Bushings

[BlackinfinitiQ45]

I've a 1992 Q45 that's a little worn out from my aggressive driving habits. It needs new bushings - pretty much all the way around. What I would Like to do is install polygraphite performance bushings :ylsuper all the way around.

Second question is: Can a mere mortal perform a ignition wire /sparkplug change on this car? I got started on it and it was somewhat intimidating. I do have the manual but evidently I am far too dumb to find the part with the magic wand and incantations- suggestions?

I already upgraded the ECU and TCU, and would ceriously not mind plopping down a couple grand of year into it as a project car - but it needs to be drivable a couple times a month!

I have a prob in my master cylinder (My rear brake lines are bubble machines), so I have that to contend with as well.

Why do it? Because I love that car. I had some psycho chase me /try and hit me in his Mercedes 430 (I think) SUV at full-on speed in the mountains. If it wasn't for the lovely torque this baby makes I could have been in a bad way. Obviously I had decent bushings, brakes, back then.

Help reunite me with my baby!

[greg_atlanta]

Guess you need a good shop that's familiar with the car... where are you located?

If you have the base model (not "t" or "a") the best handling upgrade is stiffer shocks (tokico blue) and a rear sway bar... there are other things too, but that's a good start.

Give us an idea of what preventative maintenance has been done to date, how many miles, etc. Tie rods and upper links in front suspension may be worn out.

You don't necessarily have to redesign the suspension to make it handle better. Bringing it back to factory spec -- with good tires!!! -- can be very satisfying.

[VimyJ]

I had some psycho chase me /try and hit me in his Mercedes 430 (I think) SUV at full-on speed in the mountains. If it wasn't for the lovely torque this baby makes I could have been in a bad way. Obviously I had decent bushings, brakes, back then.

Help reunite me with my baby!

Do a search for Infiniti Speeding Stories and then post in detail your full speed race through the mountains. You'll also enjoy the stories you find there as well.

[Q451990]

Second question is: Can a mere mortal perform a ignition wire /sparkplug change on this car? I got started on it and it was somewhat intimidating. I do have the manual but evidently I am far too dumb to find the part with the magic wand and incantations- suggestions?

There aren't ignition wires... each plug has an individual coil fed by transistor packs. Unless the spark plug ports have been filled with oil for a long time, the coil pack boots should be fine. If the rocker cover has been leaking and you find oily boots, then you may have a corrosion problem.

The coil packs and plugs are under the black plastic covers that run down the middle of the rocker covers. You have to remove the air intake hose, TCS throttle body if your car has it, the transistor packs, and then remove the eight allen screws that hold the cover on. Then you just unplug and unbolt the coil packs and you've found the plugs. Stick with OEM NGK plugs - we've all had pretty bad luck with other plugs - especially Bosch and Bosch +4s.

Welcome to the club!

Heath

P.S. If you're not familiar with the chain guide issue, run a search for "timing chain" or "chain guide." This is the most critical issue regarding your Q's long-term health!

[BlackinfinitiQ45]

I've been aware of the guides. In fact, they are on the "next to do list".

I don't really need to drive the car much at the moment, but I hope to get it into shape over the course of the next few months.

The boots on the sparkplugs are, in fact, oily. I think several cylinders have oil in the spark plug wells sitiing.

What does that mean repair-wise?

{I think the "driving mom's car" bit is hillarious! My mom did in fact have a 1991 or 1992 Q45 back in the day. She wasn't afraid to let it loose now and then. I had to search high and low for this one in L.A.}

[DAEDALUS]

It means your valve cover gaskets are leaking...a common problem on the 1st gens. If you run your hand around the rear outboard seams of the covers, you'll probably find oil back there too. Or on the exhause manifolds. It's a good 1-2-day repair, but at your car's age, you may want to bite the bullet and do a combined valve cover/plenum/rubber hose/guide replacement. The problem is that very few non-dealership shops are qualified to do that kind of work. Jerry Tucker in San Diego comes to mind. It would probably cost $2500-3000. If you're the DIY type, the parts will cost maybe $1000 or more, depending on if you need other things (knock sensors/harness) replaced too. Good luck.

[BlackinfinitiQ45]

Well, I am in Norco, CA which I know is close to the guys at Q45 Racing. I don't know if they do engine work or not, but if Jerry Tucker is reccomended, then I would certainly make the trip. Its only 1.5 hours away.

If I can get some side-work income scraped together, maybe I can take it down for a "makeover".

I think restoring the car may fall under the irrational economics heading, but I will probably do it anyway.

[911/Q45]

Jerry Tucker is definitely the place to go. The plug change would be at virtually no additional cost with the other work. Call them and you'll get Jerry himself on the phone. He'll reassure you on the value of the work. If you review what your Z06 will cost once they jack up the registration again, I don't think the economics will seem so irrational.

[Q451990]

The coil boots are fairly inexpensive... maybe $5 each? I'd go ahead and replace them when they fix the valve covers. The coil packs have to come out then too. JT also does guide replacements if I remember correctly. You might want to do that at the same time, since they'll have to be removed if the chain slips during replacement, or you opt for new chains too.

I'm glad to see you're restoring it! Everything with cars fall under the "irrational econimics" heading, but they're a lot of fun and beats the hell out of walking or taking a bus! If you think about repairs vs. the interest and depreciation on a new Q you'll keep it forever.

Heath

[BlackinfinitiQ45]

Thats a pretty good point. Hopefully I will be able to take the car to JT pretty soon.

Back to my original question - does anyone know of a source for polygraphite bushings? I could go with stock replacements, but they are not cheap and will certainly wear out faster than the polygraphite would.

Any ideas?

[greg_atlanta]

I think restoring the car may fall under the irrational economics heading, but I will probably do it anyway.

As long as you spend less than $5000 per year it's not irrational. That's a lot less than you'd spend on payments on just about any respectable car (new or used) to replace it.

The trick is to balance out the spending over the course of several years. If you spend too much at once there's a higher risk of "losing it all" should the car be in an accident.

But in SoCal you can run sticky summer tires year round and improve braking and handling and thus have a lesser risk of being in an accident!

[landtodd]

Greg's right about the tires. There's a lot of good information about tire selection here. A search will produce hours of reading and (for me at least) a real education.

[DAEDALUS]

But in SoCal you can run sticky summer tires year round and improve braking and handling and thus have a lesser risk of being in an accident!

This may seem untrue based on the recent misfortunes of some colder-climate members, but I think the better traction is more than offset by the sheer number of idiots who drive here. There have been days, not too far apart, in which I was nearly forced off the road on *several* occassions during a single errand. WAY too many idiots here.

[greg_atlanta]

Is street racing a big issue in SoCal? Rarely see it in Atlanta, but I don't frequent the suburbs where all the riceboys hang out.

I'll be in San Diego, Palm Springs, & L.A. the 1st week in Feb.... so guess I'll get to check it out. Hoping I can get a fun rental car for a decent price.

[DAEDALUS]

There are racer hang outs here as in most other large cites. I've never been to any, but I have a coworker who's there every week. He's serious, races for cash. He's got a modded Galant (don't laugh; they've got potential) that he claims runs sub-12s. Upgraded pistons, heads, turbo, boost, etc. No nitrous; he likes the sleeper persona. Street racing is becoming a problem in some neighborhoods, according to the local news, but I don't respect the news shows much. Too much hype and shock style productions. L.A. has much bigger problems than street racing right now.By "idiots" I didn't mean racers in particular, though they can be dangerous. I meant that a lot of people here just do NOT pay attention to their driving, to the lights, and to the road signs. Lots of people just wander across lanes, especially in a 2-lane turn. I see a lot of red lights run, and I don't mean that they don't quite make it in time--I mean they just don't see the lights at all, sometimes running straight into cross-traffic. I moved here 5 years ago and I'm still amazed at the apathy and inattention shown on the road.

[911/Q45]

That's so sad, when I visited LA in 1975 from the midwest I remember being really impressed with the quality of the drivers.

[BlackinfinitiQ45]

Well, weighing in on the tires thing: I was very happy with my Potenzas that were not only Z rated, but cost less than the V rated tires they wanted to sell me.

Yer thinking, oh but they will wear out sooner - not true! Because they are so sticky, I don't over-drive them as much. Less abrasive spin or slip = longer life than gnarly hard rubber that gets sanded off under type A driving habits.

I strongly reccomend ordering the tires thorugh Costco - I got mine for ~$189 a piece. Drive great. It exacerbates my wheel hop problem though - caused by my worn-out suspension.

I may take the car down and drop some cash on it in San Diego - get it spiffied up.

Frankly, I think the biggest performance enhancement needed on the Qs is better cooling for the brakes. I have warping issues which I think is caused quite a bit by lack of air flow to the rotors caused by the flying saucer wheels.

If/when the car goes, I will probably have new shocks, bushings, suspension parts and maybe wheels to go on it. It will be kinda like getting a new car again.

Anyone in So-Cal need some high-caliber database work? Good rates! Will barter for parts and mechanic time.