it was, in fact, computer controlled. They were running a Hitachi 6801 embedded controller. And even though I've never personally been inside the turbo ECU, I am nearly 100 % confident that it would also contain a microcontroller as the turbo required much more control than the NA version.

So yes, the later years were digital, and computer controlled. Don't know when they made the switch though.

But what do you mean by "computer"? Does the controller contain a program? Does it perform computations? Or does it just convert one electrical input in to another?

I don't know. I found some interesting things about it. It looks like it does contain programming, I wonder how complex it is. It would be interesting to see some of the code with comments. I assume that the code/program would be considered digital but the inputs and outputs not.

https://www.cpushack.com/2017/12/07/cpu-of-the-day-hitachi-hd6801s0pj-automotive-6801/

http://www.bitsavers.org/components/hitachi/_dataBooks/U24_Hitachi_6301_6801_Assembler_Text_Editor_Users_Manual.pdf

So, going backward from 1983, do you know when the Hitachi controller was introduced in to the ECU's? I know that the FSM's say that the 1979 and later ECU's cannot be plugged in to 1978 and earlier systems, even though they use the same connector. The pinouts are different, maybe because 1979 and up contain the controller. Does 1979 contain the controller and 1978 does not?

Referring to what HS30-H said above, maybe the controller was introduced in to the ECU's also in 1979, along with being used in the ECCS.

Only commenting to learn some new stuff. I started watching repair videos for modern vehicles and learned that they have all kinds of modern tech with high speed and low speed communication networks, and numerous "modules" each usually with its own controller, communicating on the networks. I think that even the intrument cluster in my truck has its own controller. Crazy. Always something new to learn...

I found an old thread that might have some pictures. Haven't gone all the way through it. Funny though, Nissan uses the word "compute" in describing how the ECU (1978 I think) sets the injector pulse length. It's on page 3, post numbers are gone.

Edit there's only a few pictures of early 280Z "ECU"s.

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by Zed Head

Usual pile on... I found what is supposedly a 1979 280ZX ECU on the internet with some good pictures. I don't see a 6801. Maybe there's an earlier controller in there somewhere? I'm not an electronics guy.

The guy has a nice web site. If you click on the picture you can scroll through all of them and blow them up to a good size with another click.

https://www.importapart.com/product/79-datsun-280zx-2-8l-l28-ecu-ecm-pcm-engine-computer-a11-616-420-oem-1869/

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by Zed Head

More piling. Sorry, but now that the original question has been answered I'm just following this new thing.

Edit - there is a lot in this Hybridz thread. Answers some questions. Way beyond my skill level, couldn't even try to fake it. Just curious.

HybridZ

re-mapping and live tuning L28ET 1982/83 S130 ECCS

Edit for latest information; See posts further down for full details on modifying 1982/83 ECCS for re-mapping and live tuning. All information related to reproducing this project can be found on Gi...

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by Zed Head