1996 Q45t Under Plenum Job - Need Advice

[d.bright]

Hey All,

Everything is coming back together pretty swiftly now, I just replaced all the o-rings in all the injectors and am ready to start reassembly, but I noticed that most of the injector pintle caps have broken, with my experience on Ford engines, I know that these are necessary to get a good spray pattern, and I also know from experience that older ones tend to break up when introduced to ethanol mixed gas. My question is, are there newer replacements that I can buy that can handle ethanol better? And if so, can someone please post a link? I searched this forum and found a link to here http://www.mrinjectorparts.com/, but I can't figure out what I need to get, I don't need an entire kit either....

Thanks!

[goody90q45]

I bought a bag full of pintle caps for the 94-96 Q off ebay or Google a while back waiting for just this moment. I can get you a set of 8 for a good price. Email me if your interested at msg7941atcomcastdotnet.

[j.hardstyle]

I did my under plenum and chain guides a couple months ago.

Dont pay the $1000 for the under plenum hose kit....I bought 6 different sizes of hose from Napa and still have plenty left over. Cost me $32 total. Also bought 10 feet of fuel hose online for something like $20 shipped and even found a source for knock sensors. Got mine at $10 each and they are OEM PARTS...no need to spend hundreds if you know where to look.

Chain guides....dont pay out the a** at the dealership, tension side guides (both pieces) $10 each...so $40 total for all 4 pieces that you need. OEM parts. I compared these against the ones I got from Infiniti and they are exactly the same (Beck Arnley...made in Japan). Dont be fooled by everyone saying "buy OEM from Infiniti"....Nissan DOES NOT make all of their parts, its outsourced from different companies. Beck Arnley, Victor Reinz, Airtex, blah blah.....just have to know where to look.

[qship96]

I did my under plenum and chain guides a couple months ago.

Dont pay the $1000 for the under plenum hose kit....I bought 6 different sizes of hose from Napa and still have plenty left over. Cost me $32 total. Also bought 10 feet of fuel hose online for something like $20 shipped and even found a source for knock sensors. Got mine at $10 each and they are OEM PARTS...no need to spend hundreds if you know where to look.

Chain guides....dont pay out the a** at the dealership, tension side guides (both pieces) $10 each...so $40 total for all 4 pieces that you need. OEM parts. I compared these against the ones I got from Infiniti and they are exactly the same (Beck Arnley...made in Japan). Dont be fooled by everyone saying "buy OEM from Infiniti"....Nissan DOES NOT make all of their parts, its outsourced from different companies. Beck Arnley, Victor Reinz, Airtex, blah blah.....just have to know where to look.

You may get lucky and have a long trouble free experience using generic hoses vs the correct molded ones, you may not.....but having only "a couple months" without you noticing any deficiencies so far on your experiment does not warrant a glowing recommendation in my book yet- we KNOW using the correct parts results in a minimum 7 years/100,000 mile fix.......we certainly do not know whether yours does yet.

PS those $10 knockers are NOT genuine nissan parts like one would obtain through a authorized nissan/infiniti dealer, no matter how they are marked! Ever see a Rolex branded watch selling for $20,plenty out there on the streets, they are counterfeit! Buyer beware!

[d.bright]

qship96, I see your point, but for a car I paid $600 for and I'm just trying to get running halfway-decent, I'm not going to sink a ton of money into it, I'm not even sure if I'm going to keep it after I get it running, I really didn't have a chance to even test drive it much before I tore it apart, from what I could tell the ride was really rough and it had tons of rattles and shakes, so even after I'm done getting the oil leak and hoses replaced (under plenum/valve cover gaskets) I still have tons of other work to do to get it right....

The 10$ knock sensors I bought came packaged in Nissan plastic with a part # on it and they have the little Nissan logo on the plastic as well, so I'm not too worried about them, and the hoses I have replaced have all matched up just fine, and in most cases feel like they are better quality than the original rubber, so I'm not worried about that either...

[d.bright]

Also,

I was told by Bill at mrinjectorparts.com that the "MP12" listing on this page is what is used for the Q45:

http://www.mrinjectorparts.com/mini-packs.html

They are listed for $22.

[rabsusa]

D Bright,

Q45 does not equal cheap

[j.hardstyle]

You may get lucky and have a long trouble free experience using generic hoses vs the correct molded ones, you may not.....but having only "a couple months" without you noticing any deficiencies so far on your experiment does not warrant a glowing recommendation in my book yet- we KNOW using the correct parts results in a minimum 7 years/100,000 mile fix.......we certainly do not know whether yours does yet.

PS those $10 knockers are NOT genuine nissan parts like one would obtain through a authorized nissan/infiniti dealer, no matter how they are marked! Ever see a Rolex branded watch selling for $20,plenty out there on the streets, they are counterfeit! Buyer beware!

Even if my hoses lasted for 10,000 miles opposed to "your" 100,000 miles....I still come out ahead. I could replace my hoses every 1,000 miles and still cost SUBSTANTIALLY less than your $1000 hoses. But maybe for a high roller like yourself, spending $1000 on some little pieces of rubber doesnt matter....but for myself, and I am sure many other owners, $1000 is better spent elsewhere.

By the way, the knock sensors are Airtex parts....THOSE ARE the original parts by the way. Whether they are reboxed from the original equipment manufacturer, or if they are the original manufacturer, it doesnt matter to me.

I dont know why you are so stuck on dealer only parts...they arent all they are cracked up to be. But then again, as I said, a high roller like yourself doesnt really care either way....by the way, have you ever really gotten your hands dirty under the hood? Just curious.

[qship96]

guess you dont put much value on your time

PS my original hoses and knock sensors lasted 200,000 miles,and 12 years.

[d.bright]

D Bright,

Q45 does not equal cheap

From what I can tell, and I've worked on a lot of cars, the only thing expensive about the car is the labor involved to do work on it. I remember when the luxury car wars were heating up in the 90's, and I remember that the way the luxury manufacturers made money (and still do) was by making it ridiculously hard to work on their cars, and shoving it so full of wires and sensors and whatnot that it made an oil change seem like it had to be done by the dealership. Proof of this is in the repair manual I just read for the 96 Q45, to remove the plenum, the first thing it states is REMOVE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ASSY. I know since I just did it, that that is not required (however I can imagine many people freak out just reading it). What I'm getting at is this; sure this car has some special parts and some of them are pricey, but the thing that makes it more expensive in my book is how much it costs to maintain it. The quality of the rubber is the same as any other car I've seen, rubber replacement parts are also getting more durable year by year, so the way I see it, is even if the rubber hoses I bought last week to do the job are the cheapest now, they are still better quality than anything made 15 years ago....

Cheers

[j.hardstyle]

guess you dont put much value on your time

PS my original hoses and knock sensors lasted 200,000 miles,and 12 years.

How much value does your time have paying the dealership or other mechanic to do the work for you? I remember your old posts about not even changing the fuel pump yourself, but instead paying a shop to do it for you.

My hoses and knock sensors were just fine....140k miles and 20 years. But you know, since I was doing work on the car anyways, I went ahead and replaced them.

By the way, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot before....hi, I'm Jay and I've owned my Q for about 6 months and have gotten my hands a lot dirtier during that time than the 20 years you have had your Q. And your name is?

[j.hardstyle]

D Bright,

Q45 does not equal cheap

From what I can tell, and I've worked on a lot of cars, the only thing expensive about the car is the labor involved to do work on it. I remember when the luxury car wars were heating up in the 90's, and I remember that the way the luxury manufacturers made money (and still do) was by making it ridiculously hard to work on their cars, and shoving it so full of wires and sensors and whatnot that it made an oil change seem like it had to be done by the dealership. Proof of this is in the repair manual I just read for the 96 Q45, to remove the plenum, the first thing it states is REMOVE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ASSY. I know since I just did it, that that is not required (however I can imagine many people freak out just reading it). What I'm getting at is this; sure this car has some special parts and some of them are pricey, but the thing that makes it more expensive in my book is how much it costs to maintain it. The quality of the rubber is the same as any other car I've seen, rubber replacement parts are also getting more durable year by year, so the way I see it, is even if the rubber hoses I bought last week to do the job are the cheapest now, they are still better quality than anything made 15 years ago....

Cheers

You said it....maybe we dont have the cash to drop to have every little thing fixed, so we do it ourselves and gain the experience. Unlike certain people around here, but i wont spout off any names.

[qship96]

these are not good cars for poor people to own, you will soon find out.

[htbyrico]

these are not good cars for poor people to own, you will soon find out.

im not rich but i can tell you this.. so far my g50 engine parts list cost me around 1200.00 and im doing all the work.. thank god for uncle sam.. wish you were near me D bright.. i would help you out bro.. most of my parts still under warranty.. i just return my old stuff on my other q45s and get new ones.. i have good peps that work at the auto part store they do it for me cause im a good customer.. hope it work out bro... im here if you need me..

[j.hardstyle]

these are not good cars for poor people to own, you will soon find out.

LMAO....you just made my day, guy. (EDITED) You cant even change out a fuel pump for crying out loud. Im done with you dude.

What does your Q look like anyways? I have yet to see one single picture of it anywhere on the board....wait, it is so immaculate that we will all be blinded by such a beautiful specimen of an all stock machine, right?

[Infinitiguy19]

Proof of this is in the repair manual I just read for the 96 Q45, to remove the plenum, the first thing it states is REMOVE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ASSY. I know since I just did it, that that is not required (however I can imagine many people freak out just reading it)....

I think they say that so its easier on the techs back?

This topic gets no one anywhere and we seem to have these every year or something. The best one was Unknown007, at least he had great pics.

Qship is right. Why do you think I got into cars? If not I would have to have a great job to pay for all the work. True OEM's go to quality parts manufactures to have there parts made for them. But finding out who they are for sure is next to impossible. Just because it says "Made in Japan" doesn't mean it was made in the same factory as the OEM part, it could be some guys basement for all we know.

[Q451990]

j.hardstyle... I have no problem with a spirited conversation, but getting into name calling isn't going to happen - so I edited some objectional content out of your post.

Maybe it's time to agree to disagree and move on?

Heath

[d.bright]

It boils down to this, if your dream car is the Q45 and you own one, you are more likely willing to pour money into it to get the actual OEM parts for the car. If it isn't your dream car, like myself, then you are more likely willing to just buy what is necessary to get the job done. Don't get me wrong, I'm not half-assing anything, and you never know, after I get it running like it should and I drive it for a week, I may fall in love with it, but until then, I can't justify the extra expense. With that being said, if it does turn out to be a car I want to keep, I would happily sink some money into it, so I guess time will tell But if there was any car I would pour money into right now it would be an imported Escort MkII from England with a Cosworth engine, preferably a used rally car, and I would in turn go race it

[d.bright]

And goody90q45, thanks for the pintle cap offer, can't wait to get em and keep putting it back together.

[rabsusa]

And goody90q45, thanks for the pintle cap offer, can't wait to get em and keep putting it back together.

if you save 8 tops from your drinking water bottles, you can fashion the pintles' thereby saving you $22;
really, you comedy clowns make me laugh, you think you can buy a car for 600 bucks and come out ahead, wake up, it was sold at that price for a REASON, the sooner you wake up to the fact you ve bought a money pit
the better you ;ll feel. Consdier spending another 4 times what you bought it for to make half safe and half reliable, i bet its riding on 5 bald tires too!
I guess you know all about Q45 with your vast experience of working on ford,dodge n gm crap,
you re a clown dressed up in a mechanics uniform, this is exactly why i take the time myself to do it right rather than take to stearlerships, hopefully INF doesnt employ clowns like you, otherwise the next batch of INF owners will be here soon,

R

[Infinitiguy19]

if you save 8 tops from your drinking water bottles, you can fashion the pintles' thereby saving you $22;
really, you comedy clowns make me laugh, you think you can buy a car for 600 bucks and come out ahead, wake up, it was sold at that price for a REASON, the sooner you wake up to the fact you ve bought a money pit
the better you ;ll feel. Consdier spending another 4 times what you bought it for to make half safe and half reliable, i bet its riding on 5 bald tires too!
I guess you know all about Q45 with your vast experience of working on ford,dodge n gm crap,
you re a clown dressed up in a mechanics uniform, this is exactly why i take the time myself to do it right rather than take to stearlerships, hopefully INF doesnt employ clown like you, otherwise the next batch of INF owners will be here soon,

R

I am no rocket scientist (But there is one in this topic) but I thought cars had only four tires and a spare tire? Now I have seen people be so cheap that they ride on a full size spare or even swap out a full size spare (tire) on to a non spare wheel. But a car with five tires.... Tires are cheap as long as you can put them on yourself and do your own alignment.

Rab whats the difference between the tech used on a domestic car and a import car of today? I know GM for the most part still uses Over Head Valves VS Over Head Cam(s).

These cars are only money pits if you have no money or experience or spare parts.

D.Bright does your car have TCS? Because I know it does not have HICAS from the factory.

[rabsusa]

if you save 8 tops from your drinking water bottles, you can fashion the pintles' thereby saving you $22;
really, you comedy clowns make me laugh, you think you can buy a car for 600 bucks and come out ahead, wake up, it was sold at that price for a REASON, the sooner you wake up to the fact you ve bought a money pit
the better you ;ll feel. Consider spending another 4 times what you bought it for to make half safe and half reliable, i bet its riding on 5 bald tires too!
I guess you know all about Q45 with your vast experience of working on ford,dodge n gm crap,
you re a clown dressed up in a mechanics uniform, this is exactly why i take the time myself to do it right rather than take to stearlerships, hopefully INF doesnt employ clown like you, otherwise the next batch of INF owners will be here soon,

R

I am no rocket scientist (But there is one in this topic) but I thought cars had only four tires and a spare tire? Now I have seen people be so cheap that they ride on a full size spare or even swap out a full size spare (tire) on to a non spare wheel. But a car with five tires.... Tires are cheap as long as you can put them on yourself and do your own alignment.

Rab whats the difference between the tech used on a domestic car and a import car of today? I know GM for the most part still uses Over Head Valves VS Over Head Cam(s).

These cars are only money pits if you have no money or experience or spare parts.

D.Bright does your car have TCS? Because I know it does not have HICAS from the factory.

Rab whats the difference between the tech used on a domestic car and a import car of today? I know GM for the most part still uses Over Head Valves VS Over Head Cam(s).

- infin guy, would you let some tire changer or pep boys monkey work on your car who only had exp working
on grand maquis & neons? exactly my point - if i remeber correctly you posted a night-mare oil change exp - something which is straight forward but far too techinical for the clowns that bodged up yer car;

- the ref to 5 tires was to d bright, maybe he hasnt noticed the bald tire in his trunk yet - i pity the poor soul who will actually go look at this car when he lists it 2500 well maintained - i seen a bunch of those looney cars before buying Q3 (I paid 20k for Q1 - so i dont need any lectures from new clowns on this board) This is one reason why i dont post much, you get newbies on here asking for your advice, when you share all the val knowledge and exp they go to the autozone and buy yards of imperial length hose n half a$$ it, you dont need our advice for that, any idiot can do that! LOL

R

[Infinitiguy19]

- infin guy, would you let some tire changer or pep boys monkey work on your car who only had exp working
on grand maquis & neons? exactly my point - if i remeber correctly you posted a night-mare oil change exp - something which is straight forward but far too techinical for the clowns that bodged up yer car;

- the ref to 5 tires was to d bright, maybe he hasnt noticed the bald tire in his trunk yet - i pity the poor soul who will actually go look at this car when he lists it 2500 well maintained - i seen a bunch of those looney cars before buying Q3 (I paid 20k for Q1 - so i dont need any lectures from new clowns on this board) This is one reason why i dont post much, you get newbies on here asking for your advice, when you share all the val knowledge and exp they go to the autozone and buy yards of imperial length hose n half a$$ it, you dont need our advice for that, any idiot can do that! LOL

R

Nope nobody touches my car unless its a Senior Infiniti Tech. But 99% of the work is done by me. Hell Qship will get mad at me for this but I do all my oil changes on the ground. (no Jack stands or anything). The car sees a lift once in a while so I know what needs to be addressed.

My point is you can't get mad at the guy for doing what he can to keep the car running. He will learn from his mistakes like I have but it takes time. These cars are cheap because the parts are expensive and hard to replace. As long as that stays true all we will see is either young people or poor people. But sometimes these cars get lucky and find nice owners such as yourself and many others on this board.

[htbyrico]

i love my Q !!! the only one touching my baby is me !!

[d.bright]

And goody90q45, thanks for the pintle cap offer, can't wait to get em and keep putting it back together.

if you save 8 tops from your drinking water bottles, you can fashion the pintles' thereby saving you $22;
really, you comedy clowns make me laugh, you think you can buy a car for 600 bucks and come out ahead, wake up, it was sold at that price for a REASON, the sooner you wake up to the fact you ve bought a money pit
the better you ;ll feel. Consdier spending another 4 times what you bought it for to make half safe and half reliable, i bet its riding on 5 bald tires too!
I guess you know all about Q45 with your vast experience of working on ford,dodge n gm crap,
you re a clown dressed up in a mechanics uniform, this is exactly why i take the time myself to do it right rather than take to stearlerships, hopefully INF doesnt employ clowns like you, otherwise the next batch of INF owners will be here soon,

R

I find that rather offensive, I bought the car for $600 from my grandmother to help her out, she was trading it in on a newer Honda Accord and they were going to give her $200 for it, my Grandfather is the one who kept this thing running and he passed away last year, so please don't act like you know me. When I got the car it ran, she was using it as her daily driver, I am just trying to get it safe enough to sell to someone else, I don't even care if I make a profit. So please take your hate somewhere else. Thanks.

[d.bright]

- the ref to 5 tires was to d bright, maybe he hasnt noticed the bald tire in his trunk yet - i pity the poor soul who will actually go look at this car when he lists it 2500 well maintained - i seen a bunch of those looney cars before buying Q3 (I paid 20k for Q1 - so i dont need any lectures from new clowns on this board) This is one reason why i dont post much, you get newbies on here asking for your advice, when you share all the val knowledge and exp they go to the autozone and buy yards of imperial length hose n half a$$ it, you dont need our advice for that, any idiot can do that! LOL

R

If I wanted to pull a bait and switch and list this car for $2500 well maintained I would have had a cheap paint job done, cleaned it up really good, patched up the oil leak and put it on Autotrader. As it sits now, I am taking my time with it and making sure everything is perfect as I put it back together, and people like Rico and others have been nothing but helpful, and I thank them.

[j.hardstyle]

Nope nobody touches my car unless its a Senior Infiniti Tech. But 99% of the work is done by me. Hell Qship will get mad at me for this but I do all my oil changes on the ground. (no Jack stands or anything). The car sees a lift once in a while so I know what needs to be addressed.

My point is you can't get mad at the guy for doing what he can to keep the car running. He will learn from his mistakes like I have but it takes time. These cars are cheap because the parts are expensive and hard to replace. As long as that stays true all we will see is either young people or poor people. But sometimes these cars get lucky and find nice owners such as yourself and many others on this board.

So I guess qship is now the God of the forum huh? Guess he will REALLY ream me then...since I can do an oil change in under 5 minutes, FROM THE TOP since I have eliminated my charcoal canister. Oops, did I just say that?

[Q451990]

[j.hardstyle]

Just bringing a valid point to the table, Heath.

[qship96]

Just bringing a valid point to the table, Heath.

What, that you are ignorant and unwilling to learn from 10 years of valuable knowledge at your fingertips contained on this forum??? You already proved that to all of us! Nobody gives a crap what you do to your car, you are on a well known path of a very short and troublesome ownership experience with your $500 purchase, plenty just like you come and go very quickly around here....too smart{stupid} to learn from decades of experience of others. The ONLY reason myself and others even attempt to chime into your threads is to hopefully help other newbies from reading your crap and picking up bad habits, not knowing they are reading worthless information and bad advice you spew.