Getting into the Q holiday spirit

[OwnerCS]

Here's a story from the Little Rock ABC affiliate community interest section (Seven On Your Side) about an Infiniti owner that had been ripped off by some purported mechanic that left a lady without transportation. She had been borrowing and renting vehicles to get to work. An Infiniti mechanic saw the story and offered his processional services to repair her car at no cost.

The name of the video is "An Early Christmas Gift".

http://www.katv.com/Global/category.asp?C=191561

This story prompted me to help a 1990 model Q45 owner with his car’s transmission troubles.

Many may remember I was looking for another Infiniti or Nissan product to buy for my son a few months ago. Early in my search, I found a silver 1990 model Q45 on Craig’s list being offered for sale. So I contacted the owner and he indicated the transmission had failed and he that was in the process of getting a used transmission installed. As I recall he paid approximately $500 for a 94-model transmission from a salvage yard in Memphis and then another $250 to get it installed. Since he was having the Q repaired, he decided to take it off the market. Coincidentally, I think I later picked up the TCU from that same 94 in Memphis as someone had recently removed the transmission between my visits to that Pull-A-Part.

Naturally, I was all about telling him about Q45.org the Q club forum and all the good people who make up our group with great use and care information to boot. Also during one of the text message conversations I talked about how a TCU from a 93 (pref) or 94-96 model will allow the car to start in 1st gear and that members use Mobil1 ATF to protect their transmissions for the long haul and to change fluid annually.

As it turns out, this Q is located in the eastern (agriculturally based) delta region of the state. So he needs a working car to seek employment closer to Little Rock where there are more job opportunities.

So a few weeks passed and I received text from him that indicated this 2nd transmission was having trouble. It wouldn’t shift into 4th gear and it was slow to engage in drive from reverse. He offered the car for sale to me for a reasonable price. However, I was up to my neck in putting my Q back together and my son objected to me bringing in another Phase I model that needed timing chain guides and all that goes with a 90 model at 130,000 miles. So during our conversation, I indicated it would be fun to have another G50 owner in the area than for me to be the owner. I felt bad for him as I could see he had spent resources on a transmission that may have never received proper care.

Meanwhile, during one of my aforementioned Memphis salvage yard scavenger hunts, I picked up an extra 94 model TCU that I planned to install in his Q as soon as I mine was running again. So yesterday afternoon, I took my oldest son to visit relatives for a duck hunting trip out in rice country delta – not far from the Q’s location. I thought about what I could do to offer help to this transmission that I could do in a driveway. So I picked up a quart of TransX and 5 quarts of Castrol High Mileage ATF. Earlier I had researched Castrol HM ATF some good words from Nissan and Ford owners that reported it help their troubled transmissions. I could only find some Benz owners that turned up their noses at the product with no indication of usage or facts to base an opinion – as it were.

So I took my Pela 6000 pump, the 94 model TCU, some TransX and Castrol High Mileage ATF, and drove across the delta to offer help. While the owner operated the pump to remove 4 quarts of the old fluid, I installed the TCU. When he finished, we poured the old fluid into a large glass jug and held it up to the light to inspect. Unfortunately, when the transmission was changed, it appeared the fluid was not changed. That fluid looked like thick black motor oil. I thought, “oh my word” this transmission must be burnt toast. Thus before we started, the owner agreed going in that changing the transmission fluid, adding some TransX and the TCU definitely would not hurt something that appeared to be failing anyway.

After topping off the transmission and letting it run for a few, I the owner said, it sure runs quieter as it doesn’t whine like it did. We hopped in and started down the street for a drive. The look on his face was absolutely priceless as I could see he liked the way it took off in 1st gear as it proceeded to shift through all gears, with a solid shift into 4th. I was just happy to see any improvement.

After we drove it around for 30 minutes, I was glad to see the transmission was shifting nicely. The owner was sure happy about the way it was shifting. That old fluid must have severly gummed up that transmission. I told him the transmission fluid needs to be changed at least 2 more times to clear out the old fluid and the pan needed to be dropped to change the screen, o-ring, and gasket. I didn’t see the external transmission fluid filter, so I guess a previous owner just removed it or it didn’t come with the 90 model.

In the end, I was happy that I could help another Q owner keep his car running. As soon as I recover from today’s foot surgery, I’ll be glad to help with subsequent trans fluid changes and show him how to perform some maintenance basics.

To me, our Q club is one of the best car online clubs I’ve seen where owners really go an extra mile to help other owners.

[qship96]

Great story, and the Karma will cast its glow on you for quite some time I am sure!!!!! Happy holidays!

[Mint Q45A]

Owner CS,
The world needs more people with your kind of attitude. Nice job!
Have a great Holiday

[yodawill2000]

A fellow believer of the Golden Rule.
Happy Holidays !!!

[paranoidjack]

Wow - nice one! Blessings to you in the Holiday season!

PS: See you Monday. PM'd you my address.

[OwnerCS]

Wow - nice one! Blessings to you in the Holiday season!

PS: See you Monday. PM'd you my address.

Thanks guys!

A PM for me?