Q45 knock sensor job, AKA: i hate my life.

[BINKSLIDE]

i've recently purchased a 94' Q45, after 3 days of the car running rather sluggish it finally died... ECU rang out the codes for Fuel pump, and knock sensors... changed fuel pump... and i'm in the process of changing the knock sensors... have new ones in hand... after the nightmare of removing the plenum, i discovered that the old knock sensors were brittle, cracked and all around garbage, nothing on this car was ever maintained definatly one of those guy that says "never had to replace anything, just put gas and oil in her!" as if that's a GOOD thing to say about a 14 year old car... worst news ever, all that says to me is, prepare to replace EVERYTHING... my question is, since i have to order new knock sensor harnesses also, because i REFUSE to go back under that plenum once this jobs over... ( and i have to buy like 4 specialty shaped hoses also, since you have to cut them to remove the plenum, FML. ) what can i expect to pay for a new harness, and more importantly besides going to the dealership... where the s*** do i find one?!

[qship96]

Entire "under-plenum kit" is aprox $900 at discount from http://www.everythinginfiniti.com- it includes knock sensors,harness,and every hose under the plenum, which need replacing on every old q45....skip just one hose,and you will be removing the plenum over and over.Do it once by doing it correctly!

[BINKSLIDE]

Noted... however, i already replaced the KS's and am just looking for a harness now, i have oodles of vacc lines and have already mad hoses for everything else, just that one i wont be able to make with a plastic T.. gonna have to be stock.. plus, who the hell has 900!?! haha thanks...

[Infinitiguy19]

If you don't have ~$900 for a job that's only done every 7-10 years not including fuel injectors then you should sell the car.

If you have the vacuum hose (Which can be bought at any parts store) and you want to risk it then just get the harness. But read the post below and you will see why i doubt you will only get away with replacing the bare minimum.

Study the specification of KS you will see operation above 250F results in case cracking , melting requires serious temperatures which shows the aluminum alloy may be structurally damaged.

Every engine with both melted KS I've seen has been worthless inside impossible with a loss of coolant. When someone runs it until it locks up and seizes.

The KS are an early warning sensor of owner abuse [when we find them with cracked cases.

[Q45tech]

Every hose in engine compartment will probably fail or at least be so brittle that any movement will cause it to fail [leak]. The variability is local temp and ozone salt conditions, mileage, etc.

I have replaced every hose many more than once in 19.7 years of ownership.

Unfortunately used rubber hoses from junkyards don't work well or long if at all.

Hose's people forget are those from engine to heater core, brake vacuum line hoses, and brake caliper flex line hoses.

Drain hoses for sunroof and HVAC are invisable until it's too late.

Power steering pressure hose problems.

There are almost $2,000 [$2,700 MSRP] worth of hoses in a Q45.

[1990Q45'r]

I paid $125 for the knock sensor cable from scottsdale.

[Q451990]

Infiniti of Scottsdale is definitely your best bet for the parts you need. Of course you can buy individual hoses... the $900 price was just for the kit if you wanted to go that route.

http://www.everythinginfiniti.com

Heath

[BINKSLIDE]

If you don't have ~$900 for a job that's only done every 7-10 years not including fuel injectors then you should sell the car.

If you have the vacuum hose (Which can be bought at any parts store) and you want to risk it then just get the harness. But read the post below and you will see why i doubt you will only get away with replacing the bare minimum.

not to be a d!ck, but dont tell me what i should do with my money, or if i should be worthy of owning a Q45 or not because of the amount of money i have to spend on my car at this moment, you know nothing of my situation or financial hardships.. that being said, i am going to buy the SELECT hoses that i cant mock up myself from the dealer... the harness i'm making myself... i am not paying 135$ for a few lengths of wires when i work for a home stereo installer... i can probably make a better harness for free in this case, if i had 900 bucks laying around, it most definately wouldnt have gone towards a bunch of fricken rubber hoses for my car, that i could custom run myself... it's not being ghetto, it's being frugal with my money that is reserved for more important things than 4 door drift projects... get resourceful, i didnt ask for your opinion on what i should do with my money, i asked if anyone knew a price for a harness and where to find one... to everyone else, thankyou for your feedback.

[Q45tech]

Yes, unfortunately NICO doesn't charge a $250 initation fee to read and another $100 per question to properly reflect the usual diagnostic costs at dealers.When you read for free, post for free, and receive free answers, Important to say THANK YOU even if you disagree with those answers.

After dealing with thousands of Q45 owners for 15 years, 7+ here and in real life, I've developed a 6th sense and can with 90% probablity forsee painful outcomes just from words people use in print.

[qship96]

His initial post said it ALL. Another short lived q ownership experience in the making.....starting with the poor pre-purchase inspection and selection process!

[BINKSLIDE]

i bought this Q45 never expecting to get some ridiculously reliable form of transportation out of it, i bought it because the body is flawless, and the chassis is perfect and rust free, the motor runs like a top, and it is the basis for a great project car... i live in a dense area of Longisland New york, where public transportation or a bike ride or a walk can get me to work, i dont need a commuter car, i dont NEED a car at all, although i've had 4 S13's at this point, i felt it time for something different, enter a 1500, rust/dent free cosmetically MINT Q45, with a s***ty ex-owner.. i have no time line on when i need the car to be 100% operational, to be honest i have almost no intrest in driving it until it's 5spd anyway... which is a long way off, so please, dont judge my motives or assume how long i will own my Q45, this shouldnt be an elite club.. i came on here for help, and i got the answers i was looking for and said thankyou at the end of ALL THREE of my posts.. i feel like to post on NICO without being talked down to, you need to have a trustfund and a college degree.. why is every other drift/nissan oriented forum out there so laid back and nice to it's users, and NICO is so judgemental and cold to new users?? just food for thought, i'm sorry i asked for some advice from what seems to be the most helpful Q45 forum on the internet... instead i get judged as a cheap-skate and a poser... once again THANKYOU.

[Infinitiguy19]

Well NICO is so full of people that come for one answer and never come back. Why don't we just have a place where "newbies/1 timers" can go to get there answers and see if they want to stay or go.

[Q451990]

and NICO is so judgemental and cold to new users?? just food for thought

This has been discussed before and it never goes well. Please stick with us... you'll find that the noob beatings stop at around post 10 or 15. Of course, if you continue to use the word "drift" in connection with your Q, it may take longer in your case. The last guy that did that posted a video of him slamming the rear end into a median and never came back...

Heath

[Q45T98]

Ok so I purchased my Q45T back in July and I just got a code that my KS was out.....but which one? the person working on my car said if one goes out, they BOTH need to be replaced BUT, I asked a 2nd person and they said that isn't true, that the computer will tell you which one. Who do I listen to?

Miss Q45T

[Q451990]

Welcome to NICO! They can be tested - visually to look for cracks in the case - and with an ohm meter.

Just keep in mind that it's possible for one to fail, but since they're both exposed to the same stress from heat - it's smart to replace both. The labor to get to them is far more expensive than the parts because they're buried in the valley under the engine's intake. It's usually a good idea to replace the electrical subharness that feeds them at the same time.

Heath

[Q45T98]

Thank you for the quick reply! :-)

I already purchased one KS and a friend of mine is working on it for free but since times are hard right now, I can't afford another KS. The person working on my car said he tried both KS's and unplugged the battery to clear the code but I know he didn't bc all my radio stations are the same. lol ANYWHO, I just hate to buy another KS when I can't afford it and not need it.

[silkysmoothyjud]

Do any of the noobs on here do search?

This topic is

[Q451990]

Well... it kind of sounds like you're getting what you're paying for. I would start saving up some cash to do it right later.

Heath

[Q45tech]

Since Infiniti estimated the income level of early Q45 buyers at $130,000+ annually, I assume it is still in that range for used.Why poor people buy worn abused used V8 Lux cars and don't expect them to cost serious money amazes me.

[maxnix]

Ok so I purchased my Q45T back in July and I just got a code that my KS was out.....but which one? the person working on my car said if one goes out, they BOTH need to be replaced BUT, I asked a 2nd person and they said that isn't true, that the computer will tell you which one. Who do I listen to?

If your "mechanic" is so dumb he can't determine the bank which the code specifies, dump him.

If you do not understand what is in volved with replacement of KS and the subharness, do spend a little time reading the FSM. Then you will understand why both are repalced at once, along with a few hoses, and lots of cleaning of IAC, plenum, TB, EGR valves and lower runners is also performed during this operation.

If one expects unknowlegable "mechanics" to repair a VH series correctly, one must know more than the "mechanic" when one supervises the work as one must to lend expertise.

[maxnix]

Since Infiniti estimated the income level of early Q45 buyers at $130,000+ annually, I assume it is still in that range for used.Why poor people buy worn abused used V8 Lux cars and don't expect them to cost serious money amazes me.

What is more amazing is that they assume since the car is purchased at a discount, parts and labor will also be discounted!