1996 300zx 2+2 N/A ECU issues

[Basher77]

I am back with another problem. I thought that after the thousands of dollars I have put in the car lately I would be able to enjoy it for a while before I had another problem. This week the cel came on so I ran self diagnostics thru ecu and it was flashing code 31!!! That's the ecu malfunction code. I drove the car for 2 days before I got any problems other than the cel light. It started running really rough on the third day. I removed ecu from vehicle and cleaned all pins and connectors and put it back together. Cel is now off but is my ecu on the way out! Is it worth the gamble to just drive it until it happens again. I am having some serious problems finding a 1996 ECU with matching part numbers. My part number is A18-D75 MP9. I found one on eBay removed from an identical car (same year and make) but the part number is slightly different. It's
A18-D75 MN5. Can I use the ECU even though the last 2 digits or letters are different? I don't want to cause more problems so any advice would be appreciated.

[nissanfreak12]

HOw did you get that code? 96 is OBD II which means you can use a scanner and most the codes are 4 digits, they are not the same like OBD I.

Code 31 in OBDI is indeed ECU malfunction, but there is no code in OBDII for 31.

Are you sure its a 96? Is the ECU indeed the original factory one? Options are, you could always send it in to Specialty Z, Concept Z, Z1, etc..

[Basher77]

It's def a 1996. I am the second owner of the car and I have verified the vin number. The car only had 137,000 original miles. The ecu looks to be original.
So are you telling me that because I have a 1996 that I can't run self diagnostic thru my ecu and count the flashes of the cel? I have pulled other codes that way from this very car and corrected them (knock sensor) and one other. Am pretty certain that I am able to get a code 31 in a 1996 300zx. Please correct me if I am wrong. I ended up ordering the eBay ECU anyways. I will still send my current ecu to concept z for testing

[nissanfreak12]

96 you cannot pull codes from the ECU without a scanner. They do not have a self diagnostic mode for OBDII.

[nissanfreak12]

Do this for a read, informative if you do not have ADD.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... 7178,d.aWc

[nissanfreak12]

If you can pull codes from your ECU, you have 90-95 ECU, and very possible someone did a swap. You really want to find out if your car is a true 96. Look on the back of the intake valve covers by the firewall, do you have the VTC valves? If you have wires coming from the intake by the firewall, you do not have the 96 engine and possibly computer in your 96.

This is not a bad thing honestly except is you need emission testing. More HP, can actually tune the ECU, etc...