96 Q45 unexplained Stalling??

[maxnix]

1.) I have ... been getting oil changes every 1500-2000 miles due to oil loss here and there..

2.) I have had all other fluids changed but not flushed..

1.) You need to tell us about this.

2.) Only oil, coolant and differential are replaced completely by a drain and refill. Actually, a little oil is left in the engine sump as when I do an Envirolution cranckcase flush, I require another .5 qt. of refill. Perfect for adding MOA.

Check the connectors rigorously before repalcing the entire MAF.
Modified by maxnix at 10:28 AM 11/27/2007

[Q45denver]

Here's one with a "buy it now" on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...wItem

[Q45denver]

Confirm that your production date is after 10/94.

[AlabamaDan]

I might have a MAF I could sell you. On the side of that little square top are some numbers. What numbers do you have?

[96Q45GAL]

To ALL of you! I really want to say thank you and I am SO glad I found this site because you all have been so helpful...Too bad I couldnt have found it over $1000 ago but I am thankful for all of the VERY HELPFUL info...It makes me feel Very good to know there are ppl who will take time out of their day to help a complete stranger!! Okay Okay enough of my emotions...Lets get down to how I can figure this car out if possible to do on my own! Im not sure what im exactly looking for.. I see the small blk box right next to where my air filter is and what looks like a sensor or what I believe is the MAF?? I will look up the numbers in the morning and post them..alabamaDan I am unsure where to look when you all refer to connectors... Help a beautician turn mechanic for a bit:)

[Haitian_King]

I'm trying to find the write up with pictures that will help you identify everything.

I'm glad you found NICO very helpful. Aside from a few bad apples, this place is the best place in the world to learn about your Q, aside from Q45 training school.

*Edit*

Here it is. Great pics to help you find it. And it shows the connector as well.

http://www.q45.org/maf.html <---Click here.

[96Q45GAL]

I see...I have found this site to be a blessing to me because I cant afford for some idiot to play mr. Infiniti know it all and has never worked on one! That is all I seem to get here... I even had one guy say to me ...Well thats what happens when You want a steak with hamburger money! All that because he wanted to charge me $600 for a tune up and I questioned him about it being so high....lol So that shows you what kind of mechanics im working with here!!..He had the nerve to tell me the plugs were up under the engine and it was about a 7hr job in labor....??So needless to say Ive been through it but after all is said and done Im a proud Q owner and luv this car besides it's minor here and there issues:) Any pics to help me through this would be helpful!

[Haitian_King]

Spark plugs aren't a 7 hour job.

The link I posted has great pictures of the MAF and the engine bay.
Modified by Haitian_King at 7:06 PM 11/27/2007

[96Q45GAL]

Yeah I had one done for about $200 and it was about 1.5hr's I watched pretty much the whole thing. I plan on getting under the hood in the morning:)

[Q45denver]

See link to ebay item I posted that will provide pic of MAF.

No need to remove plenum to get to plugs.

I can do both sides plugs in about an hour with electric screwdriver and some flex adapters to get the plug covers and boots off and I'm not particularly fast.

[qship96]

While I don't think it's a 7 hour job, a tune up for a Q is a bit of a hassle. The plenum has to be removed to get to the spark plugs. I think Wes says he can get it off in about 15 minutes. On a good day. But it takes much practice. The plenum is that silver spider looking thing with the Infiniti logo on top of the engine.

Say what? penum does NOT need to be removed to change sparkplugs! Careful about posting incorrect information as the future owners searching in the future may rely on your mis-information!

[Haitian_King]

My mistake. I guess I confused them with injectors.

[AlabamaDan]

Took me about 7 hours to do my plugs, but there was a lot of BS and trips to the store going on. Oh, and we pulled the valve covers off and cleaned everything.

[qship96]

Based on my recent plug change with 132,000 miles on them,I now feel confident enough to say that plug change interval is really the valve cover reseal interval,ie only change plugs when you are in there to reseal the covers,which usually is right around every 100,000 miles

[Haitian_King]

I still have about 20,500 miles to go until a plug job then. Thank God. One less thing to worry about right now.

[Q45denver]

Depends on how it was driven. 50k city is probably about the same as 100K hwy. Good idea to remove plugs every 50k just to keep them from seizing in cylinders.

[qship96]

NGK uses a special metal coating to protect plug from seizing in the aluminum head,read all about it on their site,and use a little anti-sieze paste if you feel the need for extra protection.Both Toyota ,Nissan,and almost every other are currently calling for 105,000-120,000 plug change intervals with no need to periodically touch them in between change intervals.Byron kinda looked at me funny when I asked if plugs were difficult to unscrew from heads afer being in there for over 6 years and 132,000 miles-he said no problem,and after I examined plugs,they looked fine.

Do we even have any members here that have had issues with proper ngk plugs siezing in the heads? I cant think of any in the 6+ years I have been here?

[Haitian_King]

I don't do much city. Mostly highway and suburban. Not as many stops and starts as the city, but way less than highway.

[maxnix]

Dennis recommends the 60K interval not be exceeded on the VH45DE because of sparkplug galling. Proper high temperature anti-seize lubrication and a torque wrench are required for the DIY owner.

[96Q45GAL]

Hey, The numbers on the side of MAF( blk box) read 5808 I believe...Also I believe my valve covers are leaking again...Smoke coming from drivers side right on side of engine I see a small amount of oil and a large amount on the bottom all over:(

[maxnix]

Think you are correct about the VC gaskets.

Expensive if you don't pick up the wrenches like our beloved Tangalora.

[96Qowner]

Any pics to help me through this would be helpful!

The pics on Q45.org should be all you need - nothin' tricky at all. Look at this one:



That white plug could be the whole trouble right now. You should start the car and then open the hood and wiggle that plug. If it changes how the engine runs, you have either corrosion on the pins, or iffy wiring. The only tricky thing (there is one, I apologize ) is getting that plug apart.

First, turn the ignition off, of course.

Gotta push in the side thingies while easing the plug off. Work carefully and methodically and it's no sweat. Then scrape off any corrosion with something sharp like a thin knife or nail file or something. You probably don't have electrical parts cleaners on hand or dielectric grease, but if the metal pins are nice and shiny it'll be ok - you can always pick up some dielectric grease from Autozone or someplace like that in a tiny little tube and go back and apply it later.

When you go to replace the MAF or to clean it, it's just the one clamp around the hose and the four bolts on the airbox - easy - can't really screw it up.

[96Q45GAL]

Ok so tell me this.. Is this what they are referring to when they say connectors? If so can I just buy the connector's?..Im thinking this is what it could be because the shutting off and bucking dosent always happen? Thats why I say my car has emotions:) Because sometimes it does it sometimes it dosent??..Its not an ongoing thing.Im wondering if the MAF itself was bad completely would the car still run real good? I know when I take it on the highway it acts up and when I rev the engine too much it does it... In the past few days it has only acted up once and shut off once??

[Q45tech]

Many MAF have internal old age faults caused by temperature fluctuations over the years causing a degradation in the internal solder connections. The solder becomes crystalized and changes from low to high resistance with temperature. Giving ecu a migraine.

Some act up cold, some act up hot, or some all across the temperature ranges.

[96Qowner]

Yeah, MAF troubles are usually really intermittent. As you say, it will act up badly and then be fine for awhile. They're rarely "completely bad". If it was, the car would barely run, not like yours. Mine starting giving me trouble with a couple coughs on the highway and then run fine. Then it would shut off coming down a ramp - would restart with no trouble and run fine. Then all of a sudden it would buck and lurch going 40 mph ... then be fine. Annoying.

You can get a replacement connector (yes, that's what we're talking about) but it involves rewiring and some soldering 'n stuff - something you may not want to tackle yourself. But it IS cheap - under $30 if I remember correctly.

Wiggle that connector and see what happens with the engine, first. It'll either make no difference, or the idle will change, or the engine will die, etc.

My bet is that the pins on the connector are dirty and/or the MAF element itself is dirty. I'm pretty sure it will run fine (for awhile) if you clean 'em up. That'll give you time to think and to find a used MAF. I messed around with mine for over a year before I finally broke down and got a used replacement from car-part.com.

But it may just be a bad connector. The wiring is simply crimped onto the pins on the plug, and over time they come apart. In that case, the solution would be just a new connector. And you don't necessarily get a new connector with a new MAF - may still have to deal with that. Even if you do, you still have to wire it into the harness. But at least it isn't multiple hundreds to solve it. Most of us have had to deal with ornery MAFs at some time in our car's history - it's a very common problem.

[96Q45GAL]

OK... So do you think I should replace the connector first?...Or the MAF and the connectors to be on the safe side?

[96Qowner]

Wiggle it first.

BTW, here's my experience with my MAF, when I was a real noobie:

occasional coughing/missing- 96 Q45

[qship96]

Dennis recommends the 60K interval not be exceeded on the VH45DE because of sparkplug galling. Proper high temperature anti-seize lubrication and a torque wrench are required for the DIY owner.

I am sure anyone promoting a repair business would do the same......you find that shocking? Fact remains that Nissan,Toyota and majority of other manufacturers have lengthened platinum plug change intervals to 105,000-120,000 miles based on real world longevity in the field.Galling is extremely rare if proper plugs{ngk with the special coating on threads to prevent such} and proper torque is applied.

[Q45denver]

Many Toyota owners with slugged engines are probably regretting following manufacturer's recommendations to change oil at 6k intervals. Extended service intervals sells a lot of cars.

[qship96]

the problem was with the motor,not the oil